Empires of Mesopotamia Part 2

Later Peoples of the Fertile Crescent – Babylon Many peoples invaded Mesopotamia. Each new culture inherited the earlier achievements of the Sumerians and added to them. Babylon – located 59 miles from modern day Baghdad, Iraq Most famous Mesopotamian city

King Hammurabi – ruled 1792-1750 BC Brilliant war leader Established the Babylonian Empire Brought wealth through increased trade Best known for his code of law

Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi considered himself to be a fair and righteous “father” of his people. Not first laws, but first written ones. 282 laws Carved onto black stone pillars Covered trade, loans, theft, marriage, injury, murder, etc. Punishment considered fair because it was the same no matter whether you were rich or poor.

? What would you do? Hammurabi’s Code What should be done to the carpenter who builds a house that falls and kills the owner? ?

What Hammurabi did . . . Hammurabi’s Code “If a builder builds a house for a man and does not make its construction sound, and the house which he has built collapses and causes the death of the owner of the house, the builder shall be put to death. “

What happens if a man is unable to pay his debts? Hammurabi’s Code What would you do? What happens if a man is unable to pay his debts? ?

What Hammurabi did . . . Hammurabi’s Code “If a man be in debt and is unable to pay his creditors, he shall sell his wife, son, or daughter, or bind them over to service. For three years they shall work in the houses of their purchaser or master; in the fourth year they shall be given their freedom.”

What should happen to a boy who slaps his father? Hammurabi’s Code What would you do? What should happen to a boy who slaps his father? ?

“If a son strikes his father, they shall cut off his hand.” Hammurabi’s Code What Hammurabi did . . . “If a son strikes his father, they shall cut off his hand.”

? What would you do? Hammurabi’s Code If one man accuses another of something, how does the court determine who is telling the truth? ?

What Hammurabi did . . . Hammurabi’s Code “If any one bring an accusation against a man, and the accused go to the river and leap into the river, if he sink in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river prove that the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt, then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death, while he who leaped into the river shall take possession of the house that had belonged to his accuser.”

Hammurabi’s Code What does this list of laws tell us about Babylonian society? What did they value? What problems did they have? What do our laws say about our society?

After Hammurabi Hammurabi ruled for 42 years. After his death, rebellions and invasions weakened the Babylonian Empire.

Later Peoples of the Fertile Crescent – Hittites From Asia Minor (Turkey) Adopted much of the Babylonian way of life. 2 military advantages Chariots Iron – First people to master ironworking. Video - Hittite Army

Later Peoples of the Fertile Crescent – Hittites Tools made with iron were harder and had sharper edges than those made from bronze or copper. Iron was plentiful, so they could arm more men at less expense. Tried to guard the secret of ironworking, but the secret still got out and spread to other civilizations. This brought about the Iron Age.

Later Peoples of the Fertile Crescent – Kassites Hittite rule didn’t last long as the king was assassinated and the kingdom fell apart. The Kassites, a people who lived north of Babylon, captured the city and ruled for almost 400 years.

The Assyrians Rise to Power Assyria was a small kingdom of walled cities that was located north of Babylon. Their city was located in open land that was easily attacked, and they had to constantly defend themselves against invaders. Therefore, they became skilled warriors. At around 1365 B.C., the Assyrians decided that the best defense they had was to attack other countries first, before they could attack them. By 650 B.C., Assyria had conquered a large empire. King Sargon II was a successful and ruthless Assyrian ruler.

The Assyrian War Machine The Assyrians were geniuses at waging war. They invented the battering ram, which they used to pound down city walls. They used catapults to throw rocks at enemies, and they protected their archers (people who use a bow and arrows) with helmets and armor.

Most hated and brutal invader of Mesopotamia Assyrian Brutality Most hated and brutal invader of Mesopotamia “With their twenty thousand warriors and their five kings I fought . . . and defeated them. . . . Their blood I let flow in the valleys and on the high levels of the mountains. I cut off their heads and outside their cities, like heaps of grain, I piled them up . . . I burned their cities with fire, I demolished them, I cleared them away.” Tiglath-Pileser I, First Great King of Assyria from an inscription on the temple wall at Nineveh Video - Assyria, Masters of War (Engineering an Empire)

Assyrian Learning The capital of the Assyrian Empire was a city called Nineveh. Nineveh became a great city of learning. It had a famous library that held thousands of clay tablets with writings from Sumer and Babylon. These records tell us a lot about life in Mesopotamia.

Assyria Overthrown The people that the Assyrians conquered were constantly rebelling against Assyrian rule. Most of the time, the Assyrians crushed the people who tried to fight them. However, in 612 B.C., two groups joined together to smash the Assyrian empire. These groups were the Medes and the Chaldeans.

The Chaldeans (New Babylonian Empire) The Chaldeans created a new empire, centered at Babylon after they defeated the Assyrians in 612 BC. The greatest king of Babylon was Nebuchadnezzar II. He rebuilt Babylon and put massive walls around the city to protect it. He also built a great palace with hanging gardens. Video - The Hanging Gardens (7 min)

A New Center for Learning Under the Chaldeans, the New Babylonian empire became a center of learning and science. Chaldean astronomers charted stars and measured the correct length of the year. Chaldean farmers raised bees for their honey. Many people came to Babylon to share ideas and discoveries. This clay tablet shows the world that was known to the Babylonians

The Fall of the 2nd Babylonian Empire The second Babylonian empire (Chaldeans) came under attack and was defeated by the Persians, who were led by Cyrus, in 539 BC. Though the Chaldeans were defeated, the city of Babylon was spared from destruction.

The Phoenicians - Traders Phoenicia - located along western coast of the Fertile crescent NOT a great military power, often ruled by foreign governments Wealthy trading society Traded cedar, purple dye, silverwork, ivory carvings, slaves, glass items.

The Phoenicians - Sailors Because overland trade routes were blocked by mountains and hostile neighbors, they used the sea as a way to trade. They became expert sailors and sailed all around the Mediterranean, founding colonies as they went.

The Phoenician Alphabet Most important contribution - development of one of the first alphabets, a set of letters that can be combined to form words. Developed to make writing and recording trading activities much easier. Our own alphabet has roots in the Phoenicians’.