The Babylonians The Babylonians Code of Hammurabi Babylonian Civilization The Downfall of Babylon

                                                                                                             Babylon Before 1792 BC, Babylon was a small and unimportant city on the Euphrates River in the Fertile Crescent, near present day Baghdad, Iraq. The reason Babylon became a powerful empire was the reign of King Hammurabi (1792-1750 B.C.). He attacked other Mesopotamia cities and through his conquests he united the cities of the Fertile Crescent.

                                                                                                             Government Hammurabi was more than a great military leader, he created a strong government that could hold his empire together. He sent his own governors, tax collectors and judges to rule distant cities.

                                                                                                             Government Hammurabi sent well-trained troops throughout his empire to oversee a number of public projects and to encourage trade. Used chariots. He is best remembered for his creation of the Hammurabi Code, a set of laws that governed life in the Babylonia Empire.

Hammurabi Code Laws focused on property rights, slaves, children, women’s rights, murder, theft and marriage Punishment differed based on a person’s social class

Hammurabi Code Laws were introduced for two main reasons To establish order in a land in constant conflict To represent a king’s beliefs of justice Several laws were written to protect the poor and powerless from abuse

Religion Laws were introduced for two main reasons To establish order in a land in constant conflict To represent a king’s beliefs of justice Several laws were written to protect the poor and powerless from abuse

Babylonians believed in powerful, immortal gods who ruled different aspects of the world. Sacrifices of food, drink and incense were offered to the gods and resulted in wealth for the priests and temples. Also bringing wealth was the selling of charms to ward off diseases.

Surgery

Music and Art Music accompanied stories and was used in religious ceremonies and for entertainment. Art was in the form of tapestries and rugs decorated with gold, silver and gems and told of myths about the gods.

Babylonian Mathematics Babylonians used advance mathematics like algebra and geometry They used linear and quadratic equations Adopted Sumerian mathematics because it was sound Studied and made observations of natural phenomena

School Children began school around 8 or 9 years of age. Then went to the “tablet house” and learned to write and memorize text. If students could pass a test they became scribes and worked in government.