In Civilizations of Ancient Iraq, Benjamin and Karen Foster tell the
fascinating story of ancient Mesopotamia from the earliest settlements
ten thousand years ago to the Arab conquest in the seventh century.
Accessible and concise, this is the most up-to-date and authoritative
book on the subject. With illustrations of important works of art and
architecture in every chapter, the narrative traces the rise and fall of
successive civilizations and peoples in Iraq over the course of
millennia--from the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians to the
Persians, Seleucids, Parthians, and Sassanians.
Ancient Iraq was home to remarkable achievements. One of the birthplaces
of civilization, it saw the world's earliest cities and empires, writing
and literature, science and mathematics, monumental art, and innumerable
other innovations. Civilizations of Ancient Iraq gives special
attention to these milestones, as well as to political, social, and
economic history. And because archaeology is the source of almost
everything we know about ancient Iraq, the book includes an epilogue on
the discovery and fate of its antiquities. Compelling and timely,
Civilizations of Ancient Iraq is an essential guide to understanding
Mesopotamia's central role in the development of human culture.
