The ancient myths of the Near East are the foundation stones of both Western and Middle Eastern cultures. These stories originate in the period before the development of writing systems and tell how people made sense of the world through tales of gods, animals, men, women, and combined human/divine beings. These myths—among them the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Descent of Ishtar to the Netherworld, the Babylonian Creation Epic, the Tale of Innana—have great literary merit and reveal much about the development of historical writing and the evolution of religious systems. You study the myths and cultures of Egypt, Sumer, the Hittites, Ugarit, Assyria, and Babylon. You concentrate on the relationship between Ancient Near Eastern myth and biblical accounts.
Ancient Near Eastern Mythology
Discover the great myths of the ancient Near East, the region bound by Egypt and the Mediterranean in the west, Iran in the east, Anatolia in the north, and the Arabian peninsula in the south.
Overview
About
Shalom L. Goldman is an Associate Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature in the Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies at Emory University. He completed his undergraduate work at New York University and received his M.A. from Columbia University. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in the study of Hebrew and Ancient Near Eastern texts from New York University. Prior to taking his position at Emory, Professor Goldman taught at Dartmouth College. He has been a visiting professor at Brown, Case Western, and Ohio State. At both Dartmouth and Emory, Dr. Goldman has received awards for distinguished undergraduate teaching. In 2002 he was recognized by the Emory chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for his contribution to excellence in undergraduate education. Professor Goldman is the editor of Hebrew and the Bible in America, and the author of God's Sacred Tongue: Hebrew and the American Imagination. Dr. Goldman also worked with American composer Philip Glass to create the opera Akhnaten.
01: Studying Ancient Near Eastern Myth
Studying Ancient Near Eastern Myth
33 min
02: The Emergence of Civilization in the Near East
The Emergence of Civilization in the Near East
30 min
03: Hittites and Canaanites
Hittites and Canaanites
30 min
04: Archaeology, Science, and Ideology
Archaeology, Science, and Ideology
30 min
05: Principles of Writing Systems
Principles of Writing Systems
30 min
06: Literary and Religious Aspects of Myth
Literary and Religious Aspects of Myth
30 min
07: Ancient Near Eastern Myths and the Bible
Ancient Near Eastern Myths and the Bible
30 min
08: The Ancient Gods—Egypt and Mesopotamia
The Ancient Gods—Egypt and Mesopotamia
30 min
09: The Ancient Gods—Syria/Canaan
The Ancient Gods—Syria/Canaan
30 min
10: The Creation Myths of Egypt and Mesopotamia
The Creation Myths of Egypt and Mesopotamia
30 min
11: Epics of the Gods—Syria/Canaan
Epics of the Gods—Syria/Canaan
31 min
12: The Epic of Gilgamesh, Part One
The Epic of Gilgamesh, Part One
30 min
13: The Epic of Gilgamesh, Part Two
The Epic of Gilgamesh, Part Two
30 min
14: Myths of Death and Destruction, Part One
Myths of Death and Destruction, Part One
30 min
15: Myths of Death and Destruction, Part Two
Myths of Death and Destruction, Part Two
30 min
16: The Individual and Society—Legal Texts
The Individual and Society—Legal Texts
30 min
17: The Individual and Society—Myth and Legend
The Individual and Society—Myth and Legend
30 min
18: Love, Lust, and Poetry
Love, Lust, and Poetry
30 min
19: Marriage, Divorce, and Other Arrangements
Marriage, Divorce, and Other Arrangements
30 min
20: Kingship and the Gods
Kingship and the Gods
30 min
21: Royal Historians, Poets, and Artists—Mesopotamia
Royal Historians, Poets, and Artists—Mesopotamia
30 min
22: A Royal Couple—Myth and Reality
A Royal Couple—Myth and Reality
30 min
23: Royal Historians, Poets, and Artists—Egypt
Royal Historians, Poets, and Artists—Egypt
29 min
24: Wisdom Literature; Conclusions
Wisdom Literature; Conclusions
30 min
