Babylon :Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization
Babylon :Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization
paperback
Published:
1 March, 2012
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Description
In Babylon, Paul Kriwaczek tells the story of ancient Mesopotamia from the earliest settlements around 5400 BC, to the eclipse of Babylon by the Persians in the sixth century BC. He chronicles the rise and fall of dynastic power during this period; he examines its numerous material, social and cultural innovations and inventions: The wheel, civil, engineering, building bricks, the centralized state, the division of labour, organised religion, sculpture, education, mathematics, law and monumental building.
At the heart of Kriwaczek's magisterial account, though, is the glory of Babylon - 'gateway to the gods' - which rose to glorious prominence under the Amorite king Hammurabi, who unified Babylonia between 1800 and 1750 BC. While Babylonian power would rise and fall over the ensuing centuries, it retained its importance as a cultural, religious and political centre until its fall to Cyrus the Great of Persia in 539 BC.
More Details
| Type | Book |
|---|---|
| ISBN13 | 9781848871571 |
| ISBN10 | 1848871570 |
| Number Of Pages | 320 |
| Item Weight | 317 g |
| Product Dimensions | 129 x 198 x 23 mm |
| Publisher / Reseller | Atlantic Books |
| Format | paperback |
| Edition | Main |
Media Reviews
Praise for Paul Kriwaczek Eloquent and consistently thought-provoking account of ancient Mesopotamia. -- Scotland on Sunday on Babylon Historical detail gives authority to this tale of human misery and military magnificence. -- The Times (UK) on Babylon An outstanding survey of a civilization that endured against great odds but has now essentially vanished. -- Booklist (starred) on Yiddish Civilization A landmark book. -- Library Journal on In Search of Zarathustra
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Author's Bio
Paul Kriwaczek (1937-2011) was born in Vienna. In 1970 he joined the BBC full-time and wrote, produced and directed for twenty-five years. A former head of Central Asian Affairs at the BBC World Service, he was fluent in eight languages, including Farsi, Pashto, Urdu, Hindi and Nepalese.