Ancient Middle Eastern History

On June 2010, the twentieth archaeological season organised by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, will begin at Tel Hazor in Upper Galilee, Israel.

Jan 23, 2010 - Neil Gunn

Current knowledge of the Assyrians relies to some extent on the primary information garnered from a range of decorated wall panels, sculptures and freestanding stela.

Jan 20, 2010 - Neil Gunn

After the death of Sargon II, king of Assyria, in 705 BCE the status of his capital Dur Sharrukin waned after his son Sennacherib moved the royal household to Nineveh.

Jan 7, 2010 - Neil Gunn

The first of the discoveries of cuneiform script, which reinforced the Old Testament story of the seige of Samaria, was made at the ruins of the Palace of Sargon II.

Dec 20, 2009 - Neil Gunn

King Herod the Great, born c 73 BCE, was a central character in the history of the Jewish people. Early chroniclers have allowed a fascinating glimpse into his life.

Dec 16, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The BBC has recently reported that Iran has threatened to stop cultural co-operation with the British Museum if the Babylonian Cyrus Cylinder is not returned on loan.

Oct 18, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Once the thriving capital of the Roman province of Arabia, Bosra, now part of modern Syria, owes much to the building work of second century C. E. Roman emperor Trajan.

Aug 3, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa) on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula is believed by some traditionalists to be the site where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

Jul 26, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Bosra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and once ancient capital of the Roman province of Arabia, lies 120 kilometres south of the Syrian city of Damascus.

Jul 19, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Palmyra is one of the jewels set in the Syrian crown. In a city crammed with evocative memories and historical treasures the great Temple of Bel beckons to the curious.

Jul 12, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Palmyra, (Tadmor) Syria now a UNESCO World Heritage Site was, for many years a caravan stop on the great Silk Road that stretched from China to the Mediterranean coast.

Jul 8, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Mount Nebo, Jordan is today a place of pilgrimage for thousands of people who visit the spot, where according to the Bible, Moses saw the Promised Land.

Jul 3, 2009 - Neil Gunn

Until the discovery in 1868 of the 9th century Mesha Stele at Dhiban (modern Jordan), scant evidence of Moab, a vassal state of the Kingdom of Israel survived.

Jun 6, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The Old Testament book of Nehemiah tells of the rebuilding of the walls and gates of Jerusalem following the Babylonian destruction of the city in 587-586 BCE.

May 17, 2009 - Neil Gunn

From the 3rd century BCE until the 2nd century CE great camel caravans made the trip from the southern shores of the Arabian Peninsula to the Mediterranean port of Gaza.

May 3, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The ancient city of Megiddo, now a World Heritage Site, is one of the most remarkable tells (hills) in the Levant and scene of the first ever recorded battle in history.

Apr 6, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The Jordanian city of Umm Qays formally known as Gadara, one of the Greco-Roman cities of the Decapolis, is today a place for quiet contemplation and exploration.

Mar 22, 2009 - Neil Gunn

The Decapolis was a confederation of ten contiguous cities, with the exception of Damascus, on what was then the edge of the Roman Empire in north eastern Palestine.

Dec 16, 2008 - Neil Gunn

West Bank Bethlehem sits almost 2,500 feet above sea level only five miles from Jerusalem. It is for Christians, Jews and Muslims a special place.

Dec 8, 2008 - Neil Gunn

The Nabateans are remembered today for their ingenious water aqueducts and impressive architectural buildings in Petra, Jordan.

Nov 26, 2008 - Neil Gunn

The Jordanian village of Mkawer, 25 miles southwest of Madaba, is home to the ruins of Machaerus, the Black Fortress, the place of execution of John the Baptist.

Oct 27, 2008 - Neil Gunn

Today the Gaza Strip is an isolated, overcrowded enclave bordered by Egypt to the south, Mediterranean Sea to the west and a hostile Israel to the north and east.

Oct 10, 2008 - Neil Gunn

Egyptian coins bearing the name of Biblical Joseph have been discovered in a museum in Egypt.

Feb 1, 2010 - Kathleen Strelow

The accidental discovery of a rock by a soldier would change Egyptology and provide a window into the language and belief systems of a celebrated ancient culture.

Dec 15, 2009 - Trish Popovitch

Howard Carter's discovery of the remains and artifacts of Tutankhamen sparked an interested in Egyptology and Ancient Egypt that remains to the present day.

Dec 15, 2009 - Trish Popovitch

The Roman historian Tacitus once called Ancient Egypt "the gift of the Nile". It was true. But for the Nile, civilization could never have flourished in Egypt.

Nov 26, 2009 - Brenda Ralph Lewis

A Semite from the city-state of Akkad, Sargon would create an empire that would change the political and cultural identity of Sumer.

Nov 20, 2009 - Shri Desai

Approaching the height of its power, Sumer was a confederacy (loose union) of city-states, often with one dominating at a given period of time until the rise of Akkad.

Nov 19, 2009 - Shri Desai

Copt comes from the ancient Greek word, Aigyptos and literally translated means Egyptian. The Greek derived this word Ha-Ka-Ptah, a name for the once Capital of Memphis.

Nov 10, 2009 - Sarah Blakemore

Early laws focused on monetary compensation for offenses, but later Sumerian civilization will see harsher, and more brutal penalties.

Oct 25, 2009 - Shri Desai

Pictorial symbols, used for religious purposes, would become phonetic characters out of necessity for something simpler, leading to the first written language, and epic

Oct 1, 2009 - Shri Desai

Sumerians lived a life typical of most ancient civilization, a life which was simplified with the onset of numerous innovations like pottery, the wheel, and metallurgy.

Sep 25, 2009 - Shri Desai

Groups of primitive hunters/gatherers settled in an area of land between two great rivers to form one of the first human civilizations.

Sep 18, 2009 - Shri Desai

Most Christian and Judean faiths believe that Amos was a minor prophet and the author of the book holding his name. What evidence is there that he existed?

Sep 17, 2009 - Christina Pritchard

Hammurapi (1792-1750 BC), king of Babylon, governed his empire effectively and fairly for over forty years.

May 12, 2009 - Jessica Sprunt

The olive tree and its byproducts have historical significance in the Bible and ancient lands, and specimens 2,000 years old may still thrive.

Jan 12, 2009 - Cheryl Kraynak

Many theories exist regarding the Star of Bethlehem; and, despite the disbelief of the non-religious, astronomers have calculated how such an event might have occurred.

Dec 29, 2008 - Dennis Jamison

Following the star the Star of Bethlehem was dangerous and a risky journey for the Magi. They had to travel through enemy territory to witness the infant Jesus in Judea.

Dec 28, 2008 - Dennis Jamison

A collector of ancient coins with astronomical symbols, Michael Molnar, Doctor of Astronomy, purchased a coin which appears to solve the Star of Bethlehem's mystery.

Dec 6, 2008 - Jeannie Delahunt

The Invasions of Alexander led to the spread of Greek cultural and artistic influences. The Gandhara Art form was born as Buddhism encountered Greek ideas and techniques

Jan 11, 2008 - Jerome Jayanth

Hammurabi, a ruler of ancient Babylon, codified existing laws into a single code of laws. The codification is considered to be milestone in the history of law.

Jan 7, 2008 - Jerome Jayanth