the cradles of western civilization mesopotamia & the ancient hebrews

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The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

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Page 1: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

The Cradles of Western Civilization

Mesopotamia

&

The Ancient Hebrews

Page 2: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

Mesopotamia

Land Between the Rivers

Fertile Crescent

Page 3: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

A. Founding Myths

1. Mythopoeic “history”The Epic of Gilgameshca. 2100 BC

2. What is gained/lost?

3. Nature as source of ethics(near-eastern mythology)

Page 4: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

B. Early urbanization

1. Sumerian Period (3200-2360 BC)Ur, Uruk, Eridu – religion, defense, trade

2. population explosion

Page 5: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

C. Hydraulic society

Wittvoegel = water & power

1. Class stratification warrior-kings priests peasants slaves

Page 6: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

2. Redefinition of gender roles - specialization of labor - female deities

Ishtar

Inanna

Page 7: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

3. Bronze Age technology (3300BC – 1300BC)

Weapons, farm implements, mininginnovation, specialization, cooperation

Page 8: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

4. Writing Cuneiform (Sumerians, 3500)

From pictographs to alphabetLiberate meaning from symbol – abstract thought

“Whoever has walked with Truth generates life”

Page 9: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

D. Early confederations & empires1. Akkadian Empire (2300-1800 BC)

united Mesopotamia multi-ethnic facilitates dissemination of knowledge

Sargon the Akkadian

Page 10: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

2. Old Babylonian EmpireHammurabi Code (1700BC)

Unification through law

Human-based legal code

Expectations of people“If…then…”

Page 11: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

The Ancient Hebrews

The Hebrew Experience and Western Ethics

Page 12: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

A. Rise of Semitic peoplesAramaeans, Chaldeans

Languages: Arabic, Hebrew

Battle of Kadesh, 1286 BC

Page 13: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

A. Legacy of nomadism

1. Trade or raid - Mesopotamian influence - revulsion toward cities

2. Patriarchal system(Abraham, Isaac, Moses, etc.)

God

Page 14: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

B. History and Hebrew Theology

1. Abrahamic concept of God (El, later Yahweh)

2. The Exodus (1200 BC)

Page 15: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

3. The Covenant10 Commandments; ethical monotheism

- personal relationship w/ God

- the individual and moral choice

- active God

Page 16: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

4. The Hebrews & Western religion- God inhabits separate sphere * profane and sacred

* emphasis on the next life

- patriarchal religious system* protection and punishment

- “humanistic”* role of individual is paramount* God cares

Page 17: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

C. Lessons from the rise and fall of Israel

1. 1000-922 BCDavid & Solomonurban v. nomadic

2. Mythopoeicsins of leader = sins of nation722 – Assyrians586 – New Babylonians Nebuchadnezzar II

Page 18: The Cradles of Western Civilization Mesopotamia & The Ancient Hebrews

D. The Babylonian Captivity and the New Faith

1. The prophets (Ezra, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah)

2. Rebuild the Covenant

3. Separation and “purity”

4. Messiah complex