Spring 2004/Pasadena
OT883/583
Hunt
OT883/583: ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN HISTORY, LITERATURE, AND CULTURE. Joel H.
Hunt.
DESCRIPTION:
- A study of Ancient Near Eastern history, literature, and culture.
This course begins with the emergence of culture in the Fertile Crescent and
includes events until the division of Alexander's empire. Special attention is
directed to the Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Phoenicians, and
Hebrews.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:
- For students pursuing either a course of study leading to an
advanced degree in Old Testament or Ancient Near Eastern Languages and
Literatures, a knowledge of the history, literature, and culture of the Ancient
Near East is an important discipline to master. This course is also valuable
for students who may not seek advanced degrees but who wish to place the
writings of the Old Testament in their broader context.
COURSE FORMAT:
- This course will require the expenditure of a total of one hundred
and twenty (120) hours during the quarter. Classes, meeting weekly for three
and a half hour sessions, dealing with assigned work, will account for
thirty-five hours of this total. Students will use the eighty-five hours
remainder of the time for their own preparation.
REQUIRED READING:
- Baines, John and Jaromír Málek. Atlas of Ancient
Egypt. New York/Oxford: Facts on File, 1980.
- Jacobsen, Thorkild. The Treasures of Darkness: A History of Mesopotamian
Religion. New Haven/London: Yale University Press, 1976.
- Kuhrt, A. The Ancient Near East, c. 3000-330 BC. London/New York:
Routledge, 1995.
- Meeks, D. and C. Favard-Meeks. Daily Life of the Egyptian Gods.
Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1996.
- Roaf, Michael. Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near
East. New York/Oxford: Facts on File, 1990.
ASSIGNMENTS:
- Prepared class attendance.
Each student should come to class with the
reading finished and ready to participate in the class process. At the class
meeting each week students shall submit a two-page (400-500 words) type-written
summary of some aspect of the reading for the week. An electronic version is
also required.
- Paper.
Students will read Thorkild Jacobsen's The Treasures of
Darkness on their own for this exercise. Each student will write a book
review, no longer than 1500-2000 words in length, summarizing and evaluating
what Jacobsen has written. An electronic version is also required.
- Paper.
Students will read Meeks and Favard-Meeks' Daily Life of the
Egyptian Gods. Each student will write a book review, no longer than
1500-2000 words in length, summarizing and evaluating this book. An electronic
version is also required.
PREREQUISITES:
- None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:
- Required for students with a concentration in Ancient Near Eastern
Languages and Literature at the M.A. in Theology, Th.M., and Ph.D. levels.
Elective for all others.
FINAL EXAMINATION:
- No.