1. The First Empires

2. The Assyrians- 650 B.C.-950m B.C.
Warrior Society – well organized military
Large army of foot soldiers
Archers- experts with bow and arrow
Chariots
Horse soldiers
Used tunneling
Ladder systems for scaling fort walls
Battering rams
Total war- destroyed enemies crops and food

5. Government Large empire- from the Persian Gulf to Egypt’s Nile river
Strong Kings
Divided lands into Provinces
Collected taxes
Enforced laws
Built roads
Provided protection- stations -for soldiers and also government messengers

7. Assyrian Accomplishments
Well organized and trained army
Writing – record keeping of all events
Laws- similar to Hammurabi’s code, but punishments were much more brutal and cruel
Buildings – many large temples and palaces(carvings and statues were common)
Literature- large collection , one of the world’s largest libraries in Nineveh

8. Chaldeans - King Nebuchadnezzar
Harsh treatment causes rebellion in Assyria
Chaldeans( descendants of Babylonians) join and Assyrian empire crumbles
Rebuild Babylon – becomes the center of the empire

9. Babylon
Surrounded by a wall wide enough so two chariots could pass

11. Hanging Gardens

12. Chaldean Accomplishments
Babylon’s walled city
300 ft ziggurat in center of Babylon- tower of Babel
Hanging Gardens
Mapping of stars and planets
Using the phases of the moon – seasons
7 day week
Sundail