Description
Book SynopsisWith thirty-five maps and more than three hundred color images, A Bible Reader's History of the Ancient World provides a stunning introduction to the ancient Near East and the classical world. Telling the story of the lands where the events of the Old and New Testaments took place, this volume introduces its readers to the civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Syria-Palestine, extending its reach as far east as Persia and as far west as Rome. Its Chronological span is from prehistory to the medieval period, but its main focus is on the second and first millennia BCE and the first century CE.
Based on current archaeology and historical research, this volume makes modern scholarship readable and engaging. Its sixteen authors show how scientific archaeology, examination of material culture, and careful reading of primary texts are the keys to understanding ancient societies. The many images-of artifacts, buildings, landscapes, and locations-are more than illustrations; they are central to the book's purpose. They combine with the words of the text to bring the ancient world alive.
Table of ContentsIntroduction Section 1: Getting to Know the Ancient World 1: The World of the Bible Jared W. Ludlow 2: Archaeology Jeffrey R. Chadwick 3: The Earliest Civilizations and Cities of the Near East Edward Stratford Section 2: Old Testament Backgrounds 4: Early Mesopotamia Monica Louise Phillips 5: Egypt’s Old Kingdom Kerry M. Muhlestein 6: Egypt’s Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period Kerry M. Muhlestein 7: Genesis and the Ancient Near East David Rolph Seely 8: The Canaanites George A. Pierce 9: Egypt’s New Kingdom Krystal V. L . Pierce 10: The Exodus Kerry M. Muhlestein 11: Sea Peoples and Philistines George A. Pierce 12: Israel’s Conquest and Settlement George A. Pierce 13: Early Israel in Canaan Andrew C. Skinner 14: Israel’s United Monarchy (1030?–931 BCE) Dana M. Pike 15: Temples in the Near East and Israel David Rolph Seely 16: The Neo-Assyrian Empire Edward Stratford 17: Ammonites, Moabites, Phoenicians, Arameans, and Edomites Aaron P. Schade 18: Israel’s Divided Monarchy, Part 1 (930–841 BCE) Dana M. Pike 19: Israel’s Divided Monarchy, Part 2 (841–722 BCE) Dana M. Pike 20: Judah Alone (722–586 BCE) David Rolph Seely 21: The Neo-Babylonian Empire Edward Stratford 22: The Fall of Judah and the Exile Jared W. Ludlow 23: The Persian Empire and the Restored Jewish Nation Andrew C. Skinner Section 3: New Testament Backgrounds 24: The Greeks and Alexander the Great Cecilia M. Peek 25: The Hellenistic Age Cecilia M. Peek 26: The Romans Eric D. Huntsman 27: The Time of Herod the Great Matthew J. Grey 28: Roman Palestine after Herod the Great Matthew J. Grey 29: Intertestamental Literature and the Dead Sea Scrolls Jared W. Ludlow Section 4: After the Bible 30: Early Christianity Gaye Strathearn 31: The Byzantine Period Eric D. Huntsman 32: Palestine and the Arabs William J. Hamblin 33: Medieval Palestine and the Crusades William J. Hamblin Chronology of the Ancient World Authors and Acknowledgments Index
