1. Chapter 2
The Fertile Crescent

2. Section 1 Land Between Two Rivers

3. Section 2 The Fertile Crescent Empire

4. Empire??
An area of many territories and peoples that is controlled by one government

5. The Babylonian Empire Created by Hammurabi in 1789 B.C.
Conquered several cities in Sumer
Capital – Babylon
Built roads = easy travel
Caravans – groups of travelers
Cities had bazaars – markets
Cotton from India
Spices from Egypt
All this trading = money

6. Bye Babylonia
Shrank and destroyed by invaders early 1500 B.C.

7. The Assyrian Empire Open land = constantly invading
Assyrians become skilled warriors
1365 B.C. – best defense is to attack others
650 B.C. – large empire
Nile River to Persian Gulf

8. How about war Invented battering ram – pounded city walls
Used slingers to hurl stones
Archers – protected by helmet and armor
Armed charioteers
Capital – Nineveh
City of learning
Library – thousands of clay tablets from Sumer and Babylonia
Because of them we know about Mesopotamia

9. Bye Assyria
No friends
Medes & Chaldeans joined together – defeated them in 612 B.C.

10. Babylonia is Back Babylon rose while under control of the Chaldeans
Center of New Babylonia – controlled the Fertile Crescent

11. Nebu…Nebuch…Nebuchadnezzar
King Nebuchadnezzar II – rebuilt Babylon (was destroyed by the Assyrians)
Built walls around city for protection
Built massive palace
Several terraces – 350 ft. tall
Landscape – trees and gardens
Built for wife – hated dry Mesopotamia

12. Hanging Gardens

13. What about learning? Babylon – center of learning and science
Babylonian math skills and Chaldean astronomers charted stars and length of year
Only a few minutes off of modern scientists

14. Bye New Babylonia Open to attacks
539 B.C. fell to Persians – led by Cyprus the Great
Babylon spared

15. Now the Persians Persian homeland – present day Iran
Longest empire ever in the Fertile Crescent
By 400 B.C. from Greece to India

16. Who were they? Zoroastrianism – Persian religion
One god
Developed bureaucracy – complex structure of government offices
Built road network – established trading with neighbors
Tolerated people with different culture

17. Lasting Impressions
Persian achievements – shaped modern society