Ch. 1 Sec. 3

 Assyrians came 1000 years after Hammurabi  Lived north near the Tigris River  Assyria was the name of the Empire  Built a large Army in 900 B.C.

 Well organized army  First large army to use iron weapons  Learned from the Hittites  Heated iron ore, hammered it, and rapidly cooled to make a stronger metal

 Why were the Assyrians so Strong??? Fierce warriors Built tunnels under walls and ladders to go over walls Battering rams Set fire to buildings Loyalty----if not, then forced out

 Persian Gulf—stretches in the east to Egypt’s Nile River in the west  Nineveh—Capital of Assyria located on the Tigris River  Provinces—Political Districts  Built Roads to join all parts of the Empire  Had military stations along the road for protection

 Worshipped many Gods  Babylonian writing  Punishment was harsh and cruel  Erected large temples and palaces

 Produced and collected literature  One of the world’s first libraries was in Nineveh  Held 25,000 tablets of stories and songs of Gods

 Assyria’s cruel treatment of people led to rebellions  650 B.C. fought over who would be next king  Chaldeans conquered in 612 B.C.  Assyria crumbled

 Led by King Nebuchadnezzar  Controlled all of Mesopotamia  605 B.C. to562 B.C.  Descendants of Hammurabi  Capital was Babylon

 World’s riches and largest city  Hanging Gardens—terraced gardens showcased large trees, masses of flowering vines, and other beautiful trees.  Pump brought water to the Hanging Gardens

 Why do you think King Nebuchadnezzar built the Hanging Gardens??

 Caravan—groups of traveling merchants or sellers and buyers  Center of Science—changes of sky patterns revealed plans of the Gods.  Astronomers—people who study heavenly bodies  Made first sundials and first to have a 7 day week

 Hard to control conquered people  539 B.C. Persians came from the mountains to capture Babylon.  Became new Persian Empire