1. Civilizations of Mesopotamia Chart

2. Sumerians
See Maps/Videos…

3. Location
Lower Mesopotamia
Tigris and Euphrates River Valley

4. Cities
Ur and other Independent City-states

5. Leaders
N/A

6. Religion
Polytheism

7. Cultural Achievements
Writing (Cuneiform)
City States
Ziggurats
Wheel/Carts
Sundial
Arch
Government
Calendar
Bronze Tools
“Epic of Gilgamesh”

8. Empire/Dynasty
Not Really

9. Reason for Decline Warring among the independent City- states…
Weakened itself
Then invaded by foreign armies (Amorites)

10. Babylonians

11. Location
Mesopotamia—Tigris Euphrates River

12. Cities
Babylon

13. Leaders
King Hammurabi

14. Religion
Polytheism

15. Cultural Achievements
Code of Hammurabi—1st written legal code
Astronomy and Astrology
Babylonian Epics
Based on Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh
Similar to stories of the Old Testament

16. Empire/Dynasty?
YES
Concept of Monarchy and Kings

17. Reason for Decline
About 1700 BC they were invaded by foreign armies.

18. Phoenicians

19. Location
Eastern Mediterranean Coast—near Lebanon

20. Cities
Tyre
Byblos
Sidon
Carthage—located in northern Africa

21. Leaders
King Hiram

22. Religion Polytheism Harsh Child Sacrifice for fertility gods
No belief in afterlife

23. Cultural Achievements
Trading/Shipping Architects
Purple Dye (Monopoly)—so rare that only royalty could use it
Phonetic Alphabet (22 letters)
Colonies

24. Empire/Dynasty
Trading Empire Only----confederation of city states.

25. Reasons for Decline Competition?
Series of defeats by invaders into Canaan (Israelites)
King David?
Alexander the Great

26. Hittites

27. Location
Northern Asia Minor (Turkey)

28. Cities, Leaders, Religion
N/A?
Polytheistic?
Religious tolerance?

29. Cultural Achievements
Earliest Mastery of Iron Working (about BC)
Cultural Diffusion with other Mid-East Civilizations/Egypt (Iron Tools/Weapons)

30. Empire/Dynasty
Yes—Anatolia (Asia Minor) and Northern Mesopotamia and Northern Syria
Height: c BC

31. Reason for Decline
Invasions by foreign armies

32. Assyrians

33. Location Northern Mesopotamia
Empire expanded into all of Fertile Crescent and Egypt `

34. Cities
Asher
Nineveh

35. Leaders
King Assurbanipal

36. Religion
Polytheistic

37. Cultural Achievements
Government—had Governors and Provinces
Military Roads
Powerful Kings
Great Library at Nineveh
Armies outfitted with Iron weapons

38. Empire/Dynasty Yes—Cruel and violent people Ruthless and Brutal Empire
Terrorized their subjects

39. Reason for Decline Invaded by Babylonians (Chaldeans)
Nineveh sacked in 612 BC
Fall of the Assyrian Empire

40. Chaldeans

41. Location
All of Fertile Crescent

42. Cities
Babylon

43. Leaders
King Nebuchadnezar

44. Religion
Polytheistic

45. Cultural Achievements
Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world)
Astrology and Astronomy
Extremely accurate calendar

46. Empire/Dynasty
Yes

47. Reasons for Decline
Invaded and Crushed by Persian Empire (Cyrus the Great) in 539 BC.