Akkadian 1 (ANCW10008)

Akkadian is one of the most important languages of all time. Spoken in ancient Babylonia and Assyria for more than 2000 years, it was used to record great works of literature; the chronicles and laws of the world’s first empires; the earliest known mathematical texts; treatises of healing, sorcery and divination; and contracts, receipts, and letters which make up our most detailed archive of everyday people’s history from antiquity.

This subject is an introduction to Akkadian grammar and the cuneiform writing system for absolute beginners. Students acquire a basic understanding of the language and its script(s). They practice comprehension and production of Akkadian, and translate a variety of simple ancient texts (including parts of the Laws of Hammurabi). Background information on the ancient Mesopotamian context in which Akkadian was spoken is woven into the subject matter.