invaders, traders and empire builders ancient middle east

I N VA D E R S , T RA D E R S A N D E M P I R E B U I L D E R S

ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST

WARS AND CONQUER

• About 2300 B.C. – Sargon • Built first empire • After his death, Sumerian city-states revived

• 1790 B.C. Hammurabi – Babylon • Set of laws – Hammurabi’s Code • First to codify – arrange and set down in writing – all the

laws that would govern a state • Civil law – dealt with private rights and matters, such as

business contracts, property inheritance, taxes, marriage, and divorce

• Orderly household was necessary for stable empire

EYE FOR AN EYE

• Criminal law – dealt with offenses against others, such as robbery, assault, or murder • Poor construction of a house, and owner died leads to

death of builder • Steal, leads to cut off arm

• Other improvements: • System of irrigation improvement • Organized a well-trained army • Ordered many temples to be repaired

HIT IT

• Hittites–1400B.C.–from Asia Minor • Ability to extract iron from ore • Sharper/better tools and weapons

• Knowledge eventually spread after their collapse in 1200 B.C.

• Iron workers migrated to Asia, Africa, and Europe, leading to the Iron Age

ASSYRIANS

• Upper Tigris–1350B.C.– expanded into Mesopotamia around 1100 B.C. • Also developed iron weapons

• Reputation as great warriors • Encouraged a well• ordered society

BABYLON’S BACK

• Nebuchadnezzar – about 600 B.C. •  Empire grew from the Persian Gulf to the

Mediterranean Sea •  Rebuilt canals, temples, walls, and palaces •  Surrounded Babylon with moat and walls •  Hanging Gardens for his wife

PRIMARY SOURCE

• Pair up – • Time to read and analyze Hammurabi’s Code…..

YOU BE THE JUDGE

• In your pair – you will be creating new laws!

• Must be 4 laws – Do not ask to create more!

• If no law is created, citizens are allowed to do it.

• I.e. - If there is no law against chewing gum, they

can chew gum as much as they want

• Be as specific as possible

• Make sure you have a reason for these laws