Intro to Art of Empire: Assyria and Babylonia

From 900 to 609 BCE, the Assyrian Empire dominated the ancient Near Eastern World, stretching from western Iran to the Mediterranean and Egypt. In concert with imperial expansion came an explosion of artistic production ranging from palace wall reliefs to small-scale luxury objects. Following the fall of Assyria, the southern Mesopotamian state of Babylonia usurps Assyrian centers and technique of power to become the dominant political force in the Near East until its end in 59BCE. This course provides an integrated picture of the imperial arts of these first world empire, situating them within the broader social and political contexts of the first millennium BCE. In conquest of foreign lands, these powerful states encountered and appropriated a diversity of cultures, such as Phoenicia, Egypt, and Greece, which we will also study. In addition to obtaining an in-depth knowledge of the imperial art milieu, students will also learn about systems of cuneiform knowledge production, literary and mythological works, as well as localized traditions that possibly represent forms of anti-imperialist resistance.