Level 32
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Ancient Philosophy

Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Wisdom Literature

A survey of the ethical instruction texts, funerary theology, and cosmological speculation of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia that shaped the wisdom literature later received into Greek and biblical thought.

60-Second Review

Express review

A condensed, point-by-point summary of the module, for reviewing right before a test or exam.

  1. Ma'at: Cosmic Order and Ethical Balance in Egyptian Thought. Ma'at named the cosmic, social, and ethical order that Egyptian kingship existed to uphold.
  2. The Instruction of Ptahhotep and the Genre of Sebayt. Sebayt instruction texts, epitomized by Ptahhotep, taught practical and ethical wisdom for court life.
  3. Egyptian Funerary Theology: Ka, Ba, and the Weighing of the Heart. Egyptian funerary belief split the self into ka, ba, and akh, judged by the weighing of the heart.
  4. Akhenaten and the Monotheistic Experiment at Amarna. Akhenaten briefly imposed exclusive worship of the sun-disk Aten, later erased by his successors.
  5. Mesopotamian Cosmology: Enuma Elish and the Gods of Order. The Enuma Elish narrates Marduk imposing cosmic order by defeating the primordial sea, Tiamat.
  6. The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Problem of Mortality. Gilgamesh confronts human mortality after Enkidu's death, failing to secure immortality for himself.
  7. Babylonian Wisdom Literature and Theodicy. Babylonian texts like Ludlul and the Babylonian Theodicy wrestled with unjust suffering and divine justice.
  8. Near Eastern Influences on Greek Cosmology and Biblical Thought. Near Eastern wisdom and cosmology reached both early Greek philosophy and biblical literature.

This module continues after "Classical Indian Philosophy" in the syllabus. If you haven't reviewed it yet, it may help set the context.

Key points

Visual module map

1Ma'at: Cosmic Order and Ethical Balance in Egyptian Thought
2Egyptian Funerary Theology: Ka, Ba, and the Weighing of the Heart
3Mesopotamian Cosmology: Enuma Elish and the Gods of Order
4The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Problem of Mortality
5Near Eastern Influences on Greek Cosmology and Biblical Thought

Alternative visual view: a simplified sequence of some of the module's key points, in their order within the syllabus.

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Final test

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Optional mini-games

Extra practice, with no penalty, to reinforce the module's content.

Review Flashcards

Review each key point with cards that flip to reveal the summary.

Memory

Match each concept with its definition in as few attempts as possible.

Time Attack

Answer true or false statements before time runs out.

Chronological Order

Put the module's key points back in their original order.

Further reading

Bibliography and cited sources used to create this module.

  • Assmann, J. (1990). Ma'at: Gerechtigkeit und Unsterblichkeit im Alten Ägypten. Munich: C.H. Beck.
  • Lichtheim, M. (1973–1980). Ancient Egyptian Literature: A Book of Readings (3 vols.). Berkeley: University of California Press.
  • Lambert, W.G. (1960). Babylonian Wisdom Literature. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
  • George, A. (2003). The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Babylonian Epic Poem and Other Texts in Akkadian and Sumerian. London: Penguin Classics.
  • West, M.L. (1971). Early Greek Philosophy and the Orient. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
  • Jacobsen, T. (1976). The Treasures of Darkness: A History of Mesopotamian Religion. New Haven: Yale University Press.