1. Ch 1, Sec 3
The First Empires

2. The Assyrians
Lived in the Northern part of Mesopotamia around 900 B.C.
Built around the Tigris River
Had a large army to fight off enemies
Great Builders-
created one
of the 1st
libraries 25,000
tablets

3. Assyrian Army Well organized Foot soldiers had spears/daggers
Used bow/arrows, horses, and chariots
1st to use iron weapons
Borrowed heating/cooling technique from the Hittites to make iron stronger

4. Assyrian Battle Strategies
Tunneled under walls
Used ladders to climb tall walls
Used battering rams
Set cities on fire
Enslaved their enemies
or moved them to new
areas
Charged high taxes on new groups

5. Assyrian Government
Divided the empire into provinces (Political districts)
Officials collected taxes and enforced the king’s laws
Capital city: Nineveh (NIH*nuh*vuh)
Had roads connecting cities with soldiers to protect the traders
and pass gov’t info to
other cities

6. Downfall of Assyria Empire grew too big
Gov’t treated the people badly-led to revolt in 650 B.C.
Fight for the crown started
The Chaldeans took power in 612 B.C.

7. The Chaldeans Led by King Nebuchadnezzar
Controlled Mesopotamia from B.C.
Descendants of the Babylonians (Hammurabi)
Rebuilt the capital city of Babylon
Surrounded by a brick wall
Protected by soldiers/chariots

8. Chaldeans Were Great Builders
300 ft Ziggurat stood at the center of Babylon
Hanging Gardens
Built at Nebuchadnezzar’s Palace for his wife
Staircase of plants and trees

9. The Power of Trade in Babylon
Marketplaces surrounded the city
Artisans sold goods to caravans as they came through town
Major trading stop in Mesopotamia

10. Chaldeans and Science
Astronomers mapped the stars, planets, and phases of the moon
Created one of the 1st sundials
1st to use the 7 day week

11. Fall of the Chaldean Empire
Empire became to big
Lost control of the people
539 B.C. Persians came from the Northeast and took control of Babylon