ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS OF THE NEAR EAST AND EGYPT (4th-2nd millennium B.C.)

The course examines the main developments in the civilizations of the Eastern Mediterranean, which are associated with the emergence of complex societies in the form of city-states or extended territorial states in the late 4^th, 3^rd and 2^nd millennium BC. Particular attention is paid to the culture region.

The seminar’s objectives are pursued through the study of key features in the main periods of  development  of the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt and the discussion of the main aspects that are associated with the emergence of complex societies in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Upon successful completion of the seminar course, the student should be able to:

• Comprehend key aspects of these cultures, such as urbanization, advanced technology, surplus production, craft specialization and trade, emerge of writing, economy and central institutions of these societies.
• Will have acquired essential knowledge for the period of formation of the city states in Mesopotamia, the succeeding phases in Mesopotamian history and the key institutions of the Sumerian and Akkadian states.
• With regard to Egypt, they will acquire basic knowledge of the period of the formation of the Egyptian state, the so-called Archaic period (3200-2686 BC) and subsequently the developments in the periods that followed in the Ancient, Middle and New Kingdom of Egypt.

Week 1: Introduction. The formation of early states.

Week 2:  Mesopotamia. The Pre-dynastic period: from the agricultural societies to the first cities (5^th and 4^th millennium BC).

Week 3: Mesopotamia. The Early Dynastic period (3000-2350 BC).

Week 4: Mesopotamia. The political centralization of the late 3^rd millennium BC. The period of Sargon (Akkadic dynasty) and the 3^rd Dynasty of Ur.

Week 5: The Near East in the early 2^nd millennium BC. Mari, Assur, the early Assyrian period, Babylon and the ancient Babylonian period (2000-1600 BC).

Week 6:. Egypt. Introduction. Geographical and chronological framework. The role of Nile, the nature of kingship and religion. Prehistory and early Dynastic Period.

Week 7:. Egypt. The period of the Ancient Kingdom

Week 8: Egypt. The art in the period of the Ancient Kingdom. The Middle Kingdom

Week 9: Egypt. The period of the New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC).

Week 10: The Aegean in the  3^rd millennium BC.

Week 11: The Minoan Civilization.

Week 12: The Mycenaean Civilization.

Week 13: The collapse of the cilivilizations of the Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Van De Mieroop Marc, Ιστορία της Αρχαίας Εγγύς Ανατολής (μτφ. Κ. Κοπανιάς), 2016. Κ. Κοπανιάς, Εισαγωγή στην Ιστορία και Αρχαιολογία της Εγγύς Ανατολής, 2015 (ηλεκτρονικό βιβλίο, Ελληνικά Ακαδημαϊκά Ηλεκτρονικά Συγγράμματα "Κάλλιπος":
http://hdl.handle.net/11419/319). Αικ. Παπαευθυμίου-Παπανθίμου, Εισαγωγή στους Πολιτισμούς της Προϊστορίας, 2007. Α. Παρό, Σουμέριοι. Οι απαρχές του πολιτισμού στην Εγγύς Ανατολή, Η Καθημερινή. G. Leick, Οι Βαβυλώνιοι, 2003. C. Aldred, Oι Αιγύπτιοι, 2001. B.C. Trigger, Understanding Early Civilizations, 2003. J. Vercoutter, H Αρχαία Αίγυπτος, 1994. I. E. S. Edwards, Οι Πυραμίδες της Αιγύπτου, 1995. S. Pollock, Ancient Mesopotamia, 1999. J.N. Postgate, Early Mesopotamia. Society and Economy at the Dawn of History, 1992. H. Crawford, Sumer and the Sumerians, 2004. Ι. Shaw, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, 2000.

The course is based on lectures by the supervisor with appropriate use of educational material, interaction and close collaboration with the students.  The use of the e-class platform introduces to the students additional educational material (documentaries, electronic publications, lectures accessible on the internet).

Final written examination. Students’ evaluation and assignment of grades (1-10 scale) is based on the final written examination and on active participation in lesson discussion.