A Drink with The Idler | Selena Wisnom on Mesopotamia
£7.50
Join “A Drink with the Idler” as we chat to Assyriologist Selena Wisnom about the lasting influence of humanity’s first civilisation
When a team of Victorian archaeologists began to dig into a grassy hill in Iraq, they chanced upon one of the oldest and greatest stores of knowledge ever seen: the library of the great king Ashurbanipal of Mesopotamia, the ancient world’s most spectacular library. Selena Wisnom is one of ten experts in Britain who can read cuneiform. She’ll be telling us what the library reveals of the everyday lives of the Mesopotamians.
Join us with Selena and find out about the society, older than the Greek and Roman empires, that has had such an influence on our modern world, from Bible stories to aqueducts, medical diagnosis to the sixty-minute hour.
In her new book, The Library of Ancient Wisdom, Selena sheds light on how Mesopotamia was one of the cultural powerhouses of the ancient world, and why so much of their culture was lost to us until the 19th century.
The discussion will be between Selena and Idler Academy director Victoria Hull. The Idler’s Head of Philosophy Mark Vernon will be with us to give his Thought for the Week, and the discussion will be followed by a live Q&A when you have the chance to ask Selena your own questions.
This is an online event. It should be like meeting up in the pub for an interesting conversation. We leave the meeting open at the end so you can carry on chatting.
Selena Wisnom is Lecturer in the Heritage of the Middle East at the University of Leicester. A specialist in the interpretation of Mesopotamian cultural sources, Selena’s previous works include Weapons of Words: Intertextual Competition in Babylonian Poetry. She has also written three plays set in ancient Assyria; the most recent, Ashurbanipal: The Last Great King of Assyria was staged at the London’s Crypt Gallery in 2019.
Dr Mark Vernon is a psychotherapist, writer, broadcaster, and teacher. He presents several Idler Academy online courses. He has a PhD in philosophy, and degrees in theology and physics. His most recent books include The Idler Guide to Ancient Philosophy (Idler Books), Love: All that Matters (Hodder) and Jung: How to Believe (Guardian Shorts) – and he has books on friendship, belief and the good life too. Mark can often be heard on Radio 4’s Moral Maze. He began his professional life as a priest in the Church of England. For more, visit markvernon.com.
Victoria Hull is director of the Idler Academy, producing the Idler’s live and online events and courses.
Testimonials for A Drink with the Idler
Drinks with the Idler have kept me sane.
A fabulous Idler Drinks – thanks Tom, Victoria, Mark and idlers everywhere!
A simple heartfelt “thank you”: I cannot tell you how much I am enjoying Thursday evenings as part of the Idler community. Never has a subscription yielded such brain-nourishing pleasure.
Short yet so sweet, delightful and interesting… uplifting intelligent conversation. I feel so happy to have stumbled upon the Idler. I bow to you all☺️⭐️
A Drink with the Idler has turned out to be one of our lifelines! Such fun, wonderful commentary by you and the remarkable Mark, not to mention the delightful Victoria.
Event Details
Date: Thursday 5th June 2025
Time: 6pm-7pm
Location: Online via Zoom link
Cost: £7.50. Free for Idler members. SUBSCRIBE HERE (from £2.50/month)
How to join A Drink with the Idler: Non subscribers should register by clicking the BUY NOW button above. Subscribers can register by clicking the GET TICKETS button above.
Important
In order for the Idler to send you a link to this event you need to make sure you have signed up for the Idler newsletter here.
Idler Magazine and Idler Academy members will be sent a special registration link ahead of the event.
Latecomers may not be given access
