The Ancient Orient: An Introduction to the Study of the Ancient Near East - Softcover

Von Soden, Wolfram

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0802801420 ISBN 13: 9780802801425

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1994

Synopsis

This book represents the first comprehensive, interdisciplinary presentation of ancient Near Eastern civilization. Concentrating on Mesopotamia and North Syria and focusing particularly on the cultures of Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria, von Soden covers the earliest times to Hellenization. His study of ancient "humanity in its wholeness" includes treatments of the history of language and systems of writing, the state and society, nutrition and agriculture, artisanry, economics, law, science, religion and magic, art, music, and more. Valuable background work for students of the Bible. Includes 18 black-and-white photographs.

About this title

From the Author

This is the only work of von Soden's available in English.
Wolfram von Soden was the most influential scholar of Ancient Mesopotamian language and history in this century. The breadth and depth of his knowledge allowed him to create the foundation for the study of the modern discipline of Assyriology. He authored not only the authoritative Akkadian grammar (the GAG--Grundriss Akkadischer Grammatik) but also the authoritative lexicon--the Akkadisches Handwoerterbuch (AHw). Accordingly, von Soden was, during the later years of his long and productive life, almost universally acknowledged as the world's leading scholar of the ancient Near East.

In addition, von Soden wrote extensively on such topics as ancient Semitic philology, mythology, and not surprisingly, on the Hebrew Bible language and history. None of these critical works has been brought over into English, though I have considered a critical selection of his articles on the Hebrew Bible. Such a work might be necessary, as von Soden must be regarded as one of the leading 20th-century scholars in that field.

Still, in America, von Soden was shadowed by professional jealousy and slandered by lesser colleagues with accusations of "anti-Semitism". This, despite his tutelage under the noted Chicago Assyriologist, Benno Lansberger, a Jew, despite the open friendship between the two men, and despite Landsberger's lifelong professional and personal support of von Soden. The late W.F. Albright of Johns Hopkins--a friend of Landsberger's and the man who practically invented the field of "biblcal archaeology" and who trained a generation of world-class Israeli archaeologists--suppored von Soden and his family with care packages during the desperate post-war years in Germany. Even the noted Jewish scholar of Orientalistik and Hebrew language, Jacob Milgrom, formerly head of the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Berkeley, both read the manuscript of my translation of The Ancient Orient and endorsed the book on its jacket.

Yet the flimsy grounds of professional jealousy and baseless slanders by lesser lights must we explain the fact that no other of von Soden's works have appeared in English.

Von Soden died in Muenster, Germany, in 1996. News of his death reached me a year later through a professional publication. His pupil, Prof. Dr. Rykle Borger of the University of Goettingen, Germany, my own teacher, sent me a copy of the synopsis of von Soden's life and contributions to scholarship which he had published. In this treatment Prof. Borger also dealt with the personal career struggles of this singular figure.

The news of von Soden's death saddened me greatly. Though we had never met in person, I had enjoyed several long phone conversations with him over critical points in my translation, and phrases and expressions which I had difficulty bringing into English. In spite of von Soden's personal input, and hs extensive review at my request of the section on ancient Mesopotamian science--several galring translational errors slipped through. Some of these were appallingly simple and the product of late-night fatigue on the part of the translator. At some point I hope to be able to correct these, and will discuss these with anyone who is interested.

Best wishes

Dr. Donald G. Schley Colorado Springs, Colorado April, 1999

From the Back Cover

""This long-awaited work by the most famous Assyriologist of recent times brings together into a single picture the history, languages, and cultures of the ancient Semitic and Indo-European near East. It embraces intellectual, artistic, economic, political, and social life and brings within the grasp of the nonspecialist the enormous advances that have been made in Assyriology in recent decades"." Philip R. Davies, University of Sheffield

Edition details

• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0802801420
• ISBN 13: 9780802801425
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 283