NMC447H1

The Neo-Assyrian Empire

The course offers a detailed introduction to the Neo-Assyrian empire and how it functioned, based on study of a representative selection of written sources (in translation). It examines Assyrian kingship, imperial administration, and daily life as reflected in the texts, including the royal inscriptions, official correspondence, astrological reports, and everyday legal and administrative documents. The course studies a cross-section of Assyrian society taking into account various perspectives, from the king and his highest officials and court scholars to the lowest-ranking subjects and deportees. It also investigates the economic basis of the Assyrian empire, including taxation and tribute, booty from military conquest, specialist craft production, and agriculture. The course emphasizes the historical evaluation and interpretation of the primary written sources.