The city in Babylonia and Assyria

Mesopotamia, the fertile region between the Tigris and Euphrates, witnessed the rise of the first great cities in human history. These cities fostered the creation of epic literature, great works of art and monumental architecture that continue to adorn museum galleries around the world and fascinate us today. The exploits of great kings such as Hammurabi (18th century BCE) or Nebuchadnezzar II (7th century BCE) of Babylon are relatively well-known, but what of the diverse and dynamic populations which comprised the cities over which they ruled? What was everyday life like in a bustling Mesopotamian metropolis and how do the descriptions and accounts of ‘the city’ in art and literature correlate to evidence from letters, legal cases, business documents, and household objects?

This course will explore several case studies, spanning 3000 years, in order to understand how ancient Mesopotamians constructed their physical and mental urban landscapes and how archaeologists and historians interpret the evidence they left behind. In each class we will discuss the relevant textual sources against the backdrop of the Mesopotamian city as known from art and archaeology and in doing so, will both build-up and deconstruct our own notions of ‘the city’ and its people in the ancient Near East. The classes will include lectures comprising art historical and archaeological images as well as discussions focused on primary sources—many of which are short and will be read together in class.