1. Later Mesopotamian Empires
Section 2
Later Mesopotamian Empires

3. 2400 B.C. Sumer’s power began to fade

4. Sargon I Akkad: Northern Mesopotamia, 2300 B.C.
Created 1st empire (group of states under one ruler)
United conquered city-states with Akkad

7. Language of Akkad Akkadian
Semitic language similar to Hebrew and Arabic

8. Akkadian Religion Sumer was only used for religious purposes
Akkadians worshipped Sumerian gods

10. Sargon’s Rule Used cuneiform Ruled about 50 years
After his death, empire fell
Separate city-states rose to power

11. Hammurabi Babylonian King
1800 B.C. – Amorites entered Tigris and Euphrates valley
Conquered Akkad & Sumer
Built Babylon

12. Hammurabi… Brought new culture (way of life) Adopted Sumerian culture
Used Sumerian language
Worshipped Sumerian gods, but gave them Babylonian names

13. Accomplishments of Hammurabi

14. Improved irrigation systems
53 - If a man neglects to reinforce the embankment of (the irrigation canal of) his field and does not reinforce its embankment, and then a breach opens in its embankment and allows the water to carry away the common irrigated area, the man in whose embankment the breach opened shall replace the grain whose loss he caused.

15. Changed religion

16. Reorganized tax system

17. Began government housing program

18. Improvement in a code of law
Best known for….
Improvement in a code of law

19. Hammurabi’s Code of Laws
Concerned with being fair and just
Appointed royal judges
Believed: innocent until proven guilty

20. If guilty … punished
No prisons: fines or death
Upper class was punished more severely

21. Babylon became important trade center
They traded surplus (extra) products for money or goods