Political/Ideological Display or Economic Need? The Problematical Picture of the Hydraulic Networks in Seventh Century BC Assyria

Frederick Mario Fales ()
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Frederick Mario Fales: Università degli Studi di Udine

A chapter in Ancient Economies in Comparative Perspective, 2022, pp 165-186 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The debate over the vast hydraulic systems implemented in Assyria (mostly under Sennacherib, 704–681 B.C.) still rages even after more than a decade of heated discussions. Hydraulic systems are either seen as the sign of imperialistic display or as a technologically advanced response to the problem of water supply. The question involves many disciplines: philology (official texts of Assyrian kings), archaeology (accurate study of the territories involved), modern satellite analyses and economic history. From the point of view of this last discipline the main point is the economic relevance of this exceptional engineering public work in comparison to its instrumental use for political display.

Keywords: Seventh century BC; Ancient economic history; Assyria; Hydraulic networks; Political economies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-08763-9_9

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