Records of the Past, Volume I

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Gutenberg ID

—

Title

Records of the Past, Volume I

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

A. H. Sayce presents a revised collection of ancient Near Eastern inscriptions, offering updated translations of Babylonian creation myths, legal judgments, and royal chronicles. This scholarly volume bridges Assyriology and biblical history, providing readers with authoritative insights into the civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia and their theological landscapes.

Summary up to 500 words

In the second series of *Records of the Past*, A. H. Sayce presents a significantly revised compilation of critical documents from the ancient Oriental world, reflecting a decade of progress in Assyrian research. The volume begins with a preface explaining the enhanced accuracy of translations and the inclusion of extensive notes on history, geography, and theology. It features the Assyrian calendar and detailed discussions on dynastic tablets that establish Babylonian chronology, correcting earlier vague accounts with new discoveries from Nineveh and Babylon. Sayce translates the 'Synchronous History,' detailing interactions between Assyrian and Babylonian kings, and presents the *Enuma Elish*, the Babylonian creation epic, alongside the Assyrian version. The text includes historical narratives such as Tiglath-Pileser I's campaigns against the lands of Nairi, Milidia, and Mu'sri, describing military conquests, the capture of hostages, and the imposition of tribute. Sayce also translates the Inscription of Menuas of Ararat and the Hebrew Inscription of Siloam. Throughout, the work distinguishes between deities, localities, and individuals through specific typographic conventions. The volume serves as both a historical record and a philological resource, offering readers a comprehensive view of the political, religious, and cultural life of the ancient Near East during the Assyrian epoch. Sayce emphasizes that the new series improves upon its predecessor by providing fuller introductions and notes, particularly regarding the history and theology of the texts. He notes that while exploration in Egypt has been active, the results have not been as numerous as those in Assyriology. Consequently, Assyrian texts preponderate in this volume, though Phoenician and Proto-Armenian monuments are also included. The work aims to provide scholars with confidence in precise wording, warning readers of doubtful passages and justifying new translations. The volume includes the *Dynastic Tablets* and chronicles of the Babylonians, which help fix Assyrian chronology back to the tenth century before the era. Sayce also discusses the *Synchronous History*, composed by an Assyrian scribe, which consists of brief notices of occasions when kings of the two countries entered into relation with one another. The volume further details the *Assyrian Story of the Creation* and the *Babylonian Story of the Creation According to the Tradition of Cutha*. Sayce also includes *Babylonian Lawsuits and Judgments* and the *Inscription of Menuas, King of Ararat, in the Vannic Language*. The volume concludes with the *Ancient Hebrew Inscription of Siloam*. Sayce's work is international, with eminent scholars from all nationalities participating. The volume is a valuable resource for understanding the ancient Near East, including the geography of Western Asia in the Assyrian epoch, which has been mapped out in almost all its essential details. Sayce's work is a significant contribution to the field of Assyriology, providing a comprehensive view of the ancient Oriental world.

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Categories

• Classics
• History