The Ancient Middle East

Characteristics of Mesopotamian Civilizations City states Each city had its own king and patron god or goddess City states often warred with each other Theocracy -- king as god’s representative Highly legalistic Law Codes Contracts Judicial proceedings and appeals processes Extensive trading networks

The Ancient Middle East:Mesopotamia Sumerians created the first known civilization in the ancient Middle East.

The Fertile Crescent

Mesopotamia “Land b/w two rivers” B/w Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Starts in the Armenian Plateau Frequent Flooding Need for advanced network of canals spur and advanced government.

Environment of Mesopotamia Unpredictable flooding and droughts Could cause a drought, widespread famine, or lack of food. River Resources Dry climate caused the need for irrigation from the rivers. Networks of dikes and canals for irrigation. Through irrigation, farmers produced food surpluses. Allowed people to pursue other trades.

Rise of the City-States Large towns cooperate w/countryside for mutual defense. Same language, shared customs, religion, and worked together to meet basic needs. Frequent fighting b/w Mesopotamian cities. Did not have a central government. Wars over land and water

City-States were built around Ziggurats. The god or spirit of the Ziggurat watched over the fortunes of the town. Ziggurats also contained tombs, and temples for priests.

The City Center Temples served civic and religious purposes Daily sacrifices and rituals Storage of surplus grain and other foods Dwelling of priests and priestesses Locale where craftsmen and artisans could practice their trades

Religion

Ziggurat – the home or temple of the god of the city. - Six or seven stories high. Fear of natural disasters and invasions contributed to the Sumerians believing that at death they would descend to a dark underworld forever.

Religion and City States People believed they were wholly dependent on their city’s god for food and protection. Sumerians did not worship their rulers as god. Instead, they worshipped gods and goddesses that protected their city and crops.

CUNEIFORM Written Language Cuneiform – the use of wedge-like shapes. Sumerian writing developed around 3100 BCE Symbols were engraved on clay tablets Scribes kept business records and poems on tablets Written Language Cuneiform – the use of wedge-like shapes. Scribes were looked to as special people because of their “magical” power.

Ancient Sumerian record keepers marked pictographic symbols in soft pieces of clay with a pointed reed. The clay tablets were then baked to make them hard. We call the Sumerian’s writing system cuneiform. Cuneiform means wedged shaped, because the marks in the clay were wedges. The first pictographs were simple. A writer would draw an object like a fish or a broom to communicate to others. This system worked well in a simple society, but it would be difficult to describe abstract concepts such as justice or liberty in pictographs. Many Chinese people continue to use a pictographic system today, but the government has endorsed the Pinyin system of phonetic writing. Eventually, most cultures developed phonetic writing systems where a symbol represents a sound rather than an object. English speaking people, agree that the symbols D-O-G refer to an animal. English, French, Spanish, German and Russian are examples of phonetic languages. Phonetic languages make small typewriters and computer keyboards possible. Imagine a different key for every single word!

Sumerian Schools Literacy was a highly valued skill Sumerians set up first institutions of formal education Education included writing and mathematics Tuition paid for education Educated were privileged elite: government officials, scribes, etc.

Legacy of Sumerians Cuneiform writing The wheel Potter’s wheel Sailing ship Pick-axe Brick mold Glass 60-based counting system: 60 minutes to an hour, 360 degrees to a circle Number positioning Beer Epic poetry

The First Empire The Akkadian Empire, c. 2350-2200 B.C.E. World’s first empire Sargon the Great conquered Sumerian cities and territories westward to the Mediterranean, in part to ensure metal supplies Destroyed by invading Gutians during reign of Sargon’s grandson

Sargon Repaired and extended the flood control and irrigation systems of Mesopotamia. Used his armies to protect trade caravans.

Akkadians Borrowed from Sumerian Civilization. Cuneiform Translated Religious Texts, Scientific Discoveries, and Literary works. Not all were great leaders. Civil war followed. Ur-Nammu, ruler of Ur, compiled the first known code of laws. This code summarized Sumerian ideas of justice, emphasizing the kings duty to protect and right wrongs.

Babylon Adopted Ways of Sumerians Irrigated Fields, Built Ziggurats, Cuneiform Built empire that covered the lands of the Fertile Crescent. Built Hanging Gardens Gardens and Palace Rooms First to write down their laws.

Hammurabi Best known for code of laws 282 Laws – 3,600 lines of Cuneiform Trade, family, labor, real estate, & property. Eye for an Eye, Tooth for a Tooth. Harsh punishment, yet distinguished from major & minor offenses.

Hammurabi One of the greatest rulers of all time. Excellent Administrator Appointed committee to revise existing laws and to create one set of laws for the whole empire. Was a champion of justice. Was the first ruler of an empire to record all its laws. Important to Civilization. Distinguished b/t Major and Minor Offenses. Established authority

The Iron Age In 1600 B.C. Babylon fell to invaders Around 1550 B.C. the Hittites controlled the area. First to use Iron weapons. Advantage over opponents. 1200 B.C. the Iron Age takes off.

The Assyrian Empire 1100 B.C. Conquests begin Most feared and hated. Harsh and brutal empire. Built roads to transport army. Established world’s first library. 700 B.C. Babylon captured. By 625 B.C. Empire extends from fertile crescent to the Nile River valley.

The Persian Empire In 550 B.C. Cyrus becomes king of Persia. Within 20 years Cyrus controls the fertile crescent. By 500 B.C. controls territory from India to Egypt. Improvements Road Systems and Eff. Government. Religion – Belief in good or evil.

Early Small States Phoenicians Small city-states in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Introduced the less advanced people to civilization. Created an easy alphabet of 22 symbols. Later adopted by the Greeks.

Lydians and Hebrews Lydians Hebrews Introduced the money economy or coin system. Hebrews 2000 B.C. Hebrew settle near Palestine. Believed God to be the driving force of civilization. Created Old Testament Around 1800 B.C. famine forces the Hebrews to Egypt.

Hebrew Legacy Monolithic religion or the belief in one god. Hebrew Law No one was above God not even the king. Ethical world view. Ten commandments. Old Testament (The Torah) Women had few rights, but were respected.

Hebrews, cont. In Egypt, Pharaohs enslave Hebrews The Hebrews followed Moses Moses presents the 10 Commandments Obedience to God allows the Hebrew to stay together as they settled and established the Kingdom of Israel in 1025 B.C.

Hebrews, cont. Kingdom of Israel David of Solomon reigns from 1000-930 B.C. Israel Flourishes Jerusalem created as the Capital In 772 B.C. the Assyrians conquered Israel. Thousands are exiled across the world. Later controlled by the Persians, Greeks, and Romans.