Dietz Otto Edzard presents his comprehensive overview of the oldest high cultures of humanity. His history of Mesopotamia, spanning from the 4th millennium BC to the 1st century AD, covers the politics, society, economy, culture, and religion of significant peoples such as the Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians, and Babylonians. In Mesopotamia, the land between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, lies the cradle of civilization, much like in Egypt. Here, over 5000 years ago, the oldest high cultures of humanity emerged. It was here that writing was invented, specifically the cuneiform script inscribed on clay. The cuneiform tablets, which have survived in a vast and still largely unexplored abundance, form a vibrant and multifaceted mosaic of the history, literature, society, and culture of the Ancient Near East. This mosaic has been compiled by the renowned ancient Near Eastern scholar Dietz Otto Edzard.