The Aramaeans in Ancient Syria

Description

I. Introduction (Herbert Niehr) 1 II. History (Helene Sader) 11 1. Geographical and Chronological Scope 11 2. The Sources for a History of the Aramaeans of Ancient Syria 13 3. The Aramaeans in the Iron Age I (1200–900 B.C.): From Kin-Based Groups to Polities 16 4. The Iron Age II: Aramaean Polities and the Assyrian Conquest 27 5. Concluding Remarks 36 III. Society, Institutions, Law, and Economy (Dagmar Kuhn) 37 1. Society 37 2. Institutions 47 3. Law and Jurisdiction 61 4. Economy 62 IV. Language and Script (Holger Gzella) 71 1. Introduction 71 2. Script and Orthography 76 3. Phonology 79 4. Morphology and Morphosyntax 84 5. Syntax 105 6. Lexicon 105 V. Literature (Paolo Merlo) 109 1. Introduction 109 2. Terminology 109 3. Overview on History and Literary Genres 110 4. Historical Narrative in Royal Inscriptions 111 5. Elements of Religious Literature 117 6. Wisdom Literature 123 VI. Religion (Herbert Niehr) 127 1. Introduction 127 2. Between the Tigris and Euphrates 128 3. From the Euphrates to the Mediterranean 150 4. Middle Syria 193 5. Outlook 200 VII. Art (Dominik Bonatz) 205 1. Introduction 205 2. Monumental Art in Architecture 208 3. Free-Standing Sculptures 225 4. Seals and Minor Arts 242 VIII. Architecture (Mirko Novak) 255 1. Introduction 255 2. City Planning 256 3. Citadels and Fortifijications 261 4. Palaces 265 5. Temples 267 6. Houses and Workshops 270 7. Conclusion 271 IX. Outlook: Aramaeans Outside of Syria 273 1. Assyria (Martti Nissinen) 273 2. Babylonia (Michael P. Streck) 297 3. Anatolia (Andre Lemaire) 319 4. Phoenicia (Herbert Niehr) 329 5. Palestine (Angelika Berlejung) 339 6. Egypt (Alejandro F. Botta) 366 7. Northern Arabia (Herbert Niehr) 378 X. Aramaean Heritage (John F. Healey) 391 1. Edessa, Hatra, Palmyra 394 2. Mesopotamia, Judaea, Nabataea 398 3. Areas under Strong Greco-Roman Influence (Antioch to Dura Europos) 399 Bibliography 403 Indices Index of Persons 453 Index of Deities 456 Index of Lands, Peoples, Tribes, Cities, Sites 458 The historical and cultural role of the Aramaeans in ancient Syria can hardly be overestimated. Thus The Aramaeans in Ancient Syria gives precise and up-to-date information on different aspects of Aramaean culture. To that end, history, society, economy and law, language and script, literature, religion, art and architecture of the Aramaean kingdoms of Syria from their beginnings in the 11 century B.C. until their end at approximately 720 B.C. are covered within the handbook. The wide survey of Aramaean culture in Syria is supplemented by overviews on the Aramaeans in Assyria,Babylonia, Phoenicia, Palestine, Egypt, North Arabia and on the Aramaean heritage in the Levant.