Introductory concerns -- Part I. City-states -- Origins : the Uruk phenomenon -- Competing city-states : the early dynastic period -- Political centralization in the late third millennium -- The Near East in the early second millennium -- The growth of territorial states in the early second millennium -- Part II. Territorial states -- The club of the great powers -- The western states of the late second millennium -- Kassites, Assyrians, and Elamites -- The collapse of the regional system and its aftermath -- Part III. Empires -- The Near East at the start of the first millennium -- The rise of Assyria -- Assyria's world domination -- The Medes and Babylonians -- The creation of a world empire : Persia -- Governing a world empire : Persia -- Epilogue -- King lists -- Guide to further reading -- Comprehensive time line.;La 4e de couv. indique : " Incorporating the latest scholarly research in this rapidly developing field, the third edition of A History of the Ancient Near East ca. 3000-323 BC presents a comprehensive overview of the extraordinary multicultural civilizations of the ancient Near East. Presenting the region's complex history in a concise and accessible manner, chapters begin with the emergence of writing around 3000 BC, and proceed with the origins of the first cities in Mesopotamia and growth of the Babylonian and Hittite kingdoms up to the rise of the Assyrian and Persian empires. Concluding chapters address the transformation of the ancient Near East by the conquests of Alexander the Great--with a new chapter addressing governance and continuity in the region during the Persian Empire. Other updates include a comprehensive timeline of events, 30 new illustrations, and expanded coverage of the myriad political events, military campaigns, and social and cultural developments that emerged throughout the Near East over the course of more than three millennia. Another notable update is the inclusion of Key Debate boxes designed to illuminate differing perspectives on various critical issues after each chapter. A History of the Ancient Near East ca. 3000-323 BC, Third Edition, enhances its reputation as one of the most accessible introductions to the rich and complex history of ancient Near Eastern civilizations available today."