Divine Power and Human Conflict: Identity and Violence in Ancient Near Eastern Religions

This course examines the complex interrelationship between identity and violence within the religious traditions of the Ancient Near East, spanning from the Sumerian period through to the Persian Empire. It will explore how religious beliefs, practices, and narratives shaped and were shaped by identity formation, both on the level of the individual and the collective. Special attention will be given to the ways in which violence—whether ritualistic, sacrificial, or military—was intertwined with religious concepts of power, purity, justice, and divinity. Texts from key civilizations, including Mesopotamia, Israel, Egypt, Anatolia, and Persia, will be studied and analyzed to see how the sacred was both a tool of social cohesion and a source of conflict.