Download - ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA
ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA
The Geography of Sumeria Unpredictable flooding, frequent
drought No natural protecting barriers (e.g.
hills) Few natural resources (no wood,
stone, metal ore)
The Geography of Sumeria Sumerians overcame their
problems by Irrigation systems City-walls built of mud brick Trade up-river for raw materials
Sumerian Government City-states
An independent city with the farmlands surrounding it
Ruled at first by priests Crops depend on blessing of the gods Gods can do much harm to humans
Polytheism Belief in many gods
Sumerian Government Later rule moved to warrior leaders
Wars between city-states grew more frequent
First dynasties established Royal power passed from father to
son
Cultural Diffusion Sumeria the very first civilization in
the western world Sold grain and artifacts up-river Trade led to cultural diffusion
Spread of ideas, technology, beliefs, customs, products from one culture to another
The First Empires Empire
One ruler or nation controlling several nations or peoples
Babylonian Empire Established about 2000 BC Warriors from north conquered
Mesopotamia Set up capital at Babylon
Hammurabi Ruled the Babylonian empire 1792
– 1750 BC Famous for the first great code of
laws issued by a king Hammurabi’s Code focused on
Trade issues Personal violence Family relationships/responsibilities
The Assyrians Conquered Babylon Ruled whole Middle East 850 –612 BC A violent, war-like people Used iron weapons and armor Killed or enslaved conquered peoples Moved them away from their
homelands
The Assyrians Capital at Nineveh, in the north of
Mesopotamia Assyrian carvings focus on war, lion-hunting
King Ashurbanipal collected a library of 20,000 clay tablets Organized and cataloged by subject Epic of Gilgamesh and other Sumerian
documents
The Chaldean Empire Chaldeans conquered Nineveh 612
BC Returned capital to Babylon
Sometimes called Second Babylonian empire, 612 – 550 BC
Nebuchadnezzar Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Chaldean Astronomy Chaldeans set up observatories on
top of ziggurats Recorded movement of stars Deduced existence of the solar
system Created astrology
The Persian Empire Cyrus the Great conquered whole
Middle East, 550-539 BC Persian empire lasted 550 – 331
BC Destroyed by Alexander the Great
The Persian Empire Ruled with tolerance Conquered peoples stayed on their
own land, worshiped own gods Provided they were obedient, paid
taxes
The Persian Empire First great bureaucracy
Royal satraps sent throughout empire to govern provinces
Provinces match boundaries of conquered peoples
Each province had military ruler and tax collector
Royal Road built to allow swift passage of royal commands, soldiers
The Persian Empire Unified monetary system – one set
of standard coins Stimulated trade across the empire
Zoroastrian religion Universe divided in struggle between
forces of good and evil, light and darkness
Influenced Christian heresies