Michael Seymour Books

A strikingly-illustrated short introduction to Babylon, a powerful and sophisticated ancient city and the home of the fabled Hanging Gardens of Nebuchadnezzar, one of the 7 Wonders of the World.

A timely and definitive exploration of the art and culture of the ancient civilizations situated between Rome and the Middle East that presents a new way of understanding the region's influential heritage číst celé

Babylon: for eons its very name has been a byword for luxury and wickedness. "By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept," wrote the psalmist, "as we remembered Zion." One of the greatest cities of the ancient world, Babylon has been eclipsed by its own sinful reputation. For two thousand years the real, physical metropolis lay buried while another, ghostly city lived on, engorged on accounts of its own destruction. More recently the site of Babylon has been the centre of major excavation, yet the spectacular results of this work have done little to displace the many other fascinating ways in which the city has endured and reinvented itself in culture. Saddam Hussein, for one, notoriously exploited the Babylonian myth to associate himself and his regime with its glorious past. Why has Babylon so creatively fired the human imagination, with results both good and ill? Why has it been so enthralling to so many, and for so long? In exploring answers, Michael Seymour's book ranges extensively over space and time and embraces art, archaeology, history, and literature. From Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar, via Strabo and Diodorus, to the Book of Revelation, Brueghel, Rembrandt, Voltaire, William Blake, and modern interpreters like Umberto Eco, Italo Calvino, and Gore Vidal, the author brings to light a carnival of disparate sources dominated by powerful and intoxicating ideas, such as the Tower of Babel and the city of sin.

All essays in this volume were presented at the symposium Assyria to Iberia at the Dawn of the Classical Age held in The Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, November 6-7, 2014. číst celé

The book emphasizes the profound love and everyday contributions of fathers, challenging traditional stereotypes often portrayed in media. Drawing from the author's personal journey as a dad of three, it highlights the joy and complexity of fatherhood, showcasing the diverse roles dads play beyond the typical "goofball" or "lazy" archetypes. By celebrating these multifaceted experiences, the author aims to provide positive role models for readers, while expressing gratitude to the fathers who shared their stories to bring this vision to life.

Set in the late '50s to early '60s, the narrative follows two young men who bond during their time at art school. When called for national service, Christopher, the more cautious and less romantic of the pair, serves in England, allowing him regular visits to his family and girlfriend. The story explores themes of friendship, duty, and the contrast between their personalities as they navigate the challenges of military life and personal relationships.

In response to the catastrophic destruction of Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra, a UNESCO world heritage site, a group of major international scholars gathered to focus on the art, archaeology, and history of the beleaguered site and present their latest findings. Their papers, given at a symposium at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in May 2016, have been collected in this fascinating and important publication. They are accompanied by a moving tribute by Waleed Khaled al-Asa‘ad to his father, Khaled al-Asa‘ad, the Syrian archaeologist and head of antiquities for the ancient city of Palmyra who was brutally murdered in 2015 while defending the site. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Verdana} Palmyra: Mirage in the Desert, published simultaneously in English and Arabic, is the latest volume in the Metropolitan Museum symposium series. It is a major contribution to the knowledge and understanding of this multicultural desert—located at the crossroads of the ancient world—that will help preserve the memory of this extraordinary place for generations to come.

Recent archaeological research has transformed our understanding of the Phoenicians and their colonies. This updated and expanded version of Aubet's successful synthesis, The Phoenicians and the West, originally published in English in 1993, incorporates more recent research findings, and... číst celé