As the second volume of a pathbreaking new series dedicated to Akkadian poetry, the book presents the Babylonian poem Ludlul in transcription and translation, accompanied by an introduction for non-specialist readers and essays by leading scholars in the field of ancient religion and ancient near eastern studies.

Acting as a companion to the poem, the book provides readers with the tools they need to explore Ludlul in greater depth and the religion of ancient Mesopotamia. Essays cover the literary and cultural-historical context of the poem, its main themes, poetic features, and history of reception. Approaching Ludlul as a work of literature, the authors pay special attention to questions of poetic style, intertextual resonance such as its influence on the Book of Job, and literary and cultural significance.

The book comes complete with recommendations for further reading and will become an indispensable companion for anyone interested in the literature and religion of the ancient near east.

Johannes Haubold, Professor of Classics, Princeton University, USA
Sophus Helle, Postdoctoral Researcher, Princeton University, USA
Enrique Jiménez, Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Literature, LMU Universität München, Germany
Selena Wisnom, Lecturer in the Heritage of the Middle East, Leicester University, UK