Myth and Politics in Ancient Near Eastern Historiography - by Mario Liverani

About the Book

The essays included in this volume analyze important historical texts from various regions of the Ancient Near East. The distinguished Italian historian Mario Liverani suggests that these historiographical texts were of a "true" historical nature and...

Book Synopsis

The essays included in this volume analyze important historical texts from various regions of the Ancient Near East. The distinguished Italian historian Mario Liverani suggests that these historiographical texts were of a "true" historical nature and that their literary forms achieved their intended results. Liverani focuses on two central themes in these texts: myth and politics.There is a close connection, Liverani finds, between the writing of history and the validation of political order and political action. History defines the correct role and behavior of political leaders, especially when they do not possess the validation provided by tradition. Historical texts, he discovers, are more often the tools for supporting change than for supporting stability.Liverani demonstrates that history writing in the Ancient Near East made frequent use of mythical patterns, wisdom motifs, and literary themes in order to fulfill its audience's cultural expectations. The resulting nonhistorical literary forms can mislead interpretation, but an analysis of these forms allows the texts' sociopolitical and communicative frameworks to emerge.

Review Quotes

"In Myth and Politics in Ancient Near Eastern Historiography, the renowned Italian historian Mario Liverani shows clearly that underestimating the sophistication of ancient writings is a grave mistake, particularly when political and religious texts are in question. In eight fascinating essays that read like detective stories, Liverani dissects a variety of documents from the late second and early first millennium B.C.E., laying bare unexpected levels of meaning buried under their seemingly simple 'formal messages.' . . . Such a close reading of the texts turns many things upside down, and demonstrates the dangers inherent in uncritical use of ancient sources." Simo Parpola, Archaeology Odyssey, July/August 2005"

"Mario Liverani's work is among the most original and penetrating in the discipline of ancient Near Eastern studies. I recommend this brilliant and fascinating book with high enthusiasm." Benjamin R. Foster, Yale University"

"Myth and Politics in Ancient Near Eastern Historiography is an extremely useful collection. . . . When ancient historians encounter primary sources, they still sometimes accept them at face value and paste them into narratives. Liverani shows that this practice is dangerous, especially when one is dealing with political documents. Instead, he argues that one should plumb texts for meanings or messages." Steven M. Stannish, History: Reviews of New Books 33:3"

"This collection of his classic essays, selected by Liverani himself and presented in English for the first time, displays Liverani's brilliance in dissecting a variety of myths, treaties, royal inscriptions, letters, and Biblical narratives. This collection will bring his substantive conclusions and his method to a wider audience of historians, anthropologists, and literary critics. The editors have done a splendid job introducing the essays, revising Liverani's own translations, and providing handy references to studies that have appeared since Liverani's original work." Norman Yoffee, University of Michigan"

"This slim volume presents excellent introductions to eight of Liverani's pioneering studies. . . . Liverani's technique in each case is to submit familiar texts to close reading in order to reveal their underlying structures and historical implications. The results are unexpected and illuminating." Choice 42:10, June 2005"

About the Author

Mario Liverani is Professor of History of the Ancient Near East at the University of Rome "La Sapienza." He is a member of the Italian Academia dei Lincei, the Academia Europaea, and Honorary Member of the American Oriental Society, as well as Director of the Inter-University Research Center for Saharan Archaeology. He is the author of ten books including most recently International Relations in the Ancient Near East. Zainab Bahrani is Edith Porada Associate Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Art in the Department of Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University. She is the author of Women of Babylon: Gender and Representation in Mesopotamia and Word, Image, and Portrayal: Representation in Babylon and Assyria. Marc Van De Mieroop is Professor of Ancient Near East History at Columbia University. He is the author of many books including The Ancient Mesopotamian City, Cuneiform Texts and the Writing of History, and History of the Ancient Near East, c. 3000--323 BC.