"'A Hand Anything but Hidden:' Institutions and Markets in First Millennium BCE Mesopotamia," In Traders in the Ancient Mediterranean, edited by Timothy Howe, 73-100.. Publication of the Associations of Ancient Historians, 11. (original) (raw)

The paper explores the economic dynamics of first-millennium BCE Mesopotamia through the lens of New Institutional Economics (NIE), focusing on the interactions between institutions and markets. It critiques existing economic models that overlook the influential roles of social, governmental, and religious institutions in shaping trade practices. By analyzing both Assyria and Babylonia, the work aims to highlight the complexities of ancient trade systems, particularly regarding the state’s involvement and the limitations posed by the current historiographical approaches.