Lecture 2 Mesopotamia Mesopotamian Geography Fertile Crescent Land between the rivers Tigris Euphrates Modern Iraq Unpredictable floods No natural boundaries Rise of Civilization ID: 278940
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Western Civilization to 1500
Lecture 2: MesopotamiaSlide2
Mesopotamian Geography
“Fertile Crescent”
“Land between the rivers”
TigrisEuphratesModern IraqUnpredictable floodsNo natural boundariesSlide3
Rise of Civilization
Agricultural Technology
Wheel
PlowIrrigationWriting: cuneiform (pictographic)Slide4
Social Organization
City-states (Sumer)
Kings as divine representatives
Competition and warfareLandWater rightsCastesNobles (royal and priestly)Commoners (farmers, merchants, artisans)
Slaves (of kings and priests)Slide5
Overview of Ur with ZigguratSlide6
Sumerian Religion
Polytheistic and animistic
Gods sponsored city-states
Capricious godsSacrificial systemPropitiation of the godsFunction of temples, zigguratsRole of priestsSlide7
Current Consensus Chronology
Ca. 3000: rise
of Sumer
24th Century: Akkadian conquestCity-states vs. Empire, InvasionsCa. 1790-Hammurabi’s reign beginsSlide8
Law: The Code of Hammurabi
“
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth”
Punishment varied according to casteSocial and Economic regulationsPrice controlsInheritance rulesOfficials’ dutiesSlide9
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Discovery in mid-19
th
centuryCharactersGilgameshEnkiduIshtarUtnapishtimThemes
Civilization
Friendship
Meaning of LifeSlide10
Science
Mathematics
Base-60 number system
Multiplication, division, interest tablesPractical geometry (fields, architecture)AstronomyCharted constellationsLunar calendar of twelve months