Minoans and Mycenaeans

The Dark Ages: 1200 B.C B.C. Many civilizations in the Mediterranean world collapsed (Mycenaeans, Hittites) Art declined, use of Greek (written artifacts) declined, isolation Mycenaeans likely declined through invasion and decline of trading partners (bad world economy) which shows how interdependent civilizations had become

Assyria: first empire BC began as reclamation project; grew into more king was literally & symbolically center of universe—chosen by gods to rule (Egypt?) He consulted the gods for all decisions and spent time supervising state religion superior military organization and technology— iron weapons and cavalry, as well as severe brutality including mass deportation

Assyrian Culture Descended from Hammurabi’s Babylon with three main social classes: 1) free, landowning citizens, 2)farmers and artisans attached to king or rich landowner, 3)slaves Library of Asherbanipal: contained official documents as well as literary and scientific texts “human beings” were all people in the empire, including the new people added through conquest or deported, receiving the same legal protections and liable for military service

Israel B.C. lived on western edge of Assyrian Empirewestern edge writings preserved in the Hebrew Bible, current text dates to 500 B.C. compiled by the priests who ruled the Temple (POV) recalls the journeys of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses King David (~1000 B.C.) transitioned Israel from a tribal confederacy to a unified monarchy; captured Jerusalem for the capital, brought the Ark of the Covenant there, took census and taxes, maintained an army His son Solomon built the First Temple—a centralized place of worship prophets accused the king/government of corruption, the priests of riches

Israel Fragmented & Dispersed After Solomon’s death the monarchy split in two—Israel in north, Judah in south w/ Jerusalem 721 B.C. Assyria destroyed Israel and deported most people east, new people brought in Babylonian monarch Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem in 587 B.C., destroyed the Temple and deported many Diaspora: “scattering”. To maintain culture away from home the synagogue was developed This was a very formative experience for Israel the consequences of which persist today

Phoenicia North of Israel Created the first alphabet (letters as sounds, not symbols) Limited land, depended on trade and manufacturingtrade Important cities of Tyre, Sidon Eventually settled far and wide—to norther Africa, southern coast of Spain, parts of Italy Overseas settlement an outlet for over population, new sources of goods, new trade partners (often in conflict with Greeks) Tyre had paid tribute to Assyria to keep independence, finally falling to Assyria in 701 B.C.

Carthage (Phoenician colony) Roman and Greek records tell about this colony more than any other one of the largest cities in the world by 500 B.C. (400,000 people, ethnically diverse) power rested on navy, which dominated western Mediterranean for centuries with a maritime commerce monopoly Carthage did not own land like Assyria, just a little for food, otherwise ruled indirectly, Phoenician communities looking to Carthage for protection location helped—no fear of attacks close to home, relied on mercenaries for warlocation

Fall of Assyria 600ish B.C. rise of Babylonia and eastern group from Iran called Medes (early Persia) attacked—more to come.