This volume gathers work on the political formations of Mesokaemia and the Near East carried out on a philolologically textual and archaeological basis, but with a decisively historical ambition and imprint. It pays attention to the history of studies, comparisons and contributions from other disciplines, such as history, social anthropology and the political economy, among others. This interest and methodological awareness of the studies presented here indicate that the work on the Near East has been devoted too exclusively to the editing and interpretation of texts and the interpretation of archaeological excavations, operations which are obviously essential but which in themselves lead to a limited historical reconstruction. Thus, the aim of the book is not only to study old societies, but also to interpret the historical processes of the distant times and the role of the social actors involved.