MESOPOTAMIA FERTILE CRESENT LAND BETWEEN THE RIVERS Mesopotamia Overview and Objectives Learn about the ancient achievements of the early people in this region Learn about the geography of the land and how the people used it ID: 772998
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "MESOPOTAMIA “ FERTILE CRESENT”" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
MESOPOTAMIA “ FERTILE CRESENT” LAND BETWEEN THE RIVERS
Mesopotamia
Overview and Objectives Learn about the ancient achievements of the early people in this region. Learn about the geography of the land and how the people used it. Discuss the law codes of the early civilizations and compare them to our own.Understand a brief timeline of history and development of this area.
The Birth of Civilization in Western Asia Cities vs. Villages Earliest cities emerge in MesopotamiaImportance of cooperation in irrigation Militarism produced rulersThe role of religion
The Birth of Civilization (cont.) Standing in awe of the divine Religion organized societyTemples were complex institutionsMesopotamia was “civilized” by 3200 B.C.E.
Sumer- one of the earliest city-states City-states were the first form of civilization Walled cityTemple in the center (Ziggurat)Each usually had its own god-kingOften fought against other city states City inside the wall, farming outside
UR Large city-state Death Pits- royalty buried with precious goods and members of household Discovered 2,500 of these graves in the 1920’s 1 tomb uncovered with 6 males and 68 female servants- all dressed up for the big day!
Ziggurats Built up to 7 platforms Not tombs Not pyramids
Babylon Assyrian Region Akkad Region * Nineveh Israel Persia Sinai Peninsula
Sumer Achievements Wedge shaped writing – CuneiformInvented the wheel 3700 BCCreated early math systems (base 60 system) Created a system of complex sewers and flushable toilets Plow Polytheism – the worship of many g ods
Cuneiform When a city was conquered, it was pillaged and set on fire Positive side effect- burned the cuneiform clay to preserve it far longer
Ancient Sumer (3200-2000 BC) Southwestern territory of the Valley Independent cities conquered by “Sargon of Akkad” around 2300 BCEUnpredictable Weather Conditions and floodsEvolution of view of the Sumerian gods
Sumer 3500 B.C. Tigris and Euphrates All-knowing priestsZigguratCuneiform
Old Babylonia (2000-1600 BCE) Invasion of Semitic language groups like the Amorites Amorites created Babylonian EmpireMost famous Babylonian ruler = HammurabiHammurabi’s Code of Law -- “An Eye for an eye” -- “Let the Buyer Beware”Procedures in Amorite trialsFirst written laws
Old Babylonia (cont.) Some sense of justice Some sense of a “welfare state” The Epic of GilgameshIntroduction of personal religionMajor mathematical achievementsBabylonian social life
Famous Rulers Gilgamesh – King of Ur/God-King, hero/warrior Sargon – First king to unite city-states into one Kingdom Hammurabi – First king of Babylonian Empire; built the city of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar II – rules Babylon and makes it a great empire and the city of Babylon the most remarkable city of its time Many others – too many to name!
Civilizations of Mesopotamia Sumer Akkadians 3500- 1800 B.C 2340- 125 B.C . 1800- 1530 B.C. Amorites Assyrians 1170- 612 B.C. Chaldeans 612- 539 B.C. Hammarabi Babylon is Capital dramatic growth in science and mathematics North of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar II Babylon became largest city Babylonian Empire King Sargon tried to unite The kingdom
“The Dark Age” (1600-1300 BCE) Reasons for the fall of the Babylonians (Amorites)Horse-drawn chariots challenge traditional ox-drawn chariots Invasion of the HittitesPrestige of Iron weapons and implementsAssimilation of previous cultural accomplishments
The Assyrian Empire (1300-612 BCE) Semitic language group settling in the north Tigris area as early as 3000 BCE Became skilled in chariot warfare and began to conquer neighbors Reign of Sennacherib (705-681 BCE)
The Assyrian Empire (cont.) The Assyrian capital city: Nineveh Palace LibraryAssyrians known for brutality in warfare --only Mesopotamian civilization to submit to a queenBrutality of Assyrian art
The Assyrian Empire (cont.) Assyrian brutality produced hatred and rebellions among subjugated peoples Sophisticated and effective military organization --invented concept of a corps of engineersThe defeat of the Assyrians and the destruction of Nineveh
New Babylonia (612-539 BCE) Medes and Chaldeans (Babylonians) defeat the Assyrians in 612 BCEMost famous Babylonian ruler was Nebuchadnezzar II
New Babylonia (cont.) The ancient city of Babylon (very impressive) The Ishtar GateThe Hanging GardensBabylonian astronomical achievementsBabylonian court astronomers and their diaries
GATE OF ISHTAR in Babylon *Built by King Nebuchadrezzar *Only purple gate in city *Honored the Goddess of Love and fertility *Saddam Hussein recreated it with hopes to become the next Babylon Kingdom
Hanging Gardens of Babylon One of many spectacular building projects by him Tiered structure For his foreign wife because she missed her forested homeland Belshazzar was defeated by the Persians in 539 BCE
The Persian Empire (539 BCE on) Far-sighted Diplomats who allowed subjects to practice native customs and religions—Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem Persians gave the Ancient Near East political unity and cultural diversity The rule of Cyrus the Great
The Persian Empire (cont.) Later Rulers: Darius and son Xerxes were not as well liked Efficient administration of a huge empire (Satraps)Persian Road systemAramaic languageWealthy and Distant Royal Absolutism Early Persian ReligionIntroduction of Zoroastrianism (circa 600 BCE)
Satraps Well-Built Roads Coinage Diverse Languages
The Phoenicians Set up a trading Empire Settled city states around the Mediterranean Sea (Carthage in N. Africa will become enemy of Rome) Became excellent navigatorsBecame wealthy through trade Invented alphabetCreated blue dye (used for clothing of royalty)Expert glass blowers
Review What is a City-State. A walled City, with a God- King,their own govt. and a Ziggurat temple in the center. Another name for Mesopotamia. Fertile CrescentWhat term is used to describe the organization of people into communities with specialized workers, organization, and writing? Civilization
Review What is retribution? Revenge, returning a wrong for wrong, “an eye for an eye” What is a Ziggurat?A temple in the center of a City State to worship the Gods.
Review What is cuneiform? Wedge shaped early writing system. What does Mesopotamia mean? Land between the Tigris & EuphratesWhere is it located on today’s map? Middle East _ Modern day Iraq