This is an introduction to the history of the ancient Near East during the last millennium bc: Phoenicia, Palestine, the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian empires, the Persian Achaemenid empire, the empire of Alexander, and the vast Persian Seleucid empire founded around 300 bc and defeated in 64 bc.

Introduction; 1 The world of the peoples of Mesopotamia; Places and peoples; The rediscovery of the 'Assyrians'; The evolution of Mesopotamian historiography; 2 Political history of the Assyrian empire (934-610 BC); The first expansion (934-827); Crisis and refoundation (823-727); The Sargonid empire (721-610); Document; One of Ashurnasirpal's campaigns in the east of Anatolia in 865; 3 Control of the imperial territory; Military organisation; At the hub of the empire; The provinces; Document; Extract from the Census of Harran; 4 The centre of Assyrian government; The king of Assyria; The exercise of royal power; Where the power lay; Documents; The king of Assyria and his servitors: letter from the exorcist Adad-in the neo-Babylonian period; Social and economic strata; Economic activities; Management of the large organisations; Documents; The life of Babylonian notables: Lurindu's marriage; Land management: leasing contract; 7 Religion and culture in Babylonia in the first millennium BC; The pantheon and religious concepts; How religion was organised; Babylon, cultural capital; Document; An extract from the IVth tablet of the Epic of Erra; 8 Achaemenid Babylonia (539-331 BC); A central province of the Persian empire; A reserve of soldiers; Tribute and intermediaries; Document; Financial activities in the Achaemenid era: leasing a royal tax; 9 From the Seleucids to the Parthians (331 BC - AD 75); The evolution of the satrapy of Babylonia; Socio-economic realities; The slow end of a civilisation; Document; Religious activities in the Seleucid period: renting a prebend; Conclusion; Political chronology; Glossary; Bibliography; Sources of texts quoted; Index.

The book covers a period of profound interest ... There is an enormous amount of material here that many people are now becoming aware of, but lack the specialist knowledge to know how to handle or what to make of ! It is a model of clarity, with excellent citations of texts. -- Professor Amelie Kuhrt, University College London Francis Joannes has produced an excellent work ... His experience gained over many years has enabled him to write this authoritative and informative synthesis of Assyrian and Babylonian history and culture of the first millennium BC. -- Professor Allan Millard, University of Liverpool The book covers a period of profound interest ... There is an enormous amount of material here that many people are now becoming aware of, but lack the specialist knowledge to know how to handle or what to make of ! It is a model of clarity, with excellent citations of texts. Francis Joannes has produced an excellent work ... His experience gained over many years has enabled him to write this authoritative and informative synthesis of Assyrian and Babylonian history and culture of the first millennium BC.