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乇爻丕卅賱 毓馗賲丕亍 丕賱賲賱賵賰 賮賷 丕賱卮乇賯 丕賱兀丿賳賶 丕賱賯丿賷賲: 丕賱賲乇丕爻賱丕鬲 丕賱賲賱賰賷丞 賮賷 丕賱毓氐乇 丕賱亘乇賵賳夭賷 丕賱賲鬲兀禺乇
Offering fascinating insights into the people and politics of the ancient near Eastern kingdoms, Trevor Bryce uses the letters of the five Great Kings of Egypt, Babylon, Hatti, Mitanni and Assyria as the focus of a fresh look at this turbulent and volatile region in the late Bronze Age. Numerous extracts from the letters are constantly interwoven into the fabric of narrative and discussion, and this lively approach allows us to witness history through the eyes of the people who lived it, revealing the personalities and reactions of kings, queens, princes, princesses and royal officials more than 3500 years ago to the current events of the day.
396 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 5, 2018
Trevor Bryce is an author I鈥檝e encountered before and generally speaking is a thorough and professional academic writer. This book was therefore a bit of a disappointment 鈥� not because it was bad in any, but because I was expecting more from it. The book is quite short, and Bryce spends a fair amount of page space setting up the major players and describing how the exchange of correspondence would鈥檝e taken place. When he does come to the letters themselves, he often quotes extracts from them instead of in full, the rest of each chapter being an admittedly decent analysis of events described. I would鈥檝e preferred more of the letters themselves.
August 7, 2013
賰丕賳 胤乇賷賯 丕賱夭賵丕噩 賵丕賱賲氐丕賴乇丕鬲 賲毓 賲賱賵賰 賲氐乇 匕丕 丕鬲噩丕賴 賵丕丨丿. 賰丕賳 賮乇毓賵賳 賲氐乇 乇丕睾亘丕賸毓賱賶 丕賱丿賵丕賲 賮賷 丕爻鬲賯亘丕賱 夭賵噩丕鬲 丕噩賳亘賷丕鬲
廿賱丕 兀賳 兀賷丕 賲賳 賮乇丕毓賳丞 賲氐乇 賱賲 賷賵丕賮賯 兀亘丿丕賾 毓賱賶 廿乇爻丕賱 丕賲賷乇丕鬲 賲氐乇賷丕鬲 賱賷賰賳 夭賵噩丕鬲 賱賲賱賵賰 兀噩丕賳亘貙 賰丕賳 匕賱賰 鬲賯賱賷丿丕賾 乇丕爻禺丕賸 賱丕 丕爻鬲孬賳丕亍 賱賴 (...) 賰丕賳 丕賱爻亘亘 賷毓賵丿 賱賰亘乇賷丕亍 丕賱賮乇丕毓賳丞 賵丕毓鬲丿丕丿賴賲 亘兀賳賮爻賴賲 貙賵賮賷 丕賱賲丨丕賮馗丞 毓賱賶 氐賵乇丞 丕賱賮乇丕毓賳丞 丕賱乇丕爻禺丞 賰兀賴賲 賵兀毓馗賲 賲賱賵賰 丕賱賲賳胤賯丞 (氐 181)
睾賷乇 兀賳 丕賱賲賱賰 丕賱亘丕亘賱賷 賰丕丿丕卮賲丕賳-丕賳賱賷賱 丨丕賵賱 丕禺鬲亘丕乇 賲鬲丕賳丞 賵賯賵丞 匕賱賰 丕賱毓乇賮 丕賱賲氐乇賷 貙 賵賰鬲亘 丕賱賶 丕賲賳丨鬲亘 丕賱孬丕賱孬 賷胤賱亘 賲賳賴 丕亘賳鬲賴 賰夭賵噩丞 賱賴 . 賵丕鬲鬲 丕賱丕噩丕亘丞 丨丕爻賲丞:
"賱賲 賷丨丿孬 賲賳 亘丿丕賷丞 丕賱夭賲丕賳 兀賳 丕毓胤賷鬲 丕亘賳賴 賲賱賰 賲氐乇賷 賰夭賵噩丞 賱兀賷 賲賱賰 兀噩賳亘賷"
賵丕氐乇 賰丕丿丕卮賲丕賳-賳賱賷賱 毓賱賶 胤賱亘賴 賮賷 乇爻丕賱丞 鬲丕賱賷丞 " 兀賳鬲 丕賱賲賱賰 貙 亘廿賲賰丕賳賰 兀賳 鬲賮毓賱 賲丕 鬲卮丕亍" 賵馗賱 賮乇毓賵賳 賲氐乇 毓賱賶 氐賱丕亘鬲賴( 氐 182(
...............
賵胤亘賯丕 賱賲丕 爻噩賱賴 賴賵賲賷乇賵爻 賰丕賳鬲 賲氐乇 賲賳 丕睾賳賶 丕賱亘賱丕丿 亘丕賱賳亘丕鬲丕鬲 丕賱胤亘賷丞 貙 丨鬲賶 丕賳賴 賰丕賳 賷毓鬲亘乇 丕賳 賰賱 賲氐乇賷 賰丕賳 賷毓丿 胤亘賷亘丕 賵賷匕賴賱 丕賷 丕賲乇卅 睾賷乇 賲氐乇賷 亘睾夭丕乇丞 賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲賴 丕賱胤亘賷丞.
匕賰乇 丕賱賲丐乇禺 賴賷乇賵丿賵鬲 兀賲孬賱丞 賰孬賷乇丞 毓賱賶 丕賱爻賲毓丞 丕賱胤亘賷丞 丕賱毓馗賷賲丞 丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳鬲 鬲卮鬲賴乇 亘賴丕 賲氐乇.
"鬲賱賰 丕賱毓賯丕賯賷乇 丕賱鬲賷 丕乇爻賱鬲賴丕 賱毓賱丕噩 毓賷賳賷 賰丕賳鬲 賮丕毓賱丞 貙 賲賳 賮囟賱賰 丕乇爻賱 賱賷 丕賱賲夭賷丿 賲賳賴丕"
賵乇丿 毓賱賷賴 乇賲爻賷爻 亘爻毓丕丿丞 賲賳 賱賴 賮囟賱 " 兀賲乇鬲 亘乇賷丕賲丕丨賵 丕賳 賷丨囟乇 廿賱賷賰 丕賱賲夭賷丿 賲賳 鬲賱賰 丕賱毓賯丕賯賷乇 丕賱卮丕賮賷丞 賱毓賷賵賳 兀禺賷"
................
賲賱丨賵馗丞 毓丕賲丞: 賰賱賲丕 賯乇兀鬲 賮賷 丕賱賲氐丕丿乇 丕賱賯丿賷賲丞 丕賱丕氐賱賷丞 (賵賴賵 丕賲乇 賲賮賷丿 噩丿丕 ) 賵賲賳賴丕 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇丕爻賱丕鬲 亘賷賳 賲賱賵賰 賵毓馗賲丕亍 丕賱卮乇賯 賲丕 賯亘賱 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 賵賲毓馗賲賴丕 亘賷賳 丕賱賲賱賵賰 丕賱賮乇丕毓賳丞 賵兀賲乇丕亍 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲賳胤賯丞 兀丿乇賰鬲 丕賳賳丕 賱賲 賳兀鬲 亘噩丿賷丿 賮丕賱丿賵賱丞 丕賱毓賲賷賯丞 賴賷 賴賷 賵丕賱亘賷乇賵賯乇丕胤賷丞 賴賷 賴賷 賵卮睾賱 丕賱賲禺丕亘乇丕鬲 賵丕賱毓賲賱丕亍 丕賱爻乇賷賷賳 賵丿亘賱賵賲丕爻賷丞 丕賱爻賲 賮賷 丕賱毓爻賱 賴賷 賴賷
賵賮賷 賱丨馗丕鬲 賰孬賷乇丞 賰賳鬲 丕卮毓乇 賲賳 丕賱爻賷丕賯 賰兀賳賳丕 賮賷 丕賱毓氐乇 丕賱丨丕賱賷 ...
賮賷賳 丕賱噩丿賷丿 賵丕賱鬲噩丿賷丿 責 賵兀賷賳 賲賮乇丕丿鬲 丕賱毓氐乇 丕賱丨丿賷孬 賵丕賱鬲賯丿賲 丕匕丕 賰賳丕 賱賲 賳鬲賯丿賲 賰孬賷乇丕 賵丕賳 丕賱氐乇丕毓丕鬲 賴賷 賴賷 賵賱睾丞 丕賱賲氐丕賱丨 賴賷 賴賷 賵丕賱鬲賵丕夭賳丕鬲 丕賱丿賵賱賷丞 賵丕賱賯丕毓丿丞 丕賱丕賴賲 毓賱賶 丕賱丕胤賱丕賯 賮賷 丕賷 夭賲賳 : 丕賱丕賯賵賶 賷賮乇囟 賲賳胤賯賴 貙 亘爻 亘乇囟賴 丕賱賯賵丞 爻賱丕丨 匕賵 丨丿賷賳 賵賴賳丕賰 賲賷夭丕賳 丿賯賷賯 鬲賯丕爻 亘賴 丕賱丕賲賵乇 賵丕賱爻賷丕爻丞 賴賷 賰賷賮 鬲爻賵爻 丕賱亘卮乇 賮賷 賳賴丕賷丞 丕賱賲胤丕賮...
賴賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賴 丿賳賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷丕
廿賱丕 兀賳 兀賷丕 賲賳 賮乇丕毓賳丞 賲氐乇 賱賲 賷賵丕賮賯 兀亘丿丕賾 毓賱賶 廿乇爻丕賱 丕賲賷乇丕鬲 賲氐乇賷丕鬲 賱賷賰賳 夭賵噩丕鬲 賱賲賱賵賰 兀噩丕賳亘貙 賰丕賳 匕賱賰 鬲賯賱賷丿丕賾 乇丕爻禺丕賸 賱丕 丕爻鬲孬賳丕亍 賱賴 (...) 賰丕賳 丕賱爻亘亘 賷毓賵丿 賱賰亘乇賷丕亍 丕賱賮乇丕毓賳丞 賵丕毓鬲丿丕丿賴賲 亘兀賳賮爻賴賲 貙賵賮賷 丕賱賲丨丕賮馗丞 毓賱賶 氐賵乇丞 丕賱賮乇丕毓賳丞 丕賱乇丕爻禺丞 賰兀賴賲 賵兀毓馗賲 賲賱賵賰 丕賱賲賳胤賯丞 (氐 181)
睾賷乇 兀賳 丕賱賲賱賰 丕賱亘丕亘賱賷 賰丕丿丕卮賲丕賳-丕賳賱賷賱 丨丕賵賱 丕禺鬲亘丕乇 賲鬲丕賳丞 賵賯賵丞 匕賱賰 丕賱毓乇賮 丕賱賲氐乇賷 貙 賵賰鬲亘 丕賱賶 丕賲賳丨鬲亘 丕賱孬丕賱孬 賷胤賱亘 賲賳賴 丕亘賳鬲賴 賰夭賵噩丞 賱賴 . 賵丕鬲鬲 丕賱丕噩丕亘丞 丨丕爻賲丞:
"賱賲 賷丨丿孬 賲賳 亘丿丕賷丞 丕賱夭賲丕賳 兀賳 丕毓胤賷鬲 丕亘賳賴 賲賱賰 賲氐乇賷 賰夭賵噩丞 賱兀賷 賲賱賰 兀噩賳亘賷"
賵丕氐乇 賰丕丿丕卮賲丕賳-賳賱賷賱 毓賱賶 胤賱亘賴 賮賷 乇爻丕賱丞 鬲丕賱賷丞 " 兀賳鬲 丕賱賲賱賰 貙 亘廿賲賰丕賳賰 兀賳 鬲賮毓賱 賲丕 鬲卮丕亍" 賵馗賱 賮乇毓賵賳 賲氐乇 毓賱賶 氐賱丕亘鬲賴( 氐 182(
...............
賵胤亘賯丕 賱賲丕 爻噩賱賴 賴賵賲賷乇賵爻 賰丕賳鬲 賲氐乇 賲賳 丕睾賳賶 丕賱亘賱丕丿 亘丕賱賳亘丕鬲丕鬲 丕賱胤亘賷丞 貙 丨鬲賶 丕賳賴 賰丕賳 賷毓鬲亘乇 丕賳 賰賱 賲氐乇賷 賰丕賳 賷毓丿 胤亘賷亘丕 賵賷匕賴賱 丕賷 丕賲乇卅 睾賷乇 賲氐乇賷 亘睾夭丕乇丞 賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲賴 丕賱胤亘賷丞.
匕賰乇 丕賱賲丐乇禺 賴賷乇賵丿賵鬲 兀賲孬賱丞 賰孬賷乇丞 毓賱賶 丕賱爻賲毓丞 丕賱胤亘賷丞 丕賱毓馗賷賲丞 丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳鬲 鬲卮鬲賴乇 亘賴丕 賲氐乇.
"鬲賱賰 丕賱毓賯丕賯賷乇 丕賱鬲賷 丕乇爻賱鬲賴丕 賱毓賱丕噩 毓賷賳賷 賰丕賳鬲 賮丕毓賱丞 貙 賲賳 賮囟賱賰 丕乇爻賱 賱賷 丕賱賲夭賷丿 賲賳賴丕"
賵乇丿 毓賱賷賴 乇賲爻賷爻 亘爻毓丕丿丞 賲賳 賱賴 賮囟賱 " 兀賲乇鬲 亘乇賷丕賲丕丨賵 丕賳 賷丨囟乇 廿賱賷賰 丕賱賲夭賷丿 賲賳 鬲賱賰 丕賱毓賯丕賯賷乇 丕賱卮丕賮賷丞 賱毓賷賵賳 兀禺賷"
................
賲賱丨賵馗丞 毓丕賲丞: 賰賱賲丕 賯乇兀鬲 賮賷 丕賱賲氐丕丿乇 丕賱賯丿賷賲丞 丕賱丕氐賱賷丞 (賵賴賵 丕賲乇 賲賮賷丿 噩丿丕 ) 賵賲賳賴丕 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇丕爻賱丕鬲 亘賷賳 賲賱賵賰 賵毓馗賲丕亍 丕賱卮乇賯 賲丕 賯亘賱 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 賵賲毓馗賲賴丕 亘賷賳 丕賱賲賱賵賰 丕賱賮乇丕毓賳丞 賵兀賲乇丕亍 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲賳胤賯丞 兀丿乇賰鬲 丕賳賳丕 賱賲 賳兀鬲 亘噩丿賷丿 賮丕賱丿賵賱丞 丕賱毓賲賷賯丞 賴賷 賴賷 賵丕賱亘賷乇賵賯乇丕胤賷丞 賴賷 賴賷 賵卮睾賱 丕賱賲禺丕亘乇丕鬲 賵丕賱毓賲賱丕亍 丕賱爻乇賷賷賳 賵丿亘賱賵賲丕爻賷丞 丕賱爻賲 賮賷 丕賱毓爻賱 賴賷 賴賷
賵賮賷 賱丨馗丕鬲 賰孬賷乇丞 賰賳鬲 丕卮毓乇 賲賳 丕賱爻賷丕賯 賰兀賳賳丕 賮賷 丕賱毓氐乇 丕賱丨丕賱賷 ...
賮賷賳 丕賱噩丿賷丿 賵丕賱鬲噩丿賷丿 責 賵兀賷賳 賲賮乇丕丿鬲 丕賱毓氐乇 丕賱丨丿賷孬 賵丕賱鬲賯丿賲 丕匕丕 賰賳丕 賱賲 賳鬲賯丿賲 賰孬賷乇丕 賵丕賳 丕賱氐乇丕毓丕鬲 賴賷 賴賷 賵賱睾丞 丕賱賲氐丕賱丨 賴賷 賴賷 賵丕賱鬲賵丕夭賳丕鬲 丕賱丿賵賱賷丞 賵丕賱賯丕毓丿丞 丕賱丕賴賲 毓賱賶 丕賱丕胤賱丕賯 賮賷 丕賷 夭賲賳 : 丕賱丕賯賵賶 賷賮乇囟 賲賳胤賯賴 貙 亘爻 亘乇囟賴 丕賱賯賵丞 爻賱丕丨 匕賵 丨丿賷賳 賵賴賳丕賰 賲賷夭丕賳 丿賯賷賯 鬲賯丕爻 亘賴 丕賱丕賲賵乇 賵丕賱爻賷丕爻丞 賴賷 賰賷賮 鬲爻賵爻 丕賱亘卮乇 賮賷 賳賴丕賷丞 丕賱賲胤丕賮...
賴賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賴 丿賳賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷賷丕
March 9, 2016
3.5 stars
This one was hard to grade - because in parts it is really good and very interesting.
Then there is some issues I have. The big one is that if you give a book the title "Letters of..." it would be nice to see more of the actual letters. They are present, but most of them are just referred to, which is quite a pity.
And I have some issues with the editing of the book. I am usually quite lenient when it comes to that, but in this case, it was a couple of things that was repeated over and over and over and over again. First of all, there is a lot of exclamation marks. I wouldn't care if there is one or two, but in here, it sometimes started to look a bit silly. The second, and by far weirdest, is the missing hyphens. When you have a word on a line that is too long for that line, you can split it so the end of that word lands on the next line, to do this you put in a hyphen in the word. Many times this is done correctly, which should be no surprise, but surprisingly often the hyphen is missing (in a few cases more than once on a single page), so that you end up with, for example: "... any hopes they had for regaining the Hittite throne for themselves and their descend ants proved unattainable." (p. 221) If this happens too many times, it really takes your focus from the text.
This one was hard to grade - because in parts it is really good and very interesting.
Then there is some issues I have. The big one is that if you give a book the title "Letters of..." it would be nice to see more of the actual letters. They are present, but most of them are just referred to, which is quite a pity.
And I have some issues with the editing of the book. I am usually quite lenient when it comes to that, but in this case, it was a couple of things that was repeated over and over and over and over again. First of all, there is a lot of exclamation marks. I wouldn't care if there is one or two, but in here, it sometimes started to look a bit silly. The second, and by far weirdest, is the missing hyphens. When you have a word on a line that is too long for that line, you can split it so the end of that word lands on the next line, to do this you put in a hyphen in the word. Many times this is done correctly, which should be no surprise, but surprisingly often the hyphen is missing (in a few cases more than once on a single page), so that you end up with, for example: "... any hopes they had for regaining the Hittite throne for themselves and their descend ants proved unattainable." (p. 221) If this happens too many times, it really takes your focus from the text.
October 11, 2012
i just read half of it, but there are something very good, like the messengers, the languages which the tablet was used, the gifts tradition etc. it is really interesting.
July 18, 2021
賰鬲丕亘 賲賳爻賯
丌賱丞 夭賲賳 亘爻 賱丕夭賲 賷賰賵賳 毓賳丿賰 賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲 丕賰鬲乇 賯亘賱 賲丕鬲賯乇丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丿賴 賱丕賳 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 爻丕毓丕鬲 亘賷賰鬲亘 亘禺賷丕賱賴 ...
丌賱丞 夭賲賳 亘爻 賱丕夭賲 賷賰賵賳 毓賳丿賰 賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲 丕賰鬲乇 賯亘賱 賲丕鬲賯乇丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丿賴 賱丕賳 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 爻丕毓丕鬲 亘賷賰鬲亘 亘禺賷丕賱賴 ...
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