1. Unit 2:
Chapter 4 Section 2

2. Warmup What is this structure? Where is it located?
Which ancient empire created/owned it?

4. Assyrian Military Machine
850 B.C. Assyria (North Mesopotamia) acquired a large empire
By 650 BC, they had defeated: Syria, Palestine, Babylonia, Egypt, & Anatolia

5. Looking at the maps, why do you believe the
Assyrians had to develop a strong military?

6. Assyrian Culture Capital City – Nineveh (Mosul, Iraq)
Government = monarchy (king)
-Walled City: 50” thick, 100’ high
3 miles long

7. Nineveh walls

8. Assyrian Military Machine
Military was a greatly organized and deadly fighting force.
“Laid siege” to a city with a
disciplined military machine:
infantry, cavalry, chariots, archers, & battering rams
Burned cities & ordered most inhabitants killed

9. Military-Led by King/Generals
Generals hunting lions. Showed strength & power.
What do you see? What do you think it means?

10. Combat Soldiers

11. Assyrian Legacy Most feared and hated people of the ancient world
Impaled
Put eyes out
Skinned
Hot Oil
Enslavement
Decapitation
Picture of an Assyrian skinning an Israelite.

12. Assyrian Brutality

13. Impalement
The execution by piercing an individual with a long stake or pike.

14. Decapitation - Beheaded
Assyrians received a bounty for each head and paraded before the king

15. Enslavement
Females in harems
Skilled workers kept alive for labor

16. Unit 2: The Persians Chapter 4, Section3

17. Rise of Persia
Also called the “New Babylonian Empire”

18. King Nebuchadnezzar’s (Babylonian) Achievements
Built the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon for his wife who missed the mountains of her homeland.
75’ tall; watered by an elaborate irrigation system & slaves.
Nebuchadnezzar also ordered the building of the Tower of Babel- a 300’ high ziggurat

19. Biblical Babylon
Babylon Today

20. Babylon Today
Taken from a helicopter, this photograph provides an aerial view of Saddam's Presidential palace (on the hill) at the ruins of ancient Babylon near Al Hillah, Iraq. The Euphrates River is in the foreground. The open plain behind the ruins is the area of the Tower of Babel, described in the Book of Genesis.

21. Babylon Falls
612 B.C. – the city of Nineveh was burned and leveled by the Assyrians
The Babylonians and Assyrians merged cultures to become known as Persians
This is an example of syncretism

22. Rise of PERSIA
Persians used diplomacy and a strong military to forge an empire.
Government: absolute monarchy
~A king has total authority
Persian rulers were strong, tolerant, & fair. (Cyrus the Great)

23. King Cyrus the Great, 550-530 BC
Did not allow conquered cities to be burned & looted.
Honored local cultures, very tolerant
Freed Jews, allowing them to return to Israel to rebuild the temple
Tomb of Cyrus the Great

24. ROYAL ROAD
Ran 1,677 miles
There were 111 posts spaced about 15 miles apart; similar to the American Pony Express
Royal messengers could travel the road in seven days.
Created to connect ALL the cities within the Empire with one road.

25. Royal Road
Royal Road
Eastern or Southern Route

26. Make a T-Shirt! With a partner, go to www.customink.com
Go to “Design Lab”
Make a t-shirt supporting the Persians and/or Assyrians (like something you would wear at a soccer game!)
Hit “Save/Send” and send it to
Make it AWESOME!
These will be displayed for Back to School Night
Print it on the library computers