(A) Required Experience: 

This is a class for beginners or for those who have a basic knowledge on ancient Mesopotamian history and religions, and wish to refresh or enrich their knowledge on the material culture, the literary and artistic production, as well as the history of people and beliefs in Mesopotamia. 

(B) Teaching style and students interaction:

The learning process of this class is based on a combination of a power-point presentation, a lecture that asks students to participate, class dialogue, questions based on the ongoing lecture, and new ideas based on the participants. There is not one universal solution to teach. Rather I combine techniques to achieve the maximum of my strengths and of my students. Having taught so far young kids, teenagers, University students and mature learners, I know that teachers need to approach students with understanding. After all, such a small class has the advantage of making the combined technique of ppt presentation-lecture-dialogue feasible and efficient. Thanks to Zoom, engaging students and interacting with them is always possible. 

(C) Specific topics to be covered Per Day: 

Day 1) Explanation of the terms "Mesopotamia" and "Fertile Crescent" - Geography, Climate and Topography in ancient Mesopotamia 

Day 2) The Ubaid Period (5500-3200 BCE) and the first urban settlement at Eridu 

Days 3) and 4) The Uruk period and the so-called Uruk Phenomenon (3300-3100 BCE) - First Known Human Writing System - The  City and the Ziggurats of Uruk

Days 5) and 6) Jamdat Nasr Period and its Impotance (3100-2900 BCE) - Advances in Art, Architecture and Writing - The Vase of Uruk 

Day 7) Introdution to the Early Dynastic period or the Highdays of the Sumerian People (2900-2350 BCE)

Day 8) Art and Culture of Early Dynastic I-II

Day 9) Art and Culture of Early Dynastic III

Day 10) The great royal Ur Cemetery - Temple of Ninhursag

Day 11) Lugal of Lagash - Lagash under Ur-Nanshe - Akurgal - Eanatum)

Days 12) and 13) War of Lagash and Umma under Eanatum -  Enmetena - Enannatum - The first legal code and the political propaganda of King Uru-ka-gina of the city of Lagash  - First literary, historical and religious texts

Day 14) The Early Dynastic cities of Umma and Adab 

Day 15) The Early Dynastic cities of Kish and Uruk - Lugal-Zage-Si, king of Uruk, unites all Sumeria as "king of Sumer" - the Rise of Akkadians as a new powerplayer in Mesopotamia

Days 16) and 17) The Akkadian kings Sargon (2334–2279 BCE) and Naram-Sin (2254-2218 BCE) as the first known empire-builders in Mesopotamia and beyond

Days 18) and 19) Art ans Culture of the Akkadians - Akkadian Imperial Administration

Day 20) The Akkadian Empire and its Pantheon 

The above classes are also an introduction to the great art and architecture of the Mesopotamians, their pantheon and demons, their epic poems and other literary production, as well as to their libraries and scientific accomplishments