Briant, Pierre. From Cyrus to Alexander. 2002. A superb treatment of the entire Persian Empire.
Clark, Peter. Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to an Ancient Faith. 1998. The best introduction to the essence of Zoroastrianism.
Edwards, David N. The Nubian Past. 2004. Studies the history of Nubia and the Sudan, incorporating archaeological evidence to supplement historical sources.
Foster, Benjamin R. Civilizations of Ancient Iraq. 2009. Discusses the development of cities and the empires of Babylonia and Assyria.
Gates, Charles. Ancient Cities: The Archaeology of Urban Life in the Ancient Near East and Egypt, Greece, and Rome. 2003. Provides a survey of ancient life primarily from an archaeological point of view, but also includes cultural and social information.
Goldenberg, Robert. The Origins of Judaism: From Canaan to the Rise of Islam. 2007. Examines the development of Jewish ideas and traditions.
Kugel, James. The God of Old: Inside the Lost World of the Bible. 2004. A noted biblical scholar surveys the way the ancient Israelites understood God.
Markoe, Glenn E. The Phoenicians. 2000. A fresh investigation of the Phoenicians at home and abroad in the western Mediterranean over their long history, with many illustrations.
Meyers, Carol. Rediscovering Eve: Ancient Israelite Women in Context. 2012. A brief study designed for general readers that draws on archaeology and ethnography along with biblical texts.
Morkot, Robert G. The Black Pharaohs: Egypt’s Nubian Rulers. 2000. Examines the growth of the Kushite kingdom and its rule over pharaonic Egypt in the eighth century B.C.E.
Morris, Ian, and Walter Scheidel, eds. The Dynamics of Ancient Empires. 2009. A collection of essays focusing on political developments.
Pastor, Jack. Land and Economy in Ancient Palestine. 1997. Discusses the basics of economic life of the period.
Provan, Iain, V. Philips Long, and Tremper Longman III. A Biblical History of Israel. 2003. A history of ancient Israel that relies primarily on the biblical text.
DOCUMENTARIES
The Bible’s Buried Secrets (Nova, 2008). In this two-hour special, Nova examines the ancient Israelites through biblical and other ancient texts and archaeological artifacts.
Engineering an Empire: The Persians (History Channel, 2006). This hour-long documentary focuses on the engineering of the Persian Empire, especially its canals and roads.
Iran, the Forgotten Glory (Makan Karandish, 2008). This two-part documentary by an independent filmmaker, much of it shot on location, traces the rise and expansion of the Persian Empire.
Nubia: The Forgotten Kingdom (Discovery Channel, 2003). Archaeologists excavate temples and markets of the ancient city of Dangeil and examine Nubia’s links with Egypt.
Quest for the Phoenicians (National Geographic, 2004). Scientists use DNA analysis and other modern technologies to examine the migrations and the sailing routes of the ancient Phoenicians.
WEB SITES
Ancient Sudan-Nubia. An informative Web site with information and visual material on Kush, Nubia, and Meroë. www.ancientsudan.org/
Israel Antiquities Authority. Official Web site of the Israel Antiquities Authority, with a huge collection of artifacts from many periods in the “National Treasures” section. www.antiquities.org.il/home_eng.asp
Phoenicia: The Phoenician Ship Expedition. Traces the building and voyage of a reconstruction of a Phoenician trading vessel that in 2008–2010 retraced the Phoenicians’ route around Africa, and in 2012 sailed to London for the Olympics. phoenicia.org.uk/index.htm
Virtual Interactive Achéménide Museum. Interactive Web site of more than eight thousand items on the culture of the Persian Empire, from Cyrus the Great to Alexander the Great; in English and French. www.museum-achemenet.college-de-france.fr/