Suggested Reading and Media Resources

• 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.

• Kriwaczek, Paul. In Search of Zarathustra: Across Iran and Central Asia to Find the World’s First Prophet. 2002. An award-winning BBC journalist follows the legacy of Zoroaster back through time.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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/