Just a guy with an ancient history degree interested in the world of the Near East and Mediterranean
Explaining the Seasons Nature is a complicated thing. From the mysteries of the deep sea and the social structures of animals to the ever-changing starry canvas of the heavens above, there is so much to be discovered and so much to explain. Without the ingenuity of the scientific method, what better way to unravel these… Continue reading Nergal and Ereshkigal – the Mesopotamian Hades and Persephone
First Impressions I was gifted this book by my partner, who found it in an old bookshop during her last venture outdoors before social distancing began. Spotting the Persian symbol on the cover, she (correctly) assumed I might be interested, and bought it. I recognised the name 'Kriwaczek'. Glancing over to our bookshelf, I saw… Continue reading Book review – In Search of Zarathustra, by Paul Kriwaczek
Buckle up, this one's a controversial debate Despite wanting to be a scholar of the ancient world, and being at least somewhat aware of the Brexit world I currently live in, I hadn't previously considered the aesthetic similarity between the Tower of Babel and the EU Parliament building in Strasbourg. The idea to actually write… Continue reading Babylon, the Tower of Babel, and the E.U. Parliament building
The geography of Mesopotamia makes it a very peculiar and remarkable place, unlike anywhere else in the world. Sure, you can say that about anywhere, really, but it was here between the rivers of Euphrates and Tigris that 'civilisation' and 'urban living' began. From this land, many prominent cultures rose to dominate the Near East… Continue reading The Borders of Ancient Mesopotamia
Goldfinger The legend of King Midas is one of the most famous from Greek mythology. The tale follows the story of the eponymous king of Phrygia, who after capturing a prophecy-spouting satyr called Silenus (or in other versions "rescuing" him), encounters the god Dionysus. The god of wine offers King Midas a reward in exchange… Continue reading The real King Midas – Mita of Mushki
Its been nearly three months since term began in October, and my goodness they've been busy! New skills, new experiences, all with a heightened sense of tension at the thought of leaving university. So far so good, as far as the Masters goes, let's hope the rest of the year follows suit. To start, my… Continue reading Semester 1 complete!
Legendary storytelling 300 is a powerful number. For classicists, historians, military strategists, film-goers and comic book fans, the number 300 conjures images of a band of muscled, determined warriors bravely defending their homeland and liberty from an unstoppable force. A mere three hundred soldiers, standing up to overwhelming numbers that threaten to overrun their territory,… Continue reading Against the Odds – why do we remember Thermopylae?
At the turn of the 7th century BCE, Sennacherib was the King of Assyria, the second of the Sargonid Dynasty of Neo-Assyrian kings after his father Sargon II. Map of the Neo-Assyrian Empire c.671 BCE, retrieved from alchetron.com Early Reign and Military Campaigns From 705-681, Sennacherib ruled vast swathes of territory over what is now… Continue reading King Sennacherib and his Building Projects
Most people have heard of the tale of the Tower of Babel - the Biblical story of a people with a united language, striving to reach the heavens with their monumental architecture, shunned for their hubris by God with the curse of... multiple language. Real shiver-inducing stuff. Luckily for those who are interested in looking… Continue reading The Tower of Babel – Biblical allegory or Sumerian myth?
Aeschylus - c. 525-456 BCE I first came across Greek theatre during my first year of university, where my English Literature class examined the works of playwrights such as John Webster, Henrik Ibsen, and (of course) William Shakespeare. As the module was chronological, the first set text we undergrads needed to read was Sophocles' tragedy… Continue reading Play review – Aeschylus’ ‘Persians’
Armchair Assyriologist 