Rulers, diplomats and spies - from the history of the international relations at the time of Hammu-rabi 2900-H-WDSZ-OG

The core part of the lecture will be devoted to the international relations of the Old Babylonian era (particularly, the rule of the Babylonian king Hammurabi). Students will see and study examples of diplomatic practices, wars, peaceful initiatives, intelligence, and the role of merchants in the political life of Amorite kingdoms. This part of the lecture will use as its key source the unique collection of Mari letters which present the problems mentioned as the subject of the study. Most of those letters were sent to Zimri-Lim, the then ruler of Mari, by his functionaries (diplomats, envoys, spies, and governors) and also by the rulers of other states. The first lectures will introduce the students into that era in Mesopotamian history by comparing the political, ethnic, social and political situation of that time with the earlier period of the 3rd Dynasty Ur. They will also describe the development of a new (Amorite) order on the ruins of the Sumerian monarchy.

Type of course

elective courses
general courses

Mode

Classroom
Blended learning

Course coordinators

Krystyna Stebnicka
Marek Stępień

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students are expected to know the political history of Old-Babylonian Mesopotamia, diplomatic correspondence and international relations at the time of Hammu-rabi and understand political and cultural ties between countries of the Ancient Near East in the Old-Babylonian Period.

Assessment criteria

The assessment is based on the lecture attendance and, in some cases, passing a short written test

Bibliography

M. Birot, Correspondance des gouverneurs de Qaţţunân, ARM 27, Paris 1993
D. Charpin – F. Joannès – S. Lackenbacher – B. Lafont, Archives épistolaires de Mari, I/2, ARM 26/2, Paris 1988 (wybór)
J.-M. Durand, Archives épistolaires de Mari. I/1, ARM 26/1, Paris 1988 (wybór)
W.W. Heimpel, Letters to the King of Mari: A New Translation, with Historical Introduction, Notes, and Commentary. Mesopotamian Civilizations, Winona Lake 2003
H. Klengel, Das Hammurapi Reich, Berlin 1978 (wybór)
J.-R. Kupper, Lettres royales du temps de Zimri-Lim, ARM 28, Paris 1998
D. Lacambre, La bataille de Hiritum, M.A.R.I. 8, Paris 1997, ss. 431-453
B. Lafont, Messagers et ambassadeurs dans les archives de Mari, [w:] La circulation des biens et des idées dans le Proche-Orient ancien, 38 RAI, Paris 1992, ss. 167-183
G. Roux, Mezopotamia, Warszawa 1998 (and later editions)

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 2900-H-WDSZ-OG in USOSweb