section 2: invaders, traders, & empire builders sargon ruler of akkad, conquered neighboring...
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Section 2: Invaders, Traders, & Empire BuildersSargon Ruler of Akkad, conquered neighboring
city-states of Sumer. He expanded his territory and created the world’s first empire. Once Sargon died, his empire crumbled.
~2300 bc
Empire: A group of states or
territories ruled by one leader
Hammurabi King of Babylon. Improved irrigation, organized a well
trained army, and encourage religious unity across the empire.
1790 bc
Ruins of Babylon from Saddam Hussein's Summer Palace
Hammurabi’s Code•Most laws around since Sumerian time but he wanted entire empire to know
•Artisans carved 282 laws on stone pillar
•First important attempt by a ruler to Codify
Hammurabi’s Code•Civil Law: Private rights and matters. Such as, business contracts, property, taxes, marriage and divorce.
• Criminal Law: Deals with offenses against others. Such as, robbery, assault, and murder.
Eye for an Eye
Man had legal authority over wife, also legal duty to support
her
Limits personal vengeance and
encourages social order
Trial by
ordeal
~1400bc to 1200bc
New Empires and Ideas• Hittites
– They were able to extract iron from ore, this knowledge changed the way weapons were created. • Iron tools & weapons were harder & sharper than
bronze & copper
– Modified the chariot to allow for three man to ride. One driver, and an additional soldier to fight the enemy.
New Empires and Ideas• Assyrians
– Among most feared warriors in all of history
– They captured Babylon and spoke of their conquests everywhere.
– Encouraged a well ordered society
– Used wealth from trade and war to build great palaces and well planed cities “The city and its
houses, from top to bottom, I destroyed & burned with fire.”
• Nineveh• King Assurbanipal
Gilgamesh
Assyrians
1st king
Babylon• Shortly after Assurbanipal’s death, neighboring forces defeated Assyrians
• Nabopolassar reestablished Babylon, 625 bc
• Nebuchadnezzar• Aggressive and ruthless• Quickly revived Babylon and surrounded the city with a moat and brick wall
(85 feet thick)
612 bc
2nd king
After nearly 1000 years
of decline & destruction
Ishtar Gate
• Lions representing goddess Ishtar
• Nine gateways dedicated to gods
Babylon–Hanging
Gardens of Babylon
–One of the seven wonders of the ancient world
• Name a significant contribution made by the
Hittites, Assyrians, and Babylonians.
Persians Nebuchadnezzar's thick walls failed to hold back new
conquerors 539 bc, Babylon fell to Persian armies of Cyrus the Great
Went on to build largest empire yet
Persian kings known for tolerance, acceptance of
conquered people. Respected customs of diverse groups in
their empire
Codified laws
Hundreds of miles of
Roads built to encourage unity
Persians Darius I
Ruled from 522bc - 486bc Real unification of Persian empire
Set up bureaucracy: system of governance through departments & subdivisions administered by officials who follow set rules
Became a model for later rulers Divided empire into provinces (called a
satrapy) & headed by governor called a satrap Paid taxes based on resources & wealth Special officials visited to check up on them
Persians Darius I
Encouraged use of coins (Lydians of Asia Minor first introduced)
Brought merchants into early form of money economy
Still, most people continued barter economy
Goods & services paid for with token
of agreed value
Exchange one setof goods & services
for another
United Persia
Zoroaster Persian thinker Rejected Persian gods
Monotheistic Taught of single wise god, Ahura
Mazda who was constantly at battle with Ahriman the prince of lies & evil
People would have to choose a side
~ 600 bc
Eventually Ahura Mazda would triumph over evil
On final judgment day, all individuals would be judged for their actions
“Then the assembly... will meet, that is, all men of this earth will stand. In that assembly, every person will se his own good deeds and evil deeds. The righteous will be as conspicuous amongst the wicked as a white sheep among the black... They will then [carry] the righteous to the abode of harmony [heaven], and cast the wicked back to the wicked existence [hell]... Then [the last savior] Soshyant by order of the Creator will give reward & recompense to all men in conformity with their deeds.” Zoroastrian scripture
Two other religions
Emerged in the Middle East
Phoenicians•Small states of ancient Middle East also made contributions to civilization
Phoenicians•Due to the location in close proximity, to the sea, the Phoenicians were sailors and traders.•The sea gave the Phoenicians sand in which they created glass. As well as a tiny sea snail that produced a wildly admired purple dye.
•The Phoenicians set up colonies, a territory settled and ruled by people from another land. •These colonies allowed for better trade
between countries and continents.
Phoenicians “Carriers of civilization”
They spread Middle Eastern civilization around the Mediterranean
Alphabet One of most significant Phoenician
contributions
Cuneiform, symbols represented syllables or whole words
Alphabet, symbol represents a single basic sound
Greeks adapted Phoenician
alphabet
The words on this slide come from Greek alphabet
What were the accomplishments of the Sumerians? Hittites? Persians? Phoenicians? Babylonians?
What is Hammurabi’s Code & what was it the first example of?
Review