Aramaic Literature from Egypt and the Levant (Writings from the Ancient World)

In this volume, Tawny L. Holm provides bilingual editions of the majority of Aramaic literary compositions written between the fifth century BCE and first century CE. Each text is presented in transliteration and accompanied by an introduction, notes, and an English translation. The section on Egypt includes, among others, the fascinating anthology found on Papyrus Amherst 63, an Aramaic text written in the Demotic Egyptian script, as well as the Story and Proverbs of Ahiqar. The Levant section includes a selection of texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls, such as Tales from the Persian Court. These compositions cover a broad array of themes, from insights into the human condition to unique portraits of kings, heroes, and deities. The book also addresses matters of history, language, genres, poetics, and scribalism, and it offers a comprehensive collection of primary sources for use in ancient Near Eastern studies courses as well as biblical studies. Tawny L. Holm is Associate Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Jewish Studies at the Pennsylvania State University. She is the author of Of Courtiers and Kings: The Biblical Daniel Narratives and Ancient Story Collections (2013) and coeditor of Syria, Mesopotamia, and the Comparative Study of Semitic Languages (2026). She also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions. Read more