From Trash to Treasure: Nahal Omer and the Virtual Silk Road
When people think of the archaeology of Israel, the Silk Road is not usually the first association that comes to mind. A new virtual exhibition—From Trash to Treasure—aims to c
Who Were the Sea Peoples? And Did They Bring About the End of the Bronze Age?
Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey has sparked a resurgence of interest in the Sea Peoples. But who were they and should they be blamed for the fall of the Bronze Age?
The House of Aršāma, Persian Satrap in Egypt
Satraps (“governors”) did the everyday work of maintaining Persian imperial rule across its vast empire. Ancient texts from Egypt allow us to understand how this arrangement wo
Genocide in the Hebrew Bible
Narrative accounts of genocidal violence appear multiple times in the Hebrew Bible. Why are they there and what do they have to do with modern genocides?
Samsi, “Queen of the Arabs”, and Her Fight Against Assyria
Was peppermint actually found in ancient Egyptian pyramids? Retailers of peppermint products like to say so. What’s the truth, and where did this factoid come from?
The Land at the End of the Empire: The Roman Eastern Border in Mesopotamia
October 2024 | Vol. 12.10 By Rocco Palermo On a cliff overlooking the Tigris River, circa 90 kms North of Mosul in what is now northern Iraq, lies a small cemetery, locally known (
Resilience and Rebirth: Lessons Learned from the Aftermath of the Late Bronze Age Collapse
April 2024 | Vol. 12.4 By Eric H. Cline Some thirty years ago, the respected sociologist Shmuel Eisenstadt said bluntly that “ancient states and civilizations do not collapse a
Migrations and Invasions: How Steppe Nomads Shaped the Near East
January 2024 | Vol. 12.1 By Kenneth W. Harl Nomadic peoples dwelling on the Eurasian steppes have historically played a major role in shaping the civilizations of the Near East. On
How Empires and Cities in the Ancient Near East Accelerated Wealth Inequality
October 2023 | Vol. 11.10 By Andrea Squitieri and Mark Altaweel The rise and economic development of mostly Western states from the 18th to 20th centuries resulted in increased ph
The Remarkable Rise of Assyria: A Reassessment
July 2023 | Vol. 11.7 By Bleda S. Düring Assyria is one of the most remarkable imperial states in global history, often celebrated as the first “world empire”. At its peak, du