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Assyriologist Selena Wisnom - Mesopotamia and the Making of History
Mar 21, 2025
Selena Wisnom, a scholar and playwright focused on Mesopotamian civilization, takes listeners on a captivating journey through history. She reveals the significance of the Royal Library of Nineveh, showcasing how it preserved vast knowledge. Wisnom dives into the complexities of cuneiform and the Epic of Gilgamesh, connecting ancient stories to modern literature. Additionally, she discusses the intriguing relationships between Mesopotamian gods and their influence on later cultures, illustrating how ancient beliefs resonate in today's world.
31:23
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Quick takeaways
- Mesopotamia, often overlooked, was a cradle of advanced mathematics, astronomy, and profound literature that influenced subsequent civilizations.
- King Ashurbanipal's library in Nineveh served as a monumental repository of Mesopotamian knowledge, illustrating the complexity and richness of this ancient culture.
Deep dives
Discovering Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia, a term meaning 'between the rivers' referring to the Tigris and Euphrates, is recognized as the cradle of civilization where writing was first invented around the mid-fourth millennium BC. This region mainly corresponds to modern-day Iraq and boasts over 3,000 years of documented history due to the preservation of clay tablet writings. The existence of around half a million sources enables a profound understanding of this civilization, often surprising to those unaware of its complexity. Beyond mere receipts and economic records, Mesopotamia produced intellectual achievements including advanced poetry, mathematics, and astronomy, thus highlighting its significant influence on subsequent cultures.
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