For many of us, places such as Mesopotamia, peoples like the Assyrians, or rulers such as Darius are so shrouded with dust that we might be tempted to skip over them entirely. These 12 lectures are a superb introduction to these and other often-overlooked ancient civilizations. Professor Harl begins during the Bronze Age and the emergence of urban-based literate civilizations and carries the story forward until the demise of Persia's great empire at the hands of the Greeks, who embraced many of the achievements of these Near East civilizations but clearly represented a different kind of civilization, built on different institutions. Along the way, you'll examine advances such as the invention and evolution of writing; the development of vast empires dependent not only on military might but on laws and administration; the growth of trade; and the contributions of the Hebrews to the religious and ethical future of Western civilization. Moreover, you'll dispel the notion that beneath that layer of antique dust lies only more dust. Time and again, Professor Harl deepens your understanding in ways that not only reanimate these civilizations, but also enhance our own sense of the serendipitous ways history reveals itself. What he's crafted is a fast-paced introduction that will give you a new appreciation of our own roots - and a rock-solid foundation for deeper exploration.