Middle East: Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia means: “land between two rivers”. The civilization developed between the Euphrates and the Tigris Rivers The area is often called the “Fertile Crescent” By 3200 B.C. a number of cities are established by the Sumerians

Major Contribution: The Invention of Writing Origins of writing probably go back to the 9000 B.C BC - realized that drawing tokens was easier than making tokens Developed of cuneiform: “wedge-shaped” pictographic system

Sumeria: 3200 BC

Sumeria Developed advanced city-states Specialized workers, social classes Advanced Math: Number system based on 60 (60 seconds = 1 min.) Polytheistic

Sumerian Inventions Wagon wheel Potter’s wheel (shape containers) Number system 12 month calendar Sail Some of the earliest known maps New architecture Metal plow

Akkadians Sumeria fell to foreign invaders The Akkadians: Nomadic people f/ Arabian Peninsula that migrated to Mesopotamia Sargon ( BC) unites all Mesopotamian cities (creates first empire) The Akkadians did not rule for long …

Babylonia Located in modern day Syria Hammurabi--created a system of civil law (a code with harsh punishments) Borrowed heavily f/ Sumerian culture After Hammurabi’s death Babylon declined

Hittites: 1400 BC

Hittites Conquered Babylon in 1400 BC A strong army with chariots Knew how to make iron which was plentiful and cheap Borrowed from Mesopotamian and Egyptian culture

Assyrians: 1100 BC

Assyrians Powerful army / warfare was central to their culture Treated conquered people cruelly Large empire with good roads Collapsed about 612 BC

Babylon Revived: 612 BC

Babylon Revived: Descendents from Hammurabi’s Babylonians At its height during the rule of Nebuchadnezzar ( BC) Spent a lot of money on Babylon Built Hanging Gardens of Babylon Empire collapsed after being defeated by the Persians

Persians: 539 BC

Persians Cyrus conquered in 539BC, & eventually conquered from Nile to Indus Darius I – the skilled organizer Used satraps (governors) Tolerant to those who were conquered Increased trade and built roads Money economy using coins Believed in a Single God Lost to the Greeks in 480 BC

Meanwhile, those Phoenicians...

Phoenicians A small state with own contributions: Sailors around present day Mediterra- nean, including Lebanon and Syria Manufacturing and trade gurus who set up colonies Created the basis for the alphabet we use today! Spread middle east civilization around Mediterranean