Kings of Babylonia

Book topics: Babylonia, Hammurabi, Nebuchadnezzar II, Nabonidus, Hanging Gardens, Myths, Children's Books, Sumer, Assyria, Mesopotamia, Iraq, Middle East, Asia

Babylonia

Babylon by Joan Oates. Describes the rise of Babylon from Sargon of Agade (Akkad) to the great-lawgiver Hammurabi, its progress under his successors, and its decay as Persians and Greeks turned Mesopotamia into a battleground.

Ancient Iraq by Georges Roux. A clear and interesting guide to Mesopotamia's long history, from prehistoric times through the days of Sumer, Akkad, Babylonia, Assyria, and beyond. Includes chronological tables and maps. Highly recommended.

Piety and Politics by Dale Launderville. The dynamics of royal authority in Homeric Greece, biblical Israel, and old Babylonian Mesopotamia.

Babylonians by Henry W. F. Saggs. Using evidence from pottery, cuneiform tablets, and other artifacts, the author describes the society and legacy of the Sumerians, Akkadians, Amorites, and Babylonians.

The Cambridge Ancient History: Volume 3, Part 2 edited by I. E. S. Edwards, N. G. L. Hammond, E. Sollberger. The Assyrian and Babylonian empires and other states of the Near East, from the eighth to the sixth centuries BC.

The Civilization of Babylonia and Assyria: Volume One by Morris Jastrow. The civilization's remains, language, history, religion, commerce, law, art, and literature. First published in 1915. Volume Two is also available.

Letters of the Great Kings of the Ancient Near East: The Royal Correspondence of the Late Bronze Age by Trevor Bryce. From the 17th to the 12th centuries BC, the five Great Kings of Egypt, Babylon, Hatti (the kingdom of the Hittites), Mitanni, and Assyria ruled over vast territories. Many of their letters survive, offering fascinating insights into ancient near Eastern kingdoms.

Women of Babylon by Zainab Bahrani. Analysis of how ancient Mesopotamia defined sexuality and gender roles. Includes illustrations from 6500 BC to 1891 AD.

Hammurabi

King Hammurabi of Babylon: A Biography by Marc Van De Mieroop. The first biography in English of the famous Babylonian lawgiver Hammurabi. Draws on the writings of the time to trace Hammurabi's career as diplomat and conqueror, describing how he dealt with rivals and extended his kingdom of Babylon.

Hammurabi of Babylon by Dominique Charpin. Hammurabi, who ruled c. 1792-1750 BCE, was the sixth king of ancient Babylon and also its greatest. His visionary Code of Laws remains influential to this day.

The Code of Hammurabi, King of Babylon: About 2250 B.C. edited by Robert Francis Harper.

Legal and Administrative Texts in the Reign of Samsuiluna by Samuel Isaac Feigin. Samsuiluna, Hammurabi's son and successor, reigned from about 1749 to 1712 BC.

Nebuchadnezzar II

Images of Nebuchadnezzar: The Emergence of a Legend by Ronald Herbert Sack. About King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia.

Warriors of the Old Testament by Mark Healy. Tells the stories of Joshua, King David, Nebuchadnezzar, and Judas Maccabeus. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

The Pride of Nebuchadnezzar: The Story of Babylon by Matthias Henze. The ancient Near Eastern origins and early history of interpretation of Daniel 4.

Nabonidus

Legal and Administrative Texts from the Reign of Nabonidus by Paul-Alain Beaulieu. Nabonidus reigned from 556 to 539 BC. He was deposed and exiled by the Persians.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World edited by Peter Clayton and Martin Price. Combines ancient sources with modern scholarship to create a vivid picture of the seven wonders, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Myths & Legends

Myths & Legends: Babylonia & Assyria by Lewis Spence. A popular account of the religion and mythology of ancient Babylonia and Assyria.

More Books About Mesopotamian Mythology & Religion

Related Books

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Books About Ancient Iran (Persia)
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More Books About the History of Iraq

Children's Books

The Life & Times of Hammurabi by Tamera Bryant. Biography of the Babylonian king for children ages 9 to 12.

Hammurabi by Judith Levin. Biography for young adult readers.

Great Wonders of the World by Russell Ash, illustrated by Richard Bonson. From the Great Pyramid at Giza to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, recent illustrations illuminate the marvelous achievements of the ancient world. For children ages 9 to 12.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Lynn Curlee. Examines how and why the wonders (including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon) were built, and how they looked at their peak. Illustrated. For children ages 9 to 12.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Mary Hoffman, illustrated by M. P. Robertson. A fictional account for children ages 4 to 8.

More Children's Books About Iraq