Professor Gary Beckman is a noted Hittitologist and Professor of Hittite and Mesopotamian Studies from the University of Michigan. He has written several books on the Ancient Hittites: his publication 'Hittite Diplomatic Texts' and 'Hittite Myths' were both republished twice—in 1991 and 1999 respectively. As a Hittitologist, Professor Gary Beckman also wrote an article on Hittite Chronology in Akkadica 119-120 (2000) while he served as an editor of the 2003 book 'Hittite Studies in Honor of Harry A. Hoffner, Jr: On the Occasion of His 65th Birthday ' Beckman also composed a book review on Trevor Bryce's influential book, The Kingdom of the Hittites in Bryn Mawr.
Dr. Beckman participated as an academic advisor for the 2003 film Hititler (or 'Hittites' in English) which discussed the history and culture of the Ancient Hittites. In 2008, Professor Beckman reviewed a book concerning "regime change" and their impact upon local societies in the Middle East from ancient times to the modern era. He observed that cultural and administrative changes did not typically happen until approximately two generations (or 50 years) had passed from the overthrow of the previous ruling regime.
Below is a partial list of Professor Beckman's book publications:
- Texts from the Vicinity of Emar in the Collection of Jonathan Rosen, (Padova: Sargon, 1996).
- Catalogue of the Babylonian Collections at Yale. II. Old Babylonian Archival Texts in the Nies Babylonian Collection. (Bethesda, MD: CDL Press, 1995).
- Hittite Diplomatic Texts. Writings from the Ancient World, Volume 7. (Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press, 1996) .
- The Epic of Gilgamesh (Norton Critical Editions), with Benjamin R. Foster and Douglas Frayne (New York: W. W. Norton, 2001).
- Catalogue of the Babylonian Collections at Yale. 4.Old Babylonian Archival Texts in the Yale Babylonian Collection (Bethesda, MD: CDL Press, 2000).
- Hittite Myths, (co-editor), Scholars Press; 2nd edition (1991)