Customer Reviews

Life in the Ancient Near East, 3100-332 B.C.E.

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was first introduced to Snell's book in an undergrad archaeology class the year it was first published. This book is different from other more traditional Mesopotamian books as it has a short but heartfelt fictional story placed at the beginning of each chapter. This has remained in my mind sense the first time I read it and keeps it alive in my memory. The book covers topics as follows: The origins of cities, The rise of Empires, Reform within those Empires, Retrenchment and Empire, Assyrian Domination of Mesopotamia, Babylon and Persia, and Trends and Implications within those periods. I highly recommend this book for an insight into Mesopotamian life, culture, and historical background

Snell's book is important in bringing together available social historical evidence (it is also very well documented). I found particularly enlightening Snell's discussion of slaves/slavery and women. I gave the book a 4-star rating because Snell's organization of the information he has marshalled is, at times, disjointed and hard to follow--probably because the ancient Near East is so hard to periodize. Nonetheless, the book was an informative read and could be used to supplement introductory works on the ancient Near East that emphasize imperial history at the expense of social history.

Well-organized and exceedingly well-researched, my only concerns with this book lie in the way Prof. Snell's sense of majesterial objectivity drop as soon as the subject of Israel arises. He is willing to accept many matters of the early bible as historical, even as he acknowledges it as essentially an article of faith. This certainly gives creedence to the author's religious sensibilities, but it detracts from his overall argument. If the myth records of other nations are not to be considered as the subject for history, neither should that of Judeo-Christianity; if the bible is a repository of historical fact worthy of inclusion in a book that weighs the evidence from more than a hundred works on the subject-at-hand, then the religious documents of Mesopotamia and Egypt such receive just as much regard.

Snell's book is important in bringing together available social historical evidence; it is also very well documented. I found particulary enlightening Snell's discussion of slaves/slavery and women. I gave the book a 4-star rating because Snell's organization of the information he has marshalled is, at times, disjointed and hard to follow--probably because the ancient Near East is so hard to periodize. Nonetheless, the book was an interesting read and should be used to supplement introductory works on the ancient Near East that emphasize imperial history at the expense of social history.

Snell's book is important in bringing together available social historical evidence; it is also very well documented. I found particulary enlightening Snell's discussion of slaves/slavery and women. I gave the book a 4-star rating because Snell's organization of the information he has marshalled is, at times, disjointed and hard to follow--probably because the ancient Near East is so hard to periodize. Nonetheless, the book was an interesting read and should be used to supplement introductory works on the ancient Near East that emphasize imperial history at the expense of social history.

There's great writing here, to be sure. However, Snell's introduction to the middle east is too wide reaching for 140 pages. He tries to touch on every ancient culture, and therein the book looses its focus. This is feels like a disordered patchwork of several great books on ancient culture. It doesn't have the focus of some better histories--try van der Mieroop.

However, I will add that the essay in the appendix, on theories of ancient economy, is a great read. If you find this book at the library, check it out and give this short essay a read.

I bought this book just from browsing around in Amazon. I am trying to educate myself more on the ancient world and this book looked like a good one.

I gave this book 4 stars because it has wonderful information about the lives of the peoples of the ancient near east. I didn't give this book 5 stars because of its organization.

I felt like there was no point to the book except to puke out all that the author had learned during his research. I appreciate the author's hard work, and I believe it was worth the small funds I payed for the book, but the author needs work on his writing skills.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient history only because I have read so few books about ancient history. If you have the ability to stick it out through a book that has fascinating information, but requires some effort to read, then this book is wonderful. I am that type of person. I read a lot of computer science books as well :-) If you are the type that has to be lead through a book with the author exciting you all the way with his words, then don't pick this one up.

Snell's book is important in bringing together available social historical evidence; it is also very well documented. I found particulary enlightening Snell's discussion of slaves/slavery and women. I gave the book a 4-star rating because Snell's organization of the information he has marshalled is, at times, disjointed and hard to follow--probably because the ancient Near East is so hard to periodize. Nonetheless, the book was an interesting read and should be used to supplement introductory works on the ancient Near East that emphasize imperial history at the expense of social history.