IL NUOVO CENTRO DI RICERCA PER LO STUDIO DELL’ECONOMIA DEL VICINO ORIENTE ANTICO

Abstract

The paper presents the Interdisciplinary Research Centre on the Economics of the Ancient Near East
(Centro di Ricerca Interdisciplinare sull’Economia del Vicino Oriente Antico) that has been created at the
University of Messina, Department of Ancient and Modern Civilizations (DICAM). Thanks also to the
presence on its Board of Directors of scholars of Philosophy, Greek Language and Literature, Numismatics,
as well as Economists and Assyriologists, the Centre is meant to provide scholars of different ancient
disciplines with a stimulating environment for sharing, supporting, and nourishing scientific research in the
field of ancient economic history, with particular attention to the ancient Near Eastern context from the
Mediterranean to the Iranian plateau. The paper introduces the main aims of the Research Centre, which
intends to promote the study and interpretation of the economic phenomena of the populations of the ancient
Near East and to address from fresh, original, and interdisciplinary perspectives both wide-ranging
and more specific issues in the context of the ancient oriental economy.