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The Land Between Two Rivers

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1 The Land Between Two Rivers
Mesopotamia The Greeks later called this region Mesopotamia, which means “between the rivers.” The Land Between Two Rivers

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3 Uruk

4 known in the Bible as Erech (now Warka) \
Uruk was Mesopotamia's - and the World's - first city

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6 Timeline Sumerian 3,500 BC – 2,300 BC Akkadian 2,300 BC – 1,900 BC
Mesopotamia was ruled by four different empires Sumerian 3,500 BC – 2,300 BC Akkadian 2,300 BC – 1,900 BC Babylonian 1,900 BC – 1,300 BC Assyrian 1,300 BC – 612 BC The Sumerians moved to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers about 3500BC, but we do not know where they came from. They were probably nomads who discovered the fertile land between the rivers. Many different civilizations developed in this small region.

7 Geography Mesopotamia is a Greek word meaning between the rivers
Ancient Mesopotamia was located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Most of Mesopotamia was located in present day Iraq The hot dry climate was mixed with seasonal flooding from the rivers l The rivers stretch some 1,700 miles to the southeast, from their headwaters in Turkey to their common mouth on the Persian Gulf.

8 Mesopotamia (Land of Firsts)
Mesopotamia is known as, “The Cradle of Civilization,” because it was first in many things: First to invent the wheel First to use sails on boats One of first to make up a story (Gilgamesh) First to use cuneiform (writing) First to use the calendar First to use the seeder plow First to give a number place value and recognize the concept of zero Eventually the Sumerians developed a civilization. They learned that by planting seeds and plowing their land, they were able to grow crops. They learned to domesticate, or tame animals to help them plow their lands. The Sumerians learned to use irrigation, or a system of watering crops, to grow more food. The Sumerians also made a very important invention--the wheel. The invention of the wheel made it possible to pull heavy loads.

9 Agriculture (The Fertile Crescent)
Farmers turned the land into a rich food growing area by using irrigation and the plow Farmers grew wheat, barley, dates, and other vegetables and fruit They raised goat, pig, sheep and cattle Irrigation created a surplus of food which led to the growth of cities Surplus led to a flourishing system of trade The Fertile Crescent is a rich food-growing area in a part of the world where most of the land is too dry for farming. The Fertile Crescent is a crescent shaped region that extends from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. The staple crops in Mesopotamia were wheat and barley, along with the date palm.

10 Economy The Mesopotamian plain was lacking in resources such as metals, timber, stone, and grapevines, so the Sumerians had to trade abroad to get them At first, the Sumerians traded surplus barley for these goods Later, the Sumerians began to manufacture trading goods that they could transport more easily, such as cloth and bronze ornaments The Mesopotamians made written contracts, loans and created a credit system They used a barter system

11 Trade Routes

12 The Beginnings of Writing
The Sumerians were very good farmers. They raised animals such as goats and cows (called livestock). Because they needed to keep records of their livestock, food, and other things, officials began using tokens.

13 Tokens were used for trade.
Clay tokens came in different shapes and sizes. These represented different objects.

14 Advancement With the development of cities came a more complex economy and more complex social structures.

15 Language Mesopotamians were the first to use writing (around 3,000 BC)
The system of writing was called cuneiform Cuneiform was wedge shaped symbols pressed into clay tablets The Mesopotamians wrote many myths The most famous was the epic poem called Gilgamesh Writing allowed people to keep records of their transactions People could send messages with couriers to far away lands without traveling Writing allowed people to pass on their accumulated knowledge to future generations Gilgamesh is an ancient poem written in Mesopotamia more than four thousand years ago. The poem tells of a great flood that covers the earth many years earlier, making it similar to the story of Noah in the Old Testament. Many Sumerian and Akkadian myths survive, the best known being the Gilgamesh Epic, describing the legendary exploits of a king of Uruk, fragments of which go back to the early second millennium

16 Cuneiform Tablets

17 Cuneiform “Wedge” The earliest form of writing dates back to 3300 B.C.
People back then would draw "word-pictures" on clay tablets using a pointed instrument called a stylus. These "word-pictures" then developed into wedge-shaped signs.

18 Religion The people of Mesopotamia believed in many gods
Each town was protected by its own, unique deity or god The temple, the center of worship, was also the center of every city Around the year 2000 B.C., temple towers called ziggurats were built to link heaven and earth The Sumerians were polytheistic, which means they believed in many gods. They worshiped their gods at huge temples they called ziggurats. Each ziggurat was dedicated to a specific god, whom the Sumerians believed ruled over their city. When one city was conquered, the invaders would force the conquered people to accept their gods.

19 Government Political structure an early form of democracy
Frequent wars led to the emergence of warriors as leaders Eventually rise of monarchial system co-operation was the basis of government Followed leadership of god of the city which was interpreted by a council of leading citizens > or > priests > or leader of the city (ie. king)

20 Government The Mesopotamians had written laws that everyone in the empire had to follow There were 282 laws created by King Hamurabi Known as Hamurabi's Code, the laws were written in stone and placed in a public location The Mesopotamians believed the gods called the king to establish justice and order; whoever disobeyed the king disobeyed the gods Hammurabi was the king of the city-state of Babylon. About 1800BC, Hammurabi conquered the nearby city-states and created the kingdom of Babylonia. He recorded a system of laws called the Code of Hammurabi. The 282 laws were engraved in stone and placed in a public location for everyone to see. Hammurabi required that people be responsible for their actions. Some of Hammurabi’s laws were based on the principle “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” This means that whoever commits an injury should be punished in the same manner as that injury. If someone put out another person’s eye, their eye would be put out in return. Hammurabi’s Code may seem cruel today, but it was an early attempt at law. Laws are rules that are known to people.

21 Social Organization & Daily Life
The King held military powers. The Governors governed the territories of the kingdom. They were generals and judges at the same time. The aristocracy were priests and traders. The peasants worked the land. Sports, games and entertainment were part of their everyday life Boxing and wrestling were popular sports Board games were also popular The kings were famous hunters of lions, elephants, ostriches, wild bulls Harps and lyres were played Mesopotamian society was organized around city-states. In early Sumerian times, a priest-king (en) ruled as a representative of the city's god, assisted by an assembly of citizens or elders. Later, as multicity states formed, a king (Sumerian lugal, Akkadian sharrum) reigned, and each individual city was administered by a governor (ensi or ishiakkum).

22 Hammurabi’s Laws Divided society into 3 classes: Nobility Commoners
Slaves Rules for marriage and divorce. Women had to accept as well as parent permission with dowry. Protected welfare of women and children

23 Sumerians “Land of the lords of brightness”
social, economic and intellectual basis Irrigated fields and produced 3 main crops (barley, dates and sesame seeds) built canals, dikes, dams and drainage systems develop cuneiform writing invented the wheel Abundance of food led to steady increase of population (farm, towns, cities) first city of the world Developed a trade system with bartering: mainly barley but also wool and cloth for stone, metals, timber, copper, pearls and ivory Individuals could only rent land from priests (who controlled land on behalf of gods); most of profits of trade went to temple However, the Sumerians were not successful in uniting lower Mesopotamia Established the social, economic and intellectual basis of Mesopotamia First to develop writing in the form of cuneiform Sumerians are credited to have invented the wheel Became the first city of the world However, the Sumerians were not successful in uniting lower Mesopotamia

24 Akkadians Leader: Sargon the Great
Sargon unified lower Mesopotamia (after conquering Sumerians in 2331 BCE) Established capital at Akkad Spread Mesopotamian culture However, short-lived dynasty as Akkadians were conquered by the invading barbarians by 2200 BCE Leader: Sargon the Great Sargon’s greatest achievement was the unification of lower Mesopotamia (after conquering Sumerians in 2331 BCE) Established capital at Akkad Spread Mesopotamian culture throughout Fertile Crescent Yet dynasty established by Sargon was short-lived… Akkadians were conquered by the invading barbarians by 2200 BCE

25 Babylonians KING HAMMURABI’S BABLYON
(6th Amorite king) who conquered Akkad and Assyria (north and south) He build new walls to protect the city and new canals and dikes to improve crops Economy based on agriculture and wool / cloth individuals could own land around cities Artisans and merchants could keep most profits and even formed guilds / associations Grain used as the medium of exchange > emergence of measurement of currency: shekel = 180 grains of barley; mina = 60 shekels Mina was eventually represented by metals which was one of first uses of money (but it was still based on grain) Hammurabi’s Legacy: law code Babylonians reunited Mesopotamia in 1830 BCE central location dominated trade and secured control YET AGAIN, Mesopotamia was not unified for long…

26 10th century BCE, Assyria emerged as dominant force in the north
City of Assur- became important trading and political centre After Hammurabi’s death, Babylon fell apart and kings of Assur controlled more of surrounding area and came to dominate Made conquered lands pay taxes (food, animals, metals or timber) Rule by fear as kings were first to have a permanent army made up of professional soldiers (estimated men) Made superior weapons of bronze and iron iron changed lifestyles in Mesopotamia in weapons and in daily life ie. replaced wooden wheels and applied to horse drawn chariots Assyrians Assyrian reunited Mesopotamia and established the first true empire However, states began to revolt and ONCE AGAIN, Assyrian Empire collapsed by late 7th century BCE By 539 BCE, Mesopotamia part of the vast Persian Empire (led by Cyrus the Great) Persian Empire dominated for 800 years until Alexander the Great 10th century BCE, Assyria emerged as dominant force Assyrian reunited Mesopotamia and established the first true empire Assyrian army was most feared due to their brutal, bloodthirsty & terrorizing tactics and use of iron weapons, battering rams, chariots Assyrian Empire stretched from Persian Gulf north and West to Syria, Palestine and Egypt However, states began to revolt and ONCE AGAIN, Assyrian Empire collapsed by late 7th century BCE By 539 BCE, Mesopotamia part of the vast Persian Empire (led by Cyrus the Great) Persian Empire dominated for 800 years until Alexander the Great

27 Mesopotamian Banquet

28 Gilgamesh Gilgamesh is an ancient story or epic written in Mesopotamia more than 4000 thousand years ago Gilgamesh is the first known work of great literature and epic poem Epic mentions a great flood Gilgamesh parallels the Nippur Tablet, a six-columned tablet telling the story of the creation of humans and animals, the cities and their rulers, and the great flood ANALYSIS Gilgamesh and the Nippur tablet both parallel the story of Noah and the Ark (great flood) in the Old Testament of the Jewish and Christian holy books Modern science argues an increase in the sea levels about 6,000 years ago (end of ice age) the melting ice drained to the oceans causing the sea level to rise more than ten feet in one century

29 Art Architecture was sophisticated, but since most building was done in mud-brick, examples have not survived as well as stone counterparts in Egypt and Greece. Immense ziggurats (stepped temple platforms) and large palaces were built, and even private houses had drainage systems.

30 Art

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33 Who was the best? Assyria Sumer Closely tied to environment
Irrigation techniques for farming wheel Trade- bartering Writing- cuneiform Religion tied to government as priests and kings made decision for gods ziggurats Babylon Production of food through farming Private ownership of land vs ownership by the gods Developed mathematics and calendar system and system of units for currency Hammurabi’s law code Assyria Kings conquered lands to create empire of Assyria Cooler climate could produce crops with little irrigation Deposits of ore allowed for development and use of iron Assyrian army became most effective military force


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