I. Late Bronze Age 1600-1200 BCa. Assyria

i. Semitic peopleii. Major city Assur and Nineveh capital

iii. Ruled by Akkad, 3rd Dynasty of Ur, Amorites and Kassities from about 2300-1200 BC. Will rise up occasionally.

iv. Trading nation based on tin found in the mountains. b. Amorites

i. Semitic group who populated the area in southern Mesopotamia after the 3 rd Dynasty of Ur fell apart.

ii. Hammurabi and his law codeiii. New version of Enuma Elish and the rise of Marduk

c. Mitanni i. Hurrians joined with the Mitanni by 2000 BC

ii. Indo-European peopleiii. 1600-1400 BC

1. After the Hittites try to weaken them (and Babylon) by making a treaty with the Kassites around 1600 BC, Mitanni will weaken the Hittites and they will take until around the 1400’s to regroup.

2. Egypt expels the Hyksos in the 1500’s.3. By 1400 they are the most powerful group in Mesopotamia and will

conflict with Egypt for territory in the Levant area. a. Will fight Thutmose III when the Egyptians grew angry at not

receiving gifts from themb. Egypt will plunder the Mitannic. Contribute to the Amarna letters

4. They will weaken by 1400 by the Assyrians and internal conflicta. The Hittites will expand into their territory

iv. Warrior state known for horse breeding and chariots. d. Kassites

i. People who gained control of Babylon after the fall of the Amorites in 1600 BC1. Rule from 1600-1200

a. Overshadowed by others in Mesopotamiaii. Origin not known

iii. Longest lasting rulers over consolidated cities in Mesopotamiaiv. They absorb the Babylonian culturev. Active traders with Egypt and others and traded in lapis lazuli, gold and

arranged marriages with Egyptvi. New types of literature with themes of sin and salvation

vii. Enuma Elish and Epic of Gilgamesh reach final forms and first to breed horses for warfare

e. Hittitesi. Origin

1. Caucasus Mountains/Indo-European people

a. Black Sea and Caspian Sea areab. Called themselves after the people they conquered.

2. Turkey ii. First to develop chariots and to work iron

iii. Became strong from 1800-16001. Same time period the New Kingdom in Egypt2. Mitanni will invade 1600

iv. 1400-12001. Took over the Mitanni territory after the Kassites collapsed2. Controlled Anatolia, north-western Syria, Mesopotamia to Babylon3. Conflict with King Tut.4. Fight the Battle of Kadesh around 1200 BC

a. World’s first peace treatyv. Religion and culture

1. Accepting of all pantheons2. Kings deified upon death3. Scapegoat4. Law Cod has money payment instead of Lex Talionis5. Suzerain Treaties

a. Hebrews copied their covenantsvi. Resources

1. Silver, copper, lead and tin2. Fairly self-sufficient

f. Egypti. New Kingdom

ii. Conflicted in Syria and Palestineg. Hebrews

i. Slaveryii. Exodus

iii. Judges 1400’s-10001. Deborah

h. Phoeniciansi. Located above Israel and south of Syria

ii. Vassals of Egypt and Hittitesiii. Earliest Canaanite Kingdom was Ugaritiv. Very active traders

1. Fine silver and bronze work2. Cosmetics, ivories, jewelry wooden objects and purple textiles

v. First to create an ALPHABET in cuneiform1. 30 signs and read right to left2. Helped our understanding of the Bible

vi. Religion1. More than 30 deities 2. El: king of the gods and symbolized by the bull

3. Asherah: wife of El4. Baal: El’s son and the agricultural and storm god, also a bull

a. Would descend into the underworld every summer to fight off the god Mot (death) and would emerge in the spring victorious with the rains.

b. Life revolved around his death and resurrection5. Influenced the Hebrews and often conflicted with them

II. Collapse of the Mediterranean 1200 BCa. Causes

i. Famineii. Natural disasters

iii. Invasionsiv. Sea Peoples

1. Some from the Aegean area2. Battle of Troy

a. Hittites were probably allies with them and have records listing names that have been transliterated into Greek names (Alexander, Paris, Ilium, Danaans, Troy…etc.)

b. Egypti. Ramesses II impressed Sea People in his army

ii. Ramesses III settles Sea Peoples in the Levant coastiii. Nubia and Palestinian/Syrian vassalsiv. Massive inflation

1. People rob tombs to survivec. Mesopotamia

i. Kassities invaded by Elam1. Chaldeans invade

ii. Hittites vanishd. Syria and Palestine

i. Philistines settleii. Arameans settle

III. EIA 1200-600a. Egypt

i. New Kingdom lasted until around the time of Samson in Israel.1. Divided by civil war. Priest of Amun in Thebes had money and power.

Kings in Tanis had bloodline.2. Even in the Iliad, Achilles says that he doesn’t want the gifts of

Agamemnon. He may promise me all the wealth of Thebes, the richest city in the world.

3. A leader will rise up and try to unify Egypt around 950 BC. He’ll even march into Israel and plunder the temple. Power doesn’t last long.

ii. They will reunited briefly during the time of Rehoboam b. Syria and Palestine

i. Aramean

1. Used the Phoenician alphabet and replaced Akkadian as the language of trade and administration during the Persian Empire. The language of Aramaic replaces Akkadian as the “universal” language of the time. Will last until the time of Christ over a 1000 years later.

2. Semitic people who settled into Syria after the Hittites fellii. Philistines

1. Came from Crete and cause conflict with the Israelitesa. Mycenaean in weaponry, politics and pottery

2. Monopoly on working iron3. Called Peleset by Egypt and we derive Palestine from Philistine 4. Five major cites

a. Ashdad, Ashkelon, Gaza, Akron, and Gathb. Called the Pentapolis

5. No written language themselvesiii. Hebrews

1. Judgesa. Gideonb. Samson: Warrior judge with superhuman capabilities

i. Marries a Philistineii. Is tricked by a Philistine woman into braking his Nazarite

vow. She leads him to his death.c. Samuel judge who anoints Saul and David

2. Monarchya. Saul: After Israel suffers a defeat at the hands of the Philistines.

They plead for a king. Fights unsuccessfully against the Philistines. After David fights against Goliath, Saul become jealous. David flees and become a mercenary for the Philistines but plays the double agent.

b. David: king of Israel after Saul; after breaking from Saul he’ll be given the city of Gath and gain supporters there who swear allegiance. Large kingdom, Jerusalem, Psalms, returned the ark, opened trade, unified the kingdom…

c. Solomon: 12 administrative districtsi. Fortifies trade cities

ii. Temple and Palaceiii. Trade relations with Phoenician Tyre, Neo-Hittites,

Egypt, Cilicia, And Arabiaiv. Discontent caused by high taxes and foreign wives

3. Divided Monarchya. Israel

i. Jeroboam-incited rebellionii. Civil Wars

iii. Ahab and Jezebel-fought off Shalmeneser III

1. Wiling to include Baal and other Western Semitic gods. Allowed Jezebel to kill the prophets of Yahweh. 100 hid in the land of the east.

2. Elijah-prophet who stood up to Ahab. Wild man dressed in animal skins.

iv. Jehu1. Alliance with Shalmaneser

v. Hoshea1. Shalmaneser V sieged for three years2. Sargon II finished the job3. Deported 27,000 people.

b. Judahi. Rehoboam-son of Solomon

ii. Ahaz1. Allied with Tiglath Pileser III but when he dies

Israel rebels. iii. Hezekiah waited 20 years, after submitting to Tiglath

Pilesear III. 1. He sanctified Judah and made some alliances

with Egypt. Built up Jerusalem.2. Sennacherib attacked Judah. 3. Biblical record says Assyrians were smote with a

curse while Assyrian record says they were paid off.

iv. Phoenicians 1. Referred to themselves as Canannites or by the city of residence

a. Biblical writers will refer to the whole area as Canaanb. Named Phoinkes by the Greeks which referred to the purple dye

they used to color clothes 2. Never had a united political structure for all the cities3. Technology

a. Ships, cloth, dying weaving, jeweling, metalworking, ivory and glassmaking (perfected the Egyptian art).

4. Controlled by Egypt until 12005. Main cities

a. Byblos, Sidon, Acre and Jaffab. Byblos produced cedar and would be traded for papyrus (Byblos

will be associated with papyrus and give its name for books)6. Colonized all over the Mediterranean

a. Homer sang of the Isaiah, Ezekiel. b. Most advanced ships of the day

i. Hundred feet long or more in length and had high sterns and bows

ii. Heavy and broad with both sails and oarsiii. Two bands of rowers and will inspire the later Greek

shipsc. Sailed to Ireland and Herodotus says they circumnavigated

Africad. Colonies

i. Cyprus, Rhodes, Spain, Crete, Egypt, Sicily, Malta, Sardinia, Marseilles, Cornwall and Carthage

e. Carthage i. 814 BC

ii. Trading station for ships going to Spanish coloniesiii. made famous in the Punic Wars of Romeiv. Trade colony on northern coast of Africa

7. David and Solomon had treaties with Tyre8. Fell under the Babylonians and only the colonies would exist9. Alphabet

a. First cuneiform alphabetb. 22 letters based on consonants and the Greeks would add

vowels10. Religion

a. More than 30 deities b. El: king of the gods and symbolized by the bullc. Asherah: wife of Eld. Baal: El’s son and the agricultural and storm god, also a bull

i. Would descend into the underworld every summer to fight off the god Mot (death) and would emerge in the spring victorious with the rains.

ii. Life revolved around his death and resurrectioniii. AKA Adon. The river Adon would turn red every spring

reflecting his wounds. Astarte would descend to rescue him. Later called Adonis.

e. Influenced the Hebrews and often conflicted with themf. Human sacrifice

c. Mesopotamia 911-627i. Assyrians

1. Land of Assur-chief war deity. Lots of stone and rainfall. It was located in the middle of the other civilizations and needed to be militaristic to survive.

2. Aramaeans invaded during the collapse and shook Assyria’s power.3. Ashur-dan II, during the reign of Rehoboam, brought Assyria back.

a. He took vengeance on the Aramaean people. b. Made Assyria more secure. Brought back Assyrians that had

been pushed out but didn’t expand any territory. 4. Ashurnasirpal II 911-859

a. Responsible for developing Assyria’s brutalityi. “I put up a pillar at the city gate,” and I skinned the

chiefs who revolted against me, and covered the pillar with their skins. I walled up others in eh middle of the pillar itself, and some of them I impaled on stakes and arranged them around the pillar. Inside the city, I skinned many more and covered the walls with their skins. As for the royal official, I cut off their members.” He also made heaps of cut-off noses and ears, gouging out eyes, and typing heads to vines thought the gardens like decaying fruit. “I made on pillar of the living [piled them and then covered the “pillar” with plaster].

b. Made Assyria into an empire. Made new capital in Caleh. Center of his government. Built a huge palace with lamaasu statues, enormous winged bulls with human heads. Through a huge banquet to celebrate the completion of the palace. 69,574 guests.

c. Began to expand territory.i. Across to the Euphrates and down to Arvad. Didn’t take

over Palestine/Syria nor Babylon.d. Omri, king of Israel, was such a fierce warrior that Ashurnasirpal

didn’t touch him. e. 25 year reign

5. Shalmaneser III 858-824a. Going to expand and conquer: Semitic lands (Ahab/Jehu),

Babylon/Chaldeans, Anatolia, and Elam. b. Continued campaign against Western Semitic lands west of the

Euphrates. i. He attacked Ahab unsuccessfully but will force Jehu to

pay tribute. (Black Obelisk)c. Babylon

i. Put down rebellion in Babylon. Incorporated the areas around Babylon as well.

ii. Those in the former lands of Sumer were the Chaldeans. d. Anatolia

i. Also invaded Phrygia who had settled in the areas of the former Hittites once they moved.

ii. The Hittites were now living in the area around Carchemish. Now called Que.

e. Elami. They then demanded tribute from the Elamites on the

eastern side of the Tigris. Elamites tended to ally themselves with the Babylonians since the Assyrians were a greater threat. He invaded them a couple times.

f. His son will rule in 824. And made plans to invade Babylon but died just over 10 years into his reign. His queen will take over.

g. Greek Dark Age was ending by this point...h. Time of Jonah and the time of King Jeroboam of Israel.

6. Tiglath-Pileser 745-727 BCa. Made alliances with Judah and Ahaz in Israelb. Reorganized the military. Used Iron weaponry. Most

professional army world had ever seen. i. Brutal. Appendages cut, flayed alive, impaled, and

burned alive… c. Chaldeans begin to organize in Sumer. They had moved in after

Kassites were weakened. They frequently attacked Assyria with the Elamites.

i. Nabonassar king in Babylon.

1. Society was peaceful under Nabonassar, so much so that it allowed astronomy to flourish. The word Chaldean will become synonymous with astronomer. Even the book of Daniel used the word Chaldean in the place of astronomer.

2. Scribes first ban to keep tables that correlate astronomical observations to daily records of the weather, the levels of the Tigris and Euphrates, and the price of grain and other important supplies.

d. Called himself king of Sumer and Akkad. Put governors around the Near Eastern area to check other’s powers. Set up a pony express.

i. Will conquer Babylon after rumor of revolt. Conferred its kingship on himself.

ii. 729 Babylonia is conquered.e. Assyria is now rapidly expanding.f. He conquers the Uratu people creating space for the Phrygians.

First king Midas.

i. His myths found their way down to Alexander the Great. He was faced with a wagon that was tied to a pole. This was the wagon of Midas.

ii. The people told him that an oracle said the first person to ride up in a wagon was to the first king. Midas just happened to be the first person they saw. He dedicated the wagon to Zeus.

iii. This knot is known as the Gordian Knot. Midas’s father was named Gordius-not Midas himself. Possibly a mix-up in the accounts of Arrian who was then copied by other historians later.

iv. The stories of the wealth of Midas are a reflection on how the Ionian people were in awe of the wealth of the Phrygians.

g. After his death, Israel rebels. 7. Shalmanaser V 726-722 BC

a. Son of Tigleth-Pileser. He learns that Hoshea tries to make an alliance with Egypt. Egypt had many people in charge by this point. They don’t even respond. Shalmaneser attacks Hoshea, King in Israel. Lays siege for three year and Samaria fell by 722.

b. Accounts go silent. Ruled for only 5 years.c. Died on battle-possibly?

8. Sargon II 721- 705 BCa. Brother of Shalmanaser V who usurped the throne due to

unrest over taxes and the military conquests.b. Defeated Israel in 722. Took Hoshea captive and put him in jail.

Deported the people. Type of genocide. 27,290 people his inscription say:

i. The people left there would be “half-breeds” and intermarry with others.

c. Palace with Lamassud. He was the second Sargon and the second founder of a truly

large empire. e. Killed in battle against the Cimmerians (Russians) 705 and Israel

was hopeful. Egypt lent support.f. Egypt is now in a civil war between the Nubians and Egypt.

Egypt controls the top part of Nubia they call Cush.9. Sennacerib 704-681

a. Didn’t acknowledges the existence of his father.

b. Built up Nineveh with gardens and a huge Palace. Wall art displays the gruesome warfare. He had a massive library as well??. Assyria was wealthy and prosperous.

c. The Medes organize under Deiokes

i. A village judge named Deiokes gained a reputation for fairness and they proclaimed him leader.

1. Herodotus writes: He insisted that the Medes build a single city…this city was Ecbatana. Built on the eastern slopes of Mount Orontes.

Surrounded by seven circular walls, each wall was painted a bright colors white, black, and red blue, orange and the last circle silver and the palace gilded with gold. One of the great sights of the ancient world. It was 6,000 feet above sea level.

d. Crushed rebellions

i. Babylon makes alliance with Aramaeans and Elamites. But opens gates when Assyria arrives.

ii. Egypt rebels and Judah joins. Isaiah warns. Hezekiah sends tribute instead when he realizes he’s outdone. He’ll try again.

iii. King Hezekiah entangled Judah in an anti-Assyrian coalition. Hezekiah built up Jerusalem’s walls. Parts still survive today. He prepared for a siege by ordering a tunnel through rock to connect the outside with the inside. He also dammed one of the Bethesda Pools to deliver water into the city and distributed food oil, wine, grain.

iv. Biblical record says that the Assyrians were smote with a curse to kill them. Sennacherib says that Hezekiah paid them off. Herodotus says that mice came and attacked them. Assyria accepts the tribute.

v. Assyria was burned and flooded by alliance between Elam and Babylon.

e. Buildings

i. Thick wall and moat.

ii. Large botanical park

f. The empire began to fray after his death.

10. Esarhaddon

a. Assyria will push back invasions of the Cimmerian people who will destroy the Phrygian Empire. The grandson of Midas will be forced to drink bull’s blood to commit suicide.

b. The Lydians will take their place in Asia Minor.

c. Phraortes inherited the throne in 675 after his father passed. He attacked Parsua, the Persians.

11. Ashurbanipal 668-627a. Egypt tries to expand-vassal of Assyria. Cimmerians crush

Lydians. Babylon growing more restless. Media is organized and conquered Persia. Assyria will crush Elam allowing Persia to take over that land.

b. Nubians try to control Egypt. Assyria crushed the Nubian revolt. Thebes was sacked and burned for the first time in history. Temple of Amun crushed. Silver obelisks that stood at its doors were hauled back to Nineveh.

i. Nahum describes it decades later.ii. Egypt a vassal of Assyria now. King sending letters to

Gyges, king of the Lydians and asking for rebellion support.

iii. Nubia increasingly independent. North of the first cataract, Egypt was under a pharaoh again. Maat returned which made the Egyptians desire to extend outward. The Egyptians wanted to opt to be ruled by the Nubians rather than be ruled by the Pharaohs in alliance with the Assyrians. They rebelled under Psammetichus.

c. The Cimmerians crushed Lydia killing Gyges. d. Tension was growing between Assyria and Babylon, ruled by

Assur’s brother. i. The Elamites made an alliance with Babylon. Assur

seemed to have micro-managed the city’s affairs. After consulting his prophets, Ashur marched on Elam.

ii. “I dammed the river with the bodied of the people of Elam and when … {king] saw the death…he fled…” [King said] take up the bow…But the wagon had pierced [the king and his son]…With the encouragement of Assur, I killed them; I cut off their heads in front of each other.

iii. He brought back the heads with him and used them to decorate his garden, where he and his wife then dined beneath that night.

iv. His brother still remained on the throne. Apparently there was no proof that his brother was involved in a plot to overthrow Assyria.

e. The Median Kingdom now marched on Nineveh.i. Under king Cyaxares the Persians and the Cimmerians

tried to attack Assyria. Cimmerians were being chased by the Scythians.

1. But Assyria won with the help of the Scythians. 2. The Scythians claimed the throne of the Medes

and Persians for 28 years.

f. Babylon finally rose up in rebellions. Assyria was joined by the Elamites.

i. Three year siege ended in starvation and horror. “They ate the flesh of their sons and daughters” No mercy was shown on the rebels. He razed it.

ii. “The rest of the living, I destroyed in the place where my grandfather Sennacherib was killed,” and their carved-up bodies I fed to dogs, pigs, to wolves, to eagles, to birds of the heavens, to fishes of the deep.”

g. Assyria then razed Elam after they were in civil war without a ruler. He burned it, robbed the palaces, and ordered the royal tombs opened and the bones of kings taken. Deported huge groups of Elamite citizens far away. Some were settled in Israel. They will merge with those left there.

i. The razing of Elam will create a vacuum for the Medes to invade.

1. The Persians adopt the Elamite dress. 2. The Persian Cyrus in 640 will take the throne.

h. Created a libraryi. Collected and organized clay tablets. First to organize

into categories. Spells, prophesies, medical remedies, astronomical observations, stories, and tales… A thousand years’ worth of stories about the ancient her about Gilgamesh. 30k tables total in the library. Biggest accomplishment of his reign.

i. Ashurbanipal's’ reign was marked by increasing chaos. Probably became senile until his death in 627. Son governed on his behalf.

i. Medes and Scythians began to make armed excursions into Urartu.

ii. Josiah was invading Israel breaking shrines and altars iii. Scythian troops marched past Judah and down to Egypt

threatening an invasion.iv. Babylon was wanting to rebel again.

j. After his deathi. Six years of three-way fighting between Assyrians,

Babylon and Nabopolassar.ii. Medes under Cyarxes invaded the Scythian ruler and his

bodyguard to a banquet, go them drunk and killed them. He became king over the Medes and Persians. Created an army.

ii. Babylonians 605-5391. Nabopolassar

a. Chaldean leader and former Assyrian governor in southern Babylonia, Nabopolassar, seized the throne. He seized the kingship of Babylon in 626 and inaugurated the final Babylonian dynasty but also laid the foundation for the vast realm historians call the Neo-Babylonian or Chaldean Empire.

b. Assyria and Babylon began to fight with neither winning. c. 614 the Medes attacked led by Cyaxares. Nabopolassar joined.

They formed an alliancei. Cyaxares married his daughter, Amytis, to

Nebuchadnezzar the son of Nabopolassar. ii. The hanging gardens were for her to look like the

mountains from Media.d. He made an alliance with the Medes (Cyaxares), Persians,

Scythians, Cimmerians, and Arameans in order to overthrow the Assyrians in 615 BC

e. At the Battle of Carchemish 605 the Assyrian Empire was crushed. Nebuchadnezzar fought in this battle-his dad was too old.

i. Palestine and Syria capitulated to Babylon.ii. Nabopolassar died while his son was fighting at this

battle.f. Jehoiakim allied with Babylon and then switched back to Egypt

when the king Necho convinced him to rebel. He rebelled against the advice of Jeremiah. Stopped sending tribute.

2. Nebuchadnezzar IIa. 597 March 16, Nebuchadnezzar plundered Judah and took back

the king, Jehoichin (Jehoiakim died). He also took back 10,000 people. Placed an uncle on the throne, Zedekiah. Cyaxares helped.

b. Nebuchadnezzar was the son of a usurper but he was highly competent. Regarded himself as the viceroy of Bel-Marduk. He inherited the violence of the Assyrians and promoted himself as a virtuous person.

i. Israelite exiles found themselves in a city that made Zion look like a village. Babylon had a ¼ million people. Everything was gigantic. Loved color blue. The towers of the Ishtar Gate were faced with blue-glazed bricks, illustrated with bulls and dragons in yellow and ochre. It lead into the Processional Way-road for the festival for Marduk. His palace was there to be admired, he declared. He decorated it with towering lions. The Hanging Gardens embellished his summer palace. He raised a ziggurat to honor Marduk. It was immense 7 story tower with a flat top.

ii. Three palacesiii. Built massive walls around Babylon so no one could

flood the city again.c. Zedekiah sent word of alliance to Egypt since they were

expanding again.d. Babylon had arrived to demand tribute payment and simply

marched southwards. Jeremiah put in a dungeon. e. In 587, Nebuchadnezzar encircle Jerusalem with forts and a

siege wall. He laid siege for 18 months. Famine brought it to an end.

f. After 18 months, in 586, Nebuchadnezzar broke into the city, which was set on fire.

g. Zedekiah was captured. 20,000 people were deported and the Ark was captured. King’s sons killed and the king’s eyes put out. Beginning of the diaspora. Won’t return until 1948. In AD 70 the Jews were a small percentage.

h. The Jews did enjoy some freedom and they began to form their identity as Jews. Here the Hebrew Texts really took shape. In Babylon, the Judeans were becoming Jews.

i. Nebuchadnezzar ruled for over 40 years. i. Treaty made between the Medes/Persians and Lydians.

1. Cyarxes’ son Astyages married the Lydian princess Aryenis.

ii. Daniel claims he went insane. His son, Belshazzar, rules on his behalf. Daniel interprets his dream of a tree (Assyrians and Babylon's kings shared a devotion to a sacred tree as the source of their power. The tree is filled with leaves and fruit and gives shelter to animals. Then the tree is cut down, stripped and broken. Stump is bound with bronze.

iii. Reversal of Enkidu who look human but is animalistic. Warning that power creates animals out of humans. Enkidu is civilized when he resists power.

iv. However, these episodes probably refer to Nabonidus who went insane.

3. After Nebuchadnezzar’s death in 562, Babylon entered a period of crises.

4. Amel Marduk

a. His son Amel Marduk had a conflict over Marduk’s release of the Hebrew Jehoichin and Nebuchadnezzar actually jailed his son. After Nebuchadnezzar died, Marduk took his body and threw it to the vultures.

b. He ruled horribly and had no regard for law. His sister’s husband planned his assassination and then took over.

5. Sister’s husband ruled for four years.

6. Labashi-Marduk

a. Son. Assassinated for his evil ways even though still a child. Ruled 9 months

7. Nabonidusa. In 556, the dynasty of Nebuchadnezzar was overthrown and

Nabonidus became king-he was an Aramean not Chaldean. He had helped negotiate the treaty between the Medes and Lydians 30 years prior.

b. From city of Haran.c. Cyrus king of Persia; Croesus, son of Alyattes king of the Lydians.

i. Cyrus conquers the Medesd. He rejected Marduk in favor of Sin the moon-god. He created

so much conflict with the changes in religion that he left the city to live in Arabia. He was struck by a mysterious disease (insanity). His son Belshazzar ruled in his place.

i. The episodes of chapters 2-4 in Daniel probably refer to Nabonidus not Nebuchadnezzar as he’s the one that goes insane and has Belshazzar as son.

e. The Babylonians knew that conflict with Persia was around the corner. As Nabonidus left the city rather weakened by his religious conflicts.

f. Babylon was very well fortified. i. Ringed by a double wall of dried and baked brick. Outer

wall was 25 ft. tall and 12 feet thick. Inner wall was 45 feet tall and 21 feet thick. At every 65 ½ feet on top of the walls were towers. There was also a moat.

g. Spring of 539, Persia set out. i. Nabonidus came back from Egypt after hearing rumors

that Persia might attack.ii. Nabonidus ordered that the idols of the gods be

removed form the surrounding towns to the city-to prevent them from rebelling.

iii. Town of Opis fell first. iv. Month after Opis fell, Babylon fell and Nabonidus was

taken prisoner. 1. Biblical texts: Belshazzar held a feast at which

he used the gold and silver cups taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He suddenly saw a person

less hand write the words “Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin”

2. Herodotus says that Babylon was well prepared and that they put up a fight. Enough to last 20 years.

a. Herodotus states that Cyrus diverted the Euphrates River to overtake the city of Babylon. They were celebrating a festival at the time.

b. Calls the king Labynetos. 3. Xenophon says the Persians dug a trench

around Babylon along the outer wall while the people were celebrating a festival. 180 trenches on either side. One night they opened all the trenches and the water flowed out of the River. They marched under the walls of the city.

4. No traces of fires and no signs of violent destruction of houses have been uncovered.

iii. Persian Empire 539-3231. Cyrus I 559–530

a. King of Persia 559-530b. King of Media 549-530c. Lydia 547-530

i. Croesusii. Conquers the Ionians which will led to the beginning of

the Greco-Persian Wariii. Harpagos conquered the Ionian cities

d. Babylon 539-530e. Conquered all the way to the mountains.f. Nabonidus was spared by Belshazzar killed. g. Lots of propaganda

i. Cyrus as liberatorii. Excelled at creating terror.

iii. He used bribery to keep people in line in the empire.iv. Nabonidus is despised by his own gods to have

committed crimes again the temples, plundered the possessions of other.

v. Marduk gave him authority. vi. The Biblical texts also stress the piety of Cyrus as well.

vii. Compiled by Babylonian priests on the orders of either the king of his servants. Modeled on the earlier inscriptions of Assurbanipal.

h. Idols brought back to the other nations. And temples restored. i. Allowed foreigners to return home.

j. No social changes or economic.i. Civil servants kept position and the Persian

administration accepted Babylonian law.ii. Allowed all people to continue their customs and laws.

2. Cambyses 530-522a. After asking for marriage to a daughter of the former king of

Egypt, and being tricked, He goes to war with Egypt.b. He digs up the Apis and desecrates it. After the priests find

another bull, he manages to kill that one as well.c. He kills his sister and brother.d. The throne was seized by a man posing as his brother (Smerdis)-

probably a magus (Bardiya). e. Cambyses marched after him but died on the way. His lance-

bearer at the time, Darius, said he committed suicide in 522.f. Ctesias says it was an accident. He stabbed himself in eh thigh

while working with a piece of wood. Died 11 days later. OR Herodotus says that the tip of his scabbard broke and his sword pieced his thigh. Same place where he stabbed the sacred cow in Egypt. Died of gangrene of the bone and mortification of the wound.

g. Modern historians suspect that he was assassinated either by Darius or by supporter of Bardiya.

3. Darius Ia. 522-486b. Styled himself Nebuchadnezzar III. c. Grew the Empire to its largest extent.d. Divided it into Satrapies or provinces with a satrap and a

separate military commander. He appointed them directly so they would be loyal to him.

e. Created a money system. Lydians were the first to create money around 700.

f. The monetary systems allowed him to build Parsa or Persepolis. i. Other capitals

1. Ecbatana=Median Capital2. Susa=Elamite Capital

g. The Royal Roadi. a highway running from the city of Sardis in the west to

Susa in the east, ii. Darius created a spy network to ensure that satraps

were carrying out his orders and to watch for signs of rebellion.

iii. A system of messengers and horses along the Royal Road allowed for the speedy transmission of information to and from Darius.

iv. In an age when overland transport was expensive and dangerous, the road also offered traders a relatively safe and efficient route.

h. Babylonians revolted against him. Ordered that 3k citizens be executed and the walls demolished. Excavations confirm that the outer wall was indeed demolished.

i. Greco-Persian Wari. Ionian states rebel and ask for help from the main land

ii. Battle of Marathon and Salamis4. Xerxes

a. 484, rebellion broke out again in Babylonb. Tires to crush the Greeks unsuccessfully

5. Persian culturea. Kings walked on purple carpetsb. Servants had to be muffled so their air wouldn’t touch the kingc. King’s word was lawd. Magi the priests of the Persianse. Zoroastrianism

i. Believed in a good vs evil with both coexisting at the same time and are given equal weight

ii. Ahura Mazda vs Angra Mainuiii. Afterlife of both heaven and helliv. Created the world as perfect placev. Evil will be banished at the last judgement

vi. Humans must choose whom to followvii. Be ashavans or truth followers

viii. Bring about a redeemed worldix. Who they are following is determined by the choices

people make and will be weighed at death (three days after)

x. Stay in heaven or hell until the resurrection of the bodies at the end-time and a last judgement

xi. Live ever after in paradise on earth (new earth)xii. Persecuted and fled. Religion spread to western

Iranian Medes and then the Persians during the 8th century

xiii. After Zoroaster’s death:1. Assyria accepted what became known as

Mazdaism (with some changes) by 8 or 7th century. Persia didn’t accept until Darius.

2. The Magi became the priests of Mazdaism3. Purity laws became more important. Expose

corpses until their bones were picked clean. Challenged all people to redeem the world

4. Saoshyant: savior would be born