Daniel C. Snell is L. J. Semrod Presidential Professor of History at the University of Oklahoma. His books include Life in the Ancient Near East (1997), A Workbook of Cuneiform Signs (1979), The E.A. Hoffman Collection and Other American Collections (1979), Ledgers and Prices (1982), Twice Told Proverbs (1993) and Flight and Freedom in the Ancient Near East (2001).

“This is a welcome companion volume intended to be used with an introductory text to the history of the ancient Near East. There are unexpected topics and insightful inclusions … .In addition to serving successfully as a companion for teaching, this volume also serves as a useful short reference because of the sixty-eight page bibliography.” (Religious Studies Review, September 2008) "Many will find specific chapters of interest, both for insights into their own specialities and for challenging overviews of related fields. Students will find stimulating introductions to a wide range of subjects, not treated in encyclopaedias or dryer standard works ... on which to hone their own critical faculties." (Bryn Mawr Classical Review)"The chapters are written by some of the world's leading scholars, like the veterans Liverani and Limet ... Some of the articles are highly relevant, even dealing with contemporary issues such as the individual, ethnicity ... democracy, and freedom." (Scholia)"As is usual for the Blackwell Companions the essays making up this volume have all been written by leading experts and as such the coverage is inclusive... The introduction, written by the editor, is excellent and clearly explains what the book is setting out to achieve, aims which are met. A Companion to the Ancient Near East is an excellent book and is one that should, without doubt, be read by those with a keen interest in this historical period." (Reference Reviews)A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year

• List of Figures viiiList of Maps ixNotes on Contributors xAcknowledgments xvIntroduction xviiiPart I The Shape of the Ancient Near East 11 Historical Overview 3Mario Liverani2 From Sedentism to States, 10,000–3000 BCE 20Augusta McMahon3 The Age of Empires, 3100–900 BCE 34Mark Chavalas4 World Hegemony, 900–300 BCE 48Paul-Alain BeaulieuPart II Discourses on Methods 635 Archaeology and the Ancient Near East: Methods and Limits 65Marie-Henriette Gates6 The Languages of the Ancient Near East 79Gonzalo Rubio7 The Historian’s Task 110Daniel C. SnellPart III Economy and Society 1238 The Degradation of the Ancient Near Eastern Environment 125Carlos E. Cordova9 Nomadism Through the Ages 142Jorge Silva Castillo10 Mesopotamian Cities and Countryside 157Elizabeth C. Stone11 Money and Trade 171Christopher M. Monroe12 Working 185David A. Warburton13 Law and Practice 199Bruce Wells14 Social Tensions in the Ancient Near East 212John F. Robertson15 Gender Roles in Ancient Egypt 227Ann Macy Roth16 Royal Women and the Exercise of Power in the Ancient Near East 235Sarah C. Melville17 Warfare in Ancient Egypt 245Anthony J. SpalingerPart IV Culture 25918 Transmission of Knowledge 261Benjamin R. Foster19 Ancient Near Eastern Literature: Genres and Forms 269Tawny L. Holm20 Ancient Near Eastern Architecture 289Sally Dunham21 Mesopotamian Art 304Marian H. Feldman22 Ancient Mesopotamian Medicine 325JoAnn Scurlock23 Mesopotamian Cosmology 339Francesca Rochberg24 Divine and Non-Divine Kingship 353Philip Jones25 How Religion Was Done 366Gary BeckmanPart V Heritage of the Ancient Near East 37726 The Invention of the Individual 379Daniel C. Snell27 Ethnicity 392Henri Limet28 Public versus Private in the Ancient Near East 406Steven J. Garfinkle29 Democracy and Freedom 419Matthew Martin III and Daniel C. Snell30 Monotheism and Ancient Israelite Religion 430S. David Sperling31 The Decipherment of the Ancient Near East 443Peter T. Daniels32 Legacies of the Ancient Near East 454Daniel C. SnellReferences 458Index 527