Lecturer in the Heritage of the Middle East @UniofLeicester. Researching ancient Mesopotamia. Playwright, poet, and Babylonian liver diviner.
Joined April 2013
- Tweets 366
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46 Photos and videos
Pinned Tweet
25 Jul 2025
I'm pleased to announce the launch of my new website! If you'd like to see what events I have lined up for the next few months or easily access my past projects and media appearances, please visit: selenawisnom.com
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Selena Wisnom retweeted
Jun 14
My review of Selena Wisnom’s The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia & the Making of the Modern World.
If you have time to read just one history book this summer, then make it this one, because, with all the firsts achieved by ancient Mesopotamia, there really isn’t much point in picking up the story from a later point.
The OG of Civs:
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Jun 13
This was one of my favourite podcasts to be on - check out Classical Wisdom Speaks, where I talk about the lessons Mesopotamia has for the modern world
This month’s Podcast with Professors is with Assyriologist @LSWisnom of @uniofleicester & author of The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of the Modern World to explore the remarkable history of ancient Mesopotamia...
Full podcast on our site!
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Jun 1
To learn cuneiform is to be initiated into the secrets of the universe - thanks to the Hay-goers who came to my workshop and took their first scribal steps!
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May 28
A thousand people came to my talk at Hay Festival yesterday and I was signing books for 40 minutes afterwards the queue was so long 😮
Thanks to everyone who came and I look forward to teaching more people cuneiform this afternoon!
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May 28
The live liver divination predicted that Andy Burnham will win the election on June 18th. Also shout out to upper court farm butchery for delivering livers in such heat!
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May 24
Finally got round to reading my friend @OskarCoxJensen’s debut novel and it did not disappoint. A rollicking murder mystery with a delightful charm - funny, entertaining, and highly recommended!
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May 15
Thrilled to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and looking forward to getting involved! @RoyalHistSoc
royalhistsoc.org/society-ele…
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May 2
Marduk visits his ziggurat in Oxford (or: Jupiter visible over the Said Business School) @OxfordSBS @UniofOxford
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Mar 19
I'm thrilled to let you know that I will participate in the Hay Festival this year - twice. On 27th May, I will discuss the literary culture of Mesopotamia and perform liver divination with my audience. The next day, I will teach you how to write in cuneiform!
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Mar 19
Tickets:
The talk (event 224): The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of History
Wednesday 27 May 2026, 5.30pm hayfestival.com/p-25379-sele…
Learn to Write in Cuneiform, the World’s First Writing System (event 265)
Thursday 28 May 2026, 4pm
hayfestival.com/p-25337-sele…
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Mar 2
You can also read the review online: dailymail.co.uk/home/books/a…
Feb 27
A review of 'The Library of Ancient Wisdom' is featured in today's @DailyMail Book of the Week - and what a fun title! Thank you, Kathryn Hughes, for reviewing my book!
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Feb 27
A review of 'The Library of Ancient Wisdom' is featured in today's @DailyMail Book of the Week - and what a fun title! Thank you, Kathryn Hughes, for reviewing my book!
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Feb 26
It's paperback publication day! The paperback version of the Library of Ancient Wisdom is now available here and in all good bookstores:
selenawisnom.com/library-of-…
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Feb 12
Do you want to learn cuneiform but don't know where to start?
Check out my website for a list of resources and some study materials that will help you get started!
In just a few weeks, you too can read the Hammurabi Code in the original!
selenawisnom.com/learning-cu…
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Feb 11
Tmr at 9 am, @BBCInOurTime episode on Hammurabi will be broadcast on Radio 4. Hammurabi was the king who turned Babylon from a backwater into a superpower. He's famous for his laws, inscribed on a beautiful stele now in the Louvre.
Jan 28
Had a fantastic time talking about Hammurabi @BBCInOurTime with Dr Frances Reynolds and Dr Martin Worthington! The episode comes out on 12th Feb at 9 am - do join us if you can!
bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qyk…
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Feb 11
But what were the laws for, and were they ever actually used? What do we know about Hammurabi as a person? And what happened to people accused of witchcraft in ancient Babylon? Tune in to find out! bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002r4v…
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Feb 9
Just signed up to @campaignforthearts.org. Arts funding in the UK is in crisis, but these good people are working hard to stand up for it, and amazingly are making real progress - please join! campaignforthearts.org/join/
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Feb 6
My online course on Mesopotamia and the Making of History with @92NY has been moved to May. So there’s still plenty of time to sign up!
roundtable.org/live-courses/…
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Feb 6
We will look at firsts in world history, some of the most important people in Mesopotamia’s past, and the influence the region has had on the rest of the world.
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