Best of the Spectator
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.
44:36
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Quick takeaways
- The podcast highlights the significance of the Library of Ashurbanipal in preserving ancient Mesopotamian knowledge despite its eventual destruction during the sack of Nineveh.
- Selena Wisnom explains the intricate relationship between Babylonian culture and divination practices, showcasing their beliefs about divine communication through natural signs.
Deep dives
Origins and Evolution of Cuneiform Writing
Cuneiform writing emerged around 3100 BC in Mesopotamia, the historical region that corresponds to modern-day Iraq, nestled between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Originally developed by the Sumerians, this writing system adapted over centuries to accommodate different languages, including Akkadian and later Old Persian. Scholars faced great challenges in deciphering this script since multiple languages often coexisted, and the use of trilingual inscriptions initially complicated translations, resembling challenges faced with the Rosetta Stone. The complexity of cuneiform is highlighted by its extensive history, spanning over 3,000 years, with half a million sources still undergoing analysis and interpretation by modern researchers.
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