2.  Early Mesopotamia, 3000-2000 B.C.E.  “Between the Rivers” ◦ Tigris and Euphrates  Modern-day Iraq  Sumerians dominant culture  The peoples who followed the Sumerians adopted their civilization 2

3.  Cities appear 4000 BCE  Dominate region from 3200-2350 BCE ◦ Ur (home of Abraham, see Genesis 11:28), Nineveh (see Jonah)  Ziggurat home of the god  Divine mandate to Kings  Defence from nomadic marauders 3

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5.  Semitic peoples from northern Mesopotamia overshadow Sumer ◦ Sargon of Akkad (2370-2315 BCE)  Destroyed Sumerian city-states one by one, created empire based in Akkad  Empire unable to suppress chronic rebellions  Hammurabi of Babylon (1792-1750 BCE) ◦ Improved taxation, legislation ◦ Used local governors to maintain control of city-states  Babylonian Empire later destroyed by Hittites from Anatolia, c. 1595 BCE 5

6.  The Code of Hammurabi  Established high standards of behavior and stern punishment for violators ◦ lex talionis – “law of retaliation” or an “eye for an eye” ◦ women seen as property, but had some rights 6

7.  Assyrians use new iron weaponry ◦ Beginning 1300 BCE, by 8 th -7 th centuries BCE control Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, most of Egypt 7

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9.  Sumerian writing systems from 3500 BCE  Pictographs  Cuneiform: “wedge-shaped” ◦ Preservation of documents on clay 9

11.  Trade  Astronomy  Mathematics ◦ Agricultural applications  Calculation of time ◦ 12-month year ◦ 24-hour day, 60-minute hour 11

12.  City-states along Mediterranean coast after 3000 BCE  Extensive maritime trade ◦ Dominated Mediterranean trade, 1200-800 BCE  Development of alphabet symbols ◦ Simpler alternative to cuneiform ◦ Spread of literacy 12

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14.  Patriarchs and Matriarchs originated from Babylon, c. 1850 BCE. Nomadic way of life  Parallels between early biblical texts, Code of Hammurabi  Early settlement of Canaan (Israel), c. 1300 BCE ◦ Biblical text: slavery in Egypt, divine redemption  On-going conflict with indigenous populations under King David (1000-970 BCE) and Solomon (970-930 BCE) 14