Babylonians and Assyrians: Life and customs

Professor of Semitic Languages and Literatures and Hellenistic Greek, University of Michigan Recent scientific research has stimulated an increasing interest in the study of the Babylonians, Assyrians, and allied Semitic races of ancient history among scholars, students, and the serious reading public generally. It has provided us with a picture of a hitherto unknown civilization, and a history of one of the great branches of the human family. The object of the present Series is to state its results in popularly scientific form. Each work is complete in itself, and the Series, taken as a whole, neglects no phase of the general subject. Each contributor is a specialist in the subject assigned him, and has been chosen from the body of eminent Semitic scholars both in Europe and America. The Series will be composed of the following volumes:— I. Hebrews. History and Government. By Professor J. F. McCurdy, University of Toronto, Canada. II. Hebrews. Ethics and Religion. By Professor Archibald Duff, Airedale College, Bradford. III. The Sumerians. Language, History, and Religion. By Professor Fritz Hommel, University of Munich, Germany. IV. Babylonians and Assyrians. History to the Fall of Babylon. By Professor Fritz Hommel, University of Munich, Germany. V. Babylonians and Assyrians. Religion. By Professor J. A. Craig, University of Michigan. VI. Babylonians and Assyrians. Life and Customs. (With special reference to the Contract Tablets and Letters.) By Professor A. H. Sayce, University of Oxford. Now Ready. VII. Babylonians and Assyrians. Excavations and Account of Decipherment of Inscriptions. By Professor A. V. Hilprecht, University of Pennsylvania. VIII. Arabia. Discoveries in, and History and Religion until Mohammed. By Dr. Eduard Glazer, University of Munich, Germany. IX. Development of Islamic Theology, Jurisprudence, and Theory of the State. By Professor D. B. MacDonald, Hartford Theological Seminary. In addition to the above the following volumes are to be included in the Series, and others may be added from time to time:— X. Phœnicia. History and Government, including Colonies, Trade, and Religion. XI. Palestine and Syria. Important Discoveries in Recent Years. XII. Arabic Literature and Science Since Mohammed. XIII. The Influence of Semitic Art and Mythology on Western Nations. [pg v] Editor's Preface Semitic studies, both linguistically and archæologically, have advanced by rapid strides during the last two decades. Fresh light has fallen upon the literary, scientific, theological, mercantile, and other achievements of this great branch of the human family. What these peoples thought and achieved…