Early Civilizations of the Middle East. The History of the Emergence and Development of the Earliest States on Earth

This book, written by outstanding scholars from France and Germany, provides a detailed examination of one of the key periods in human history, beginning with the first emergence of civilization in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Covering the period from 10,000 to 1500 BC, the authors illuminate the prehistory of the Middle East, trace the rise of the Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian kingdoms in Mesopotamia and their relations with neighbors, and describe the history of Ancient Egypt during the Old and Middle Kingdoms. It covers political events, social and economic prerequisites for the development of history, as well as its intellectual directions.