If you're interested in ancient Mesopotamian civilization, you'll probably love this book. It's full of fascinating information about the day-to-day lives of the ancient Sumerians and Akkadians. Chapters include such topics as Love and Sex, Women's Rights, Food and Cuisine, the Law, Religion, and so on. The book is written mostly by Bottero, but there are also several other scholars who contribute some of the chapters. Most are well written and not too technical or difficult to read, and as I said, full of lots of interesting and intriguing information and facts.

The ancient Mesopotamians come across as practical, no-nonsense people who, in contrast to the ancient Egyptians, weren't especially religious and believed in living life in the here and now as best one could. Although they did have a religion, it was mostly for propitiating various gods and deities who they hoped would bestow their blessings on them in their personal or public affairs. There was a concept of the afterlife, but it was basically a dark, dingy, netherworld where not much happened, it seems, and they regarded the present life as far preferable to it.

A good example of their practical approach to affairs is that marriage was a simple contract without much ceremony. Women could marry who they wanted and could divorce much as men could, although adultery was tolerated much less for women than for men. A surprising fact is how extensive their food and cuisine was. According to the writer of the chapter, the Sumerians knew how to make hundreds of different types of breads, soups, beer, and other dishes, depending on the ingredients and how they were prepared.

Overall, a fine book and addition to the practical history and understanding of the ancient Mesopotamians.

I am a lay reader, with very little if any knowledge of ancient history. I stumbled upon this book quite by chance, and am proud to say that I am astounding my friends and acquaintances with all I know about it now.

After years of study, Roux is still clearly in love with his favorite subject, and it makes Ancient Iraq a fascinating and compelling read. I was absolutely stunned by what all the Sumerians, Assyrians, and Babylonians are responsible for when laying the foundations of our present civilization. The chapters on government and law are especially enlightening, when compared to present day domestic and foreign policy.

I learned so much from this book: it is an excellent summarization from what is years and years of study and research. Highly recommended.

Mesopotamia is an ancient civilization with a new history, uncovered almost from scratch in the huge excavations of the last century. Roux takes you through about four thousand years in four hundred pages with surprising breadth and verve. The author loves his subject and his enthusiasm is contagious. Even where I got lost in the long names of foreign kings and distant battles, the crisp writing kept me turning pages. A great resource on a fascinating subject.

If you are looking to learn about ancient Mesopotamian civilization, this is a must read! I found this book to be an excellent read. Roux does a fine job with this book and I would recommend it to anyone with a interest in the different periods of Mesopotamian history.

I did find it a little dry, but what do you expect from a book about an ancienct civilization?