Marc van de Mieroop

En el Próximo Oriente antiguo se establecieron las primeras sociedades con cultura escrita de la historia universal. Partiendo tanto del registro escrito como de los restos materiales arqueológicos, esta obra ofrece una vision de conjunto, innovadora y actualizada, de las civilizaciones que se desarrollaron en esa rica confluencia de continentes. Presenta su compleja historia multicultural: desde el surgimiento de la escritura, los origenes de las primeras ciudades en Mesopotamia y los reinos babilonio e hitita, hasta el auge de los imperios asirio y persa y la transformacion del Proximo Oriente tras las conquistas de Alejandro. E incluye numerosos materiales auxiliares como documentos, debates, graficos, mapas e ilustraciones.Hay maneras diversas de entender la historiaEl libro de Van de Mieroop es un estudio claro y atractivo del antiguo Oriente Proximo... Su cronologia integrada, los numerosos graficos y las secciones separadas sobre debates y documentos hacen de el una valiosa obra de consulta para cualquier lector interesado en ese periodo. (N. S. Palmer, Ancient History Encyclopedia)Un sobresaliente trabajo de sintesis que nos relata la evolucion de las civilizaciones que poblaron esta region. El profesor de Historia de la Universidad de Columbia auna en su obra las principales lineas y resultados de la investigacion historiografica con un estilo sencillo y accesible para los menos avezados en la materia. El resultado es un repaso historico sumamente interesante de uno de los periodos menos conocidos de nuestro pasado. (Metahistoria)Un manual perfecto para el acercamiento y estudio de este periodo historico. (Ecos de Asia)

This book presents the first biography written in English of the famous Babylonian lawgiver, King Hammurabi, who ruled from 1792 to 1750 BC. It presents a well-rounded view of this ancient Mesopotamian king's accomplishments, by drawing on the extensive writings of his time, including those by Hammurabi himself. Numerous letters and reports by ambassadors to his court and others are presented in translation. Marc Van De Mieroop traces Hammurabi's career as a diplomat and conqueror, describing how he dealt with powerful rivals and extended his kingdom to create the large state of Babylon. He explores the administration of the kingdom and looks at the legacies of Hammurabi's rule, especially his legal code, the earliest complete body of legal instructions in world history. The book demonstrates how Hammurabi's conquests irrevocably changed the political organization of the Middle East and shows that Hammurabi was long remembered by the ancient Mesopotamians as one of the greatest kings of the past. This is the first biography in English of King Hammurabi, who ruled Babylon from 1792 to 1750 BC and presents a rounded view of his accomplishments. Describes how Hammurabi dealt with powerful rivals and extended his kingdom. Draws on the King's own writings and on diplomatic correspondence that has only recently become available. Explores the administration of the kingdom and the legacies of his rule, especially his legal code. Demonstrates how Hammurabi's conquests irrevocably changed the political organization of the Near East, so that he was long remembered as one of the great kings of the past. Written to be accessible to a general audience.