Bell Activity: Read the following sections: 2.3 (pg. 16 only) (pg. 19 & top half of pg. 20) While reading define the following terms: Domestication Cultural Diffusion* Civilization City-State
Fertile Crescent & Beginnings of Civilization
Five Characteristics of Civilization 1.Advanced cities 2.Specialized workers 3.Complex institutions 4.Record keeping 5.Advanced technology
Map of Sumer
Mesopotamia: Land Between the Rivers Soil enriched by Tigris & Euphrates rivers… settlements built on the plains Sun-dried clay bricks used as construction material
Part I: Ur Population – 30,000 Location on Euphrates River in Southern Iraq Advanced trading city Developed bronze
Cultural roots of the Civilization Origins unknown Settlements date to 5200 BC for some city-states 3000 BC onwards their history was recorded w/ decoded writing*
Contributions to Civilization- 1 Cuneiform writing Wedge shaped writing on clay tablets using a stylus*
Sumerian Oldest known written language Survived as written language until cuneiform tradition fell into disuse around the time of Christ*
Sumerian Cuneiform
Flood Tablet of Gilgamesh (cuneiform) British Museum
Contributions to Civilization - 2 System of numbers based on the unit of 60 which we use today to measure time
Contributions to Civilization – 3 Architecture/ ziggurats “mountain of god ” center of life in Ur well guarded treasure house
Sumeria: Ziggurat reconstruction
Ziggurat
Other Contributions Wheel, sail, plow Bronze Scientific investigations
Economy of Ur Based on agriculture Trade flourished Egypt to India Economy dominated by wealthy merchants
Sumerian house
Government Divided into independent warring city-states Priests governed first… Kings ruled later
Social Divisions Priests & kings made up an aristocracy Wealthy merchants Free craftsmen & farmers Slaves (war captives)
For Friday
Polytheistic Religion* Evolution in worship from…forces of nature to… Gods who acted as humans do… Gods who were omnipotent— all powerful
Praying figures from the royal tombs Ur 2500 BC
Goddess Inana Warrior, lover, source of beauty and culture
Role of Women Controlled their dowry & engaged in business Ruled Not equal to men ** Adultery for women was punished by death
Early Sumerian Tablet BC
Decline of Sumerian City-States Salinization of soil led to economic decline War City-states faced with invasion by Akkadians
Conflict Erupts Sumerians v. Semitic peoples from Arabian deserts Sargon of Akkad was a Semite took over Sumer
Sargon of Akkad Took over Sumeria Capital City Babylon Established first empire 2350 BC
Akkadian Empire
Hammurabi, “ King of the Four Quarters of the World ” Ruled in Babylon BC Famous for law code Took over all Mesopotamia Empire collapsed soon after his death
Hammurabi Monument 1800 BC (Louvre)
Musee du Louvre, Paris The Stone Pillar of Hammurabi
Babylonian Contributions - 1 Code of Hammurabi Sharp class divisions Fair treatment for women Stern sense of justice— “eye of an eye” Business law
Babylonian contributions - 2 Astronomy Charted the heavens Could predict eclipses Thought planets controlled lives of humans.
Babylonian contributions - 3 Religious Literature Creation story Building of an ark and a great flood that resembles Old Testament
Assyria
Assyrian Empire 1300 BC – 612 BC Northern Mesopotamia Period of greatness lasted only a century Culture based on Babylon & ancient Sumer (preserved in libraries)
Mighty Assyrians Used terror and atrocities on enemies Most hated of the ancients Art forms celebrated war & slaughter
Assyrian Empire
Assyrian Empire Map
Assyrian Contributions Government Provinces Military roads Ashurbanipal ’ s Library Located at Nineveh 1,000s of preserved tablets
Winged bulls from the palace of Sargon II ( musee du Louvre)
The New Babylonians aka Chaldeans ( BC) Overthrew Assyrian rule Famous ruler: Nebuchadnezzar He captured Jerusalem Capital: Babylon Contributions: Architecture & Astronomy
Babylonian Achievements Influenced entire ancient world, esp. Hebrews & Greeks … strong Bible connections Greek literature Greek geometry Astronomy, astrology