

The Book Club: Mesopotamia and the Making of History
Feb 26, 2025
Selena Wisnom, an Assyriologist and author of "The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of History," dives into the enigmatic cuneiform culture. She shares insights on Ashurbanipal, the scholar-king, and his extraordinary library. Wisnom reveals the striking interplay of divine messages and human actions in Assyrian society, along with the harsh realities of ancient warfare. She explains the significance of lamentation as a cultural practice and debunks myths about Sumerian demons while exploring the evolution of ancient divine worship.
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Intro
00:00 • 2min
Decoding Ancient Languages and Cultures
02:25 • 13min
Babylonian Divination and Astronomy
15:44 • 5min
Decoding Divine Messages Through Entrail Examination
20:47 • 2min
The Interplay of Medicine and Spiritual Healing in Ancient Mesopotamia
23:08 • 2min
The Shifting Sands of Sumerian Deities
25:23 • 9min
Lamentation: A Sacred Insurance Policy Against Divine Anger
34:13 • 2min
Divine Messages and Human Agency in Assyrian Culture
36:20 • 8min