Chapter 4 Warriors and Deities in the Near East

Assyrian Empire BCE By 800 BCE: Assyrians conquered Tigris-Euphrates region Great talent in military affairs –Army was large, seemingly invincible, experts in siege warfare –Horse and chariot and tightly-knit infantry formations Most hated conquerors in ancient history, perhaps Empire reached from upper Tigris to central Egypt Conquered peoples united and overthrew Assyrians Had sophisticated appreciation for all art forms

Map 4.1

Phoenicians Lived along coastal strip (present-day Lebanon) Great colonists, traders in luxury wares Spread art of iron making Established colonies throughout western Mediterranean Most notable contribution was phonetic alphabet, 1000 BCE –System of 22 marks –Definite advance – simplicity, accessibility –Greeks later added signs for vowels

Persians 500 BCE – 500 CE Persia (present-day Iran) central point for travel and exchange from Mediterranean and China/India and between Arabic-Muslim and Indic-Hindu worlds Persians - most powerful people of western Asia Indo-European language Nomads, highly skilled cavalry Trade and war resulted in agricultural, sedentary, civilized life Aryans, Persian cousins, settled in India

Persian Empire Cyrus the Great United Persians in mid-sixth century BCE Extended domain: India to Mediterranean, Arabia to lower Nile Main cities were in Iran, not Mesopotamia Government: umbrella sheltering many different peoples Subjects allowed to keep customs, laws Local authorities stayed in power Religion was totally free Darius I Empire reached largest size Uniform coinage, calendar Advanced law code

Hebrews Most knowledge comes from Old Testament Story of Abraham leading people from wilderness into the land of Canaan a historical fact Evidence: 1500s BCE, primitive Semitic tribes settled in Canaan which was under Egyptian rule Exodus from Egypt –Exact reasons not clear –Under Moses, Hebrews resolved to return to Canaan –Wandered across Sinai Peninsula, met Canaanites, Philistines 1000 BCE, King Saul, set up kingdom in Canaan with lieutenant and successor, David David conquered Jerusalem – Hebrew’s capital city

Map 4.2

Hebrews King Solomon, son of David Hebrews: trading intermediaries between Mesopotamians and Egypt Temple of Jerusalem built – ancient world wonder Successor split kingdom into Judea and Samaria Judeans (Jews) and Samaritans viewed themselves as separate peoples Diaspora –People scattered after Assyrian conquest –Ten Lost Tribes of Israel –Judeans conquered by Babylonians –Babylonian Captivity BCE –After their return, Judea remained under Persian rule until Alexander the Great conquered the area

Jewish Religious Belief and its Evolution Yahweh became the only deity of the Jews Zarathustra’s dualism doctrine had considerable influence Covenant (the Promise) – sacred contract to keep the faith, triumph over enemies Ten Commandments – rigid set of rules, moral regulations One of earliest attempts to link ethics, worship –Yahweh as enforcer of correct ethical actions –This belief was not unusual –What was different was idea that good would be rewarded

Economic Change and Social Customs Jews were mostly minor players in regional affairs, politics Made transition from nomadic herders to town life Social tension between rich and poor appeared Jews divided all humanity into “we” and “them”, segregated themselves

Economic Change and Social Customs Women Nomadic custom: subordination of women, possessions Marriage, divorce reflected patriarchy Wife married into husband’s family, moved into his house Divorce easy for husband, unusual for wife Children the whole reason for marriage Boys shared inheritance, girls did not Education carried out within family

A Changing Theology Concept of Yahweh changed over time Long spiritual crisis during Babylonian Captivity New interpretation of the Covenant (the Talmud) Yahweh not the universal god of all He was just and merciful, omnipotent and omniscient Granted Man free will, thus allowing principle of evil to appear

A Changing Theology Last Judgment concept Yahweh became a personal deity –Could be prayed to directly –Actions were not impulsive or unpredictable –Relationship between God and Man is meant to be one of mutual love Yahweh’s promise to Moses: to preserve the Jews as a people learned men (rabbis) saw this as a counter-conquest Hope for a messiah, a redeemer to take the Jews out of humiliations and make them a people to be feared and respected

Promise of earthly grandeur no a promise of immortal salvation Disbelief in Jesus because he spoke of a kingdom “not of this earth” Zealots unwilling to bend before any nonbeliever, Tension: Jewish nation and Roman overlords: war and 2 nd Diaspora National badge of distinction: belief in their identity- the Chosen Relationship between the deity and his creations: -mutually dependent, ethical, and just -merciful on the Lord’s side; submissive but not slavish on Man’s side The mold for the evolution of Christianity

Discussion Questions 1. The Assyrians have sometimes been called the “first terrorists.” Why? What actions did they take that might be considered “terrorism” today? What comparisons and contrasts can you make with modern terrorism? 2. Judaism established not only monotheism, but also the new idea of a covenant between Man and God. Why was this such a different idea? How did it change over time? Did it strengthen or weaken the spread of Judaism?