1. Ancient Eastern Mediterranean Civilizations

• Standard: Analyze the origins, structures, and interactions of complex societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE.

• Essential Question: What were the origins, structures, and interactions of complex societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE?

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Mesopotamia

Egypt

Phoenicia

Israel

Persia

Mesopotamia

• Element: Describe the developments of Mesopotamian societies including the religious, cultural, economic, and political facets of society.

• Vocabulary: Mesopotamia, city-state, polytheism, ziggurat, Fertile Crescent, Hammurabi

Geography

• Greek word meaning: “between the rivers”

• Fertile Crescent– Valley between the Tigris and Euphrates

Rivers– Extended from the Mediterranean Sea to

the Persian Gulf– Modern Day Iraq

Economics• based on agriculture• large-scale system of

water control, crops could be grown on a regular basis

• traded for stone, wood, and metal from other societies to build empires

Culture

• cities formed• invented wagon wheel, potter’s wheel, the

sun dial, the arch and bronze• created system of writing (cuneiform)• developed a number system based on 60• Geometry to measure fields• charted constellations

Culture

• as societies became advanced, social classes developed

• broken into social classes– highest were rulers and priest– Middle class were merchants– Lower class were laborers and slaves

Religion

• Polytheism– poly = many– theism = god belief– believed many gods controlled different forces of

nature• believed gods to do what humans do• Worship in ziggurats

– Mesopotamian temple– pyramid-shaped monument

Religions

• wealth devoted to building temples• houses for the priests and priestesses• believed success of crops depended on the

gods• believed Priest to be representative to the

gods

City-States

• city and the surrounding countryside under one political and economic control

• Sumerians created first city-states in Mesopotamia• Power passed from religious leaders to kings• Kings led armies and organized the water control

projects necessary to sustain farming

City-States

• Role of the city:– Religious center (ziggurat)– Political center (palace)– Trading center (market)– Storage for surplus food– Walls served as defense for citizens

Empire

• a large political unit that controls many peoples and territories

• Several city-states brought together• the Akkadian Empire lead by Sargon became

the first in history

Hammurabi

• Babylonian Empire• 1792 B.C.• ruled for 43 years• a skilled warrior• a clever administrator and a diplomat

Hammurabi’s Law Code

• 282 laws• inscribed on an 8-foot-

high stele (stone slab)

Hammurabi’s Law Code

• engraving of King Hammurabi receiving the laws from Shamash– Babylonian Sun-God– believed to oversee justice in human affairs

• based on the principle of retaliation– conditional sentence– if you do this, you will receive this punishment

Purpose for the Code

• “to promote the welfare of the people, make justice visible in the land, destroy the wicked person and the evil, in order that the strong might not injure the weak.”

• placed all groups in the empire under one law

Purpose for the Code

• deals with many aspects of daily life: property rights, trade(business), family issues, professional services, and crime

• contained consumer protection laws to encourage the proper performance of work

• largest group of laws dealt with marriage and the family

Marriage & Family Laws

• Parents arranged marriages, and the two parties signed a marriage contract

• protected women and children• Women still had fewer privileges and rights

than men• expressed the patriarchal nature of

Mesopotamian society• enforced the obedience of children to parents

Purpose for the Code

• Penalties were severe• punished the rich and poor differently• Main Idea = governments job to look after its

people

Ancient Egypt

• Element: Describe the relationship of religion and political authority in Ancient Egypt.

• Vocabulary: Ancient Egypt, pharaoh, pyramid, theocracy, mummification

Geography

Geography

• “The Gift of the Nile”• Nile is the longest river in the world• Lower Egypt or the Nile delta = the area

where the Nile splits in two, before it empties into the Mediterranean

• Upper Egypt = the land upstream

Egypt Unified

• began around 3100 B.C.• King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt• created the first dynasty in Egypt• dynasty = a family of rulers whose right to rule is

passed on within the family

Ancient Egypt

• Separated into 3 political periods1. Old Kingdom2. Middle Kingdom3. New Kingdom

The Old Kingdom

• 2700–2200 B.C.• rulers became known as pharaohs

– the political and religious leader of the people– thought to be a god-king– Theocracy based on Pharaoh worship

The Old Kingdom

• began to build pyramids• began practicing

mummification• began using papyrus

and hieroglyphics for record keeping and telling stories

The Rosetta StoneA stone tablet found by French soldiers of Napoleon’s army. It is the key to translating Egyptian Hieroglyphics.

Old Kingdom Vocabulary• theocracy - government in which the ruler is

considered to be a divine figure• pharaoh - Egyptian ruler thought of as a god• mummification - process by which a body is

preserved after death• ka - Pharaoh’s eternal life force• hieroglyphics - Egyptian writing system (sacred

carvings)• pyramid - resting place for Egyptian kings after death

The Middle Kingdom• 2180 BCE invaders end the Old Kingdom• 2050–1652 B.C.• golden age of stability• pharaohs displayed a new concern for the people• undertook public works such as draining

swampland to provide more farming land• the Hyksos invaded from western Asia• had horse-drawn chariots and superior bronze

weapons

The New Kingdom

• 1567-1085 B.C.• Hyksos driven out• a militaristic and powerful state• massive wealth was used to enhance the prestige and

power of the pharaohs– Hebrews come in– many new temples were constructed

• invasions by a group known as the “Sea Peoples” eventually caused the loss of the Egyptian Empire

• Egypt dominated by Libyans, Nubians, Persians, and Macedonians

Ramses II: the great builder

The Valley of the Kings was a tomb for the Great Ramses to buried.

Society• organized like a pyramid• pharaoh at the top• surrounded by a ruling class of nobles and priests who

ran the government and managed their own estates• below the upper class were merchants, artisans,

scribes, and tax collectors• largest number of people was peasants who worked

the land, paid taxes, and provided military service and labor

Advancements

• Pyramids, temples, and other monuments exemplify the architectural and artistic achievements

• advances in geometry, able to calculate area and volume

• hieroglyphics, or ‘sacred carvings’ • practice of medicine

Ancient Middle East

• Element: Explain the development of monotheism to include the concepts developed by the ancient Hebrews and Zoroastrianism.

• Vocabulary: monotheism, ancient Hebrews, Zoroastrianism

Israelites

• Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations declined

• emerged between 1200–1000 B.C• Semitic people (language)• lived in Palestine

King Solomon

• ruled from 970–930 B.C.• expanded the government, army, and trade• built a temple in Jerusalem• ancient Israel reached the height of its power

Israel Divided

• after Solomon’s death• into two kingdoms• northern kingdom = Israel• southern kingdom = Judah

Assyrians

• an empire established by 700 B.C.• conquered Israel• iron weapons, and military conquest• used terror as an instrument of warfare• destroyed the land in which they were fighting• 605 B.C. collapse of empire because of

internal strife and resentment

Judaism

• Founder: Abraham• Homeland: Ur (Mesopotamia)• God: Yahweh

Sacred Writings

• The Hebrew Bible: Torah, Prophetic writings and other writings

• Talmud: Mishnah (oral laws of Jews) and Gemara (interpretations of the Mishnah)

Ceremonies

• Passover• Pentecost• Rosh Hashanah• Yom Kippur• Hanukkah

Key Beliefs

• monotheism• Star of David(shield of David) is their symbol• temple = synagogue• covenant - agreement between God and his

people, could be fulfilled by obedience to the law of God

Key Beliefs

• Prophets - sent by God to serve as his voice to the people– expressed concern for all humanity– hoped that all people would someday follow the

God of Israel– concerned for social justice– called Jews to act justly, share with neighbors,

care for the poor and unfortunate, and act with compassion

Persian History

• nomadic• Indo-European people

Cyrus

• ruled from 559–530 B.C.• from Asia Minor to western India• captured Babylon• treated his subjects with wisdom and restraint• allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem• Cyrus’s successors extended the empire• Cambyses invaded Egypt

Darius

• ruled from 521–486 B.C.• extended into India and Europe• created the largest empire the world had yet

seen• Royal Road created to link the empire -

stretching from Lydia to Susa• set up way stations providing rest, shelter,

and fresh horses for the king’s messengers

After Darius

• Persian kings became more isolated in their luxurious courts

• Struggles over power weakened the empire until it was conquered by Alexander the Great during the 330s B.C.

Zoroastrianism

• Founder: Zoroaster• Homeland: Persia (Iran)• God: Ahura Mazda• Sacred Writings: Avesta• Ceremonies: Fire-worship ritual

Key Beliefs• concept of Satan (Angra Mainyu)• belief of Angels• the final judgment and people have a free will

to choose good or evil

Key Beliefs• Humata: “Good Thoughts,” the intention or

moral resolution to abide by Asha, the right order of things

• Hukhata: “Good Words,” the communication of that intention

• Havarashta: “Good Deeds,” the realization in action of that intention

Phoenicians

• Element: Describe early trading networks in the Eastern Mediterranean to include the impact Phoenicians had on the Mediterranean World.

• Vocabulary: Phoenicians

Phoenicians

• modern day Lebanon• Accomplishments:

– city-states– trade network– writing system

City-States

• never unified politically but wealthy• people were connected by culture (common

language, writing, and trade practices)• ports 30 miles apart (the length you could sail

in a day)• had to conquer every Phoenician city-state

because they were independent

City-States

• colonies along North Africa, Spain, Sicily & Sardinia• Carthage:

– greatest colony– set-up by the people of Tyre about 814 BCE

• Important trade centers: – Byblos traded papyrus– Tyre produced and traded red-purple dye– Sidon produced and traded red-purple dye

Trade Networks• known for ship building and seafarers• controlled trade throughout the Mediterranean Sea and into

the Atlantic Ocean• first Mediterranean people to go out past the Straight of

Gibraltar• connected cultures throughout the region• traded what they retrieved from other lands

– wine– weapons– precious metals– ivory– slaves

Writing

• Element: Explain the development and importance of writing to include cuneiform, hieroglyphics, and the Phoenician alphabet.

• Vocabulary: Cuneiform, hieroglyphics, Phoenician alphabet, papyrus

Cuneiform: Development

• created by Sumerians• wedge-shaped• form of pictograph = the use of pictures that

represent a word or phrase• used a reed stylus to make wedge-shaped

marks on clay tablets, which were then baked in the sun

Cuneiform: Importance

• used to keep records and to pass on knowledge

• allowed people to communicate in new ways• The Epic of Gilgamesh is an important

Mesopotamian epic poem

Hieroglyphics: Development

• created by Egypt around 3000 B.C. • “sacred carvings”• form of pictograph =used pictures and

abstract forms• written on temple walls and tombs• hieratic script - a simplified version, written on

papyrus

Hieroglyphics: Importance

• used for:– business transactions– the general needs of everyday life

Phoenician Alphabet: Development

• developed by the Phoenicians• form of phonetics = used symbols to represent

sounds

Phoenician Alphabet: Importance

• introduced writing systems to trade partners• influenced the Greeks to use this system of

writing as well