SASA Mini Reading Group: Women and Power in Ancient Turkey: Hittite Queens and Queenship

Previous participation and previous knowledge not required.

What was the role of the queen in the ancient world? Most studies of power and politics in the ancient Middle East have centered on kings and kingship, overlooking the topic of queenship and power. This topic is ripe for discussion, as there is a rich diversity of texts from the second millennium BCE shedding light on the lives of powerful royal women like Šibtu of Mari, Puduḫepa of the Hittite Empire, Tiye of Egypt, and Fu Hao of the Shang dynasty. This reading group will examine the lives of the queens of the Hittite Empire, a powerful rival of ancient Egypt. Through our readings, we will explore what ancient queens can teach us about the complex and dynamic relationship between gender and power.

3-Week Text-In-Translation Reading Group

Wednesdays @ 2pm EST

Jan. 13th

Jan. 20st