History 151: The Nemo History of Ancient Foundation Texts

Introduction

• Focus on primary sources: Gilgamesh, Hymn to Aten, Psalms 104.
• Key question: What was the Nemo history of ancient Foundation texts?
• Secondary source: Chapter 4 of "Empire Resistance in the Mediterranean 1550 to 330 BCE" by Smith et al.

Main Topics

Foundation Texts

• These texts were foundational for future generations.
• Analyzed in terms of their significance to those who wrote and read them.
• Texts include: Genesis, Gilgamesh, Hymn to Aten, and Plato's analogy of the cave.

Empire and Texts

• Context of Foundation stories within Empires: Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian, and Persian Empires.
• Empires linked to the rise and fall, decay, and collapse.

Empires: Definitions and Meanings

Empire

• Challenging to define due to varied interpretations.
• "Imperium" from Latin meaning "to order".
• Empire involves both imposition and collaboration.

The Assyrian Empire

• Militaristic, based on tribute from conquered peoples.
• Emphasized both destruction and cultivation of conquered cultures.
• Important for the preservation and adaptation of texts like Gilgamesh.

The Persian Empire

• Multicultural, large scale from India to Greece.
• Adopted cultural practices of conquered lands (e.g., Egyptian customs).
• Not heavily reliant on militarism compared to Assyrians.

Foundation Texts: Genesis

Historical Context

• Development of Genesis within the historical context of Jewish kingdoms.
• Dual kingdoms: Israel and Judah.
• Importance of the Babylonian captivity and return to Jerusalem.

Redaction of Genesis

• Compilation of different creation stories from Northern and Southern Kingdoms.
• Collaboration and inclusion of multiple narratives.
• Genesis 1-4 includes different versions of creation.

Conclusion

• Foundation stories maintain significance beyond their initial creation.
• They provide cohesion and loyalty to broader causes, even under foreign rule.
• Next lecture focus: Context of Greek texts by Plato.