Publisher Description

In this insightful analysis, highly-respected expert John Robertson canvases the entirety of Iraq's rich history, from the seminal advances of its Neolithic inhabitants to the aftermath of the American-led invasion and Iraq today.Grounded in extensive research, this balanced account of a country and its people explores the greatness and grandeur of Iraq's achievements, the brutality and magnificence of its ancient empires, its contributions to the emergence of the world's enduring monotheistic faiths, and the role the great Arab caliphs of Baghdad played in the medieval cultural flowering that contributed so much to the European Renaissance and the eventual rise of the West.Fascinating and thought-provoking, Robertson's work sheds light on a remarkable story of world history, one that has been too often overlooked. Wide-ranging and extensive in approach, it is sure to be greatly appreciated by historians, students and all those with an interest in this diverse and enigmatic country.

Notes

Covers the entire history of Iraq, from the seminal advances of its Neolithic inhabitants to the aftermath of the American-led invasion and Iraq today.

Author Biography

John F. Robertson is Professor of Ancient and Middle Eastern Studies at the Central Michigan University.

Table of Contents

ForewordIntroduction: The Glory and the Curse of Iraq's Past 1  Places, Peoples, Potentials: the Enduring Foundations of Life in IraqThe "Land Between the Rivers"Distribution of Raw Materials and Natural ResourcesIraq's Accessibility and Vulnerability to External ForcesThe Peoples and Social Patterns of Iraq 2  Cradle of Civilization"History Begins at Sumer"The First Cities and the Invention of WritingThe Early Dynastic Period (Ca. 2900–2350 BCE)The Akkad Period (Ca. 2350–2150 BCE)The Ur III Period (Ca. 2100–2000 BCE)The Old Babylonian and Old Assyrian Periods (Ca. 2000–1595 BCE)The Kassite and Middle Assyrian Periods (1595 to Ca. 1000 BCE)Transition to Empire, Ca. 1100–900 BCEThe Great "World Empires" (Ca. 900–539 BCE): The Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian Periods 3  Cradle of EmpiresThe Rediscovery of "The Might That Was Assyria"Assyria and the Bible: Creating a BogeymanAssyrian ZenithBabylon: The Curse of an Ancient Image"The Greatness That [Really] Was Babylon"The Long Twilight of Iraq's Ancient Imperial Era 4  Cradle of Religions, Crucible of ConflictsReligion in Ancient Mesopotamia/IraqThe Achaemenid Persians and the Religion of the Wise LordAlexander the Great and the Coming of HellenismIraq under Parthian Rule: Religious Toleration and VitalityFrom Palestine to Mesopotamia: Iraq as a Cradle of World ReligionsIraq under the Sassanids: Religious Mosaic and Holy WarJews under the SassanidsChristians under the Sassanids"Gnostics" and the Apostle of Light 5  Iraq, Islam, and the Golden Age of the Arab EmpirePrelude to the Coming of Islam and the Arab Conquest of IraqMuhammad and the Origins of the Community of IslamThe Arab Muslim Conquest of Iraq: The Early Forging of Arab (Versus Persian) IdentityIraq and the Early Forging of Shi'ite (Versus Sunni) IdentityIraq under Umayyad RuleThe Abbasid Caliphate: Iraq as the Center of Islamic CivilizationAbbasid Decline: Iraq Drifts Away from Center Stage 6 Interlude: From Cradle to BackwaterIraq under the Buyids, Seljuks, and MongolsThe Coming of the Seljuks and Turkish AuthorityThe Crusades and SaladinThe Mongol Invasion and Its AftermathIraq in the Era of the "Gunpowder Empires"European InroadsThe Seeds of Iraq's Revival 7  The Creation and Zenith of Modern IraqSetting the StageWorld War I and Its Aftermath: The Hashemite Monarchy, the British, and OilEnter OilThe Birth of Iraqi and Arab NationalismsThe Nationalist Response to British DominationArab and Iraqi Nationalism, the Cold War, the Emergence of Israel, and the Poisoned Blessing of OilThe Republic: Competing Nationalisms, Resistance to the West, and New WealthThe Continuing Development and Impact of Iraqi and Arab Nationalism under the RepublicIraq's Conquest of Its Oil under the Republic 8  The Long DescentRepublican Iraq and the Cold War Powers until 1980Saddam's Qadissiya: The Iran–Iraq War, 1980–88The Crisis with KuwaitOperation Desert Storm1991–2003: The Scourge of SanctionsThe Anglo-American Invasion of Iraq Epilogue: "Tell Me How This Ends" AfterwordNotesBibliographyIndex

Review

'A fresh and lively discussion of Iraq's 6,000-year history'. * Middle East Journal *
'There is much to be learnt from this prodigious record of human achievement in the cradle of civilisation.' * Sunday Times *
'John Robertson's magnificent Iraq: A History takes a truly long perspective. From the first Sumerian cities over 5,000 years ago, via the great empires of Assyria, Babylonia and Abbasid Baghdad, to the modern Iraqi state, he shows how this complex past has always shaped, and been shaped by, contemporary political concerns.' * History Today, Best Books of 2015 *
'Considering its huge span of 6,000 years, the book is surprisingly unhurried...Robertson is never a prisoner of chronology and always finds time for useful asides'. * Independent *
"A rare find: an authoritative, highly original history that is simply a delight to read. Anyone who wants to understand the turmoil and potential of modern Iraq should read this book." -- Dr. Barbara N. Porter, Director, The Casco Bay Assyriological Institute; research associate, The Harvard Semitic Museum
'A captivating account... While both engaging and informative, it is not the content alone that is most impressive, but the author's technique. Unlike most books on Iraq, this one takes its time recounting the region's history, savouring the richness... Above all else, the book excels in putting events into historical perspective by seeing things not in a Manichean, "the present matters whereas the past is past" perspective.' * Tribune *
"It is rare to find a genuinely knowledgeable and expert scholar who can produce a work as accessible and balanced as this volume. Always informative and never overwhelming, this is a volume that truly must be read by anyone interested in the world we find ourselves occupying today." -- Dr. Martha T. Roth – Dean, Humanities Division and the Chauncey S. Boucher Distinguished Service Professor of Assyriology, University of Chicago
"Iraq matters. Iraq has always mattered and John Robertson's compelling account shows exactly why. Deftly steering a path through five millennia and more, he helps us to see how and why the country's past is always up for grabs, interpreted and reinterpreted in the light of contemporary concerns... An essential read for anyone who wants to understand why Iraq is never far from the headlines." -- Eleanor Robson – Professor of Ancient Middle Eastern History, University College London
'John Robertson has been able to walk us through so much of the history that we tend to forget'. * Camden New Journal *
'A fresh and lively discussion of Iraq's 6,000-year history... Robertson reminds his readers of the intellectual debt the Western world owes to the peoples that populated the area of Iraq throughout history, hoping they will then see past today's brutal headlines... His conviction is clearly expressed and poignantly supported throughout this book.' * The Middle East Journal *
"The author superbly weaves ancient and medieval historical and cultural development with Iraq's recent history and current sociopolitical turmoil. VERDICT Few books in English cover Iraq's entire history in such a holistic manner. This highly readable and informative book will be a valuable tool in teaching and research for informed general readers and Middle East specialists." * Library Journal *
"This vivid and fast-paced book is an enjoyable introduction for the general reader, from the beginnings of human civilization to the recent wholesale destruction of Iraq's archaeological heritage.… Robertson's focus on pre-modern Iraq effortlessly blends political and military history with the history of ideas, and flows seamlessly into the present era and the terrible predicament in which the cradle of civilization now finds itself." * Publishers Weekly *

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A unique account of Iraq - cradle of great civilizations and birthplace of the first cities

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"This vivid and fast-paced book is an enjoyable introduction for the general reader, from the beginnings of human civilization to the recent wholesale destruction of Iraq''s archaeological heritage... Robertson''s focus on pre-modern Iraq effortlessly blends political and military history with the history of ideas, and flows seamlessly into the present era and the terrible predicament in which the cradle of civilization now finds itself." --Publishers Weekly NAMED ONE OF THE TOP 10 HISTORY BOOKS of 2015 by History Today: "John Robertson's magnificent IRAQ: A HISTORY takes a truly long perspective. From the first Sumerian cities over 5,000 years ago, via the great empires of Assyria, Babylonia and Abbasid Baghdad, to the modern Iraqi state, he shows how this complex past has always shaped, and been shaped by, contemporary political concerns. -- Eleanor Robson, Professor of Ancient Middle Eastern History, University College London "An engaging history ... The making of modern Iraq is just one small slice in this monumental, well-told story." --Kirkus Reviews "Considering its huge span of 6,000 years, the book is surprisingly unhurried...Robertson is never a prisoner of chronology and always finds time for useful asides." --The Independent "Iraq matters. Iraq has always mattered and John Robertson''s compelling account shows exactly why. Deftly steering a path through five millennia and more, he helps us to see how and why the country''s past is always up for grabs, interpreted and reinterpreted in the light of contemporary concerns... An essential read for anyone who wants to understand why Iraq is never far from the headlines." "The author superbly weaves ancient and medieval historical and cultural development with Iraq''s recent history and current sociopolitical turmoil. Few books in English cover Iraq''s entire history in such a holistic manner. This highly readable and informative book will be a valuable tool in teaching and research for informed general readers and Middle East specialists." --Library Journal "This book is a rare find: an authoritative, highly original history that is simply a delight to read. In lucid and appealing prose, Near Eastern historian John Robertson traces the complex story of the region now called Iraq, from its birth in prehistoric times to its central role today in a serious political and cultural crisis with a global impact. In addition to providing his readers with a remarkably clear account of an intricate history, Robertson offers persuasive arguments for why the region is so important today and how its problems, and its still great promise, were shaped both by geography and by thousands of years of recurring political success, struggle, collapse, and rebirth. Anyone who wants to understand the turmoil and potential of modern Iraq should read this book. And anyone who is now teaching the history and culture of the Middle East - ancient or modern - will shout with joy at finally having such a book to offer to students." --Dr. Barbara N. Porter, Director, The Casco Bay Assyriological Institute; research associate, The Harvard Semitic Museum; guest researcher, the Leiden Institute for Area Studies (2015-16) "It is rare to find a genuinely knowledgeable and expert scholar who can produce a work as accessible and balanced as this volume. John Robertson has provided a compellingly readable and historically informed narrative that establishes the antecedents and conditions still resonating throughout the Middle East today. To understand anything about modern Iraq one must contend with its living history. Beginning with the earliest written records in the third millennium BCE, Robertson takes the reader through Iraq''s history, demonstrating the iterative impacts of geography, populations, and intellectual forces. Always informative and never overwhelming, this is a volume that truly must be read by anyone interested in the world we find ourselves occupying today." --Dr. Martha T. Roth - Dean, Humanities Division, the University of Chicago and the Chauncey S. Boucher Distinguished Service Professor of Assyriology, the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago "A fresh and lively discussion of Iraq's 6,000-year history ... Readers will find that the history of Iraq is much more than the history of Islamic in-fighting, and this in and of itself is a refreshing contribution to existing studies." -- Middle East Journal

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