Using original documents in translation ranging from the 25th to the 5th century B.C., it compares ancient structures and concepts with modern in areas such as the state, imperialism, diplomacy, war, treaties, and international law. An investigation of the phenomenon of writing, the circumstances of its invention, and its development and spread. The differences between writing and other semiotic systems are explored. A study of the earliest notions of history and its meaning, as revealed in the records of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Israel, and other Near Eastern civilizations. Special attention is paid to the origin and development of the epic, culminating in the great Epic of Gilgamesh, but considerable time is also given to the vast mythological and historical literature, and such diverse genres as love poetry, proverbs, humorous dialogues, omens, and legal and medical texts.
All readings are in English translation.
Readings are selected from primary sources in the writings of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Israel, Greece, and Rome. Special attention is given to Hippocratic medicine, the synthesis of Galen, and the rise of humoralism. A survey of literature and monuments which illustrate the roles of women in Egyptian society. Included are the few women who ruled Egypt as pharaoh, as well as those whose position as priestesses made them nearly as powerful as the king. A survey of the Egyptian religion, including the national temple cults, personal pieties, and funerary cults.