Book review: The political history of Syria (3000-300 BC)
Syria, Literature, 1/16/1999

German researcher Horst Klengel has spent a considerable part of his career studying the ancient history of Syria and authoring many books in this area.

Klengel's most recent book on Syria is "Syria 3000 to 300 B.C.: A Handbook of Political History," published in 1992, in which he covers the historical events in Syria from the invention of the alphabet up until the invasion of Alexander the Macedonian to Syria.

The first chapter of the book deals with the early Bronze Age. Ebla's archive represents an important reference about the history of Syria during that period, in addition to the writings of the Akkadian kings. The author said that Ebla during this period was a state with an organized political system.

The second chapter deals with the middle Bronze Age. It is divided into three periods: the Amorite political rule, the era of Yakhmud and the Hittite invasion to the north of Syria. The author said that the Yakhmud kingdom was a strong and prosperous one that made alliances with other nearby kingdoms including Mari and the Babylonian state. He also acknowledged other important kingdoms, of the time such as Qatana (near Damascus) and Ugarit (on the Syrian coast).

The third chapter of the book focuses on the late Bronze Age, during which the Mitani and Egyptian states clashed to control Syria. Then the author talked about the return of the Hittites after the retreat of the Egyptians and the Mitani. He also casts light on the emergence of the Aramean and Phoenician kingdoms as well as the Akkadian state, which dominated Syria until it was subjugated by the Babylonian state.

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