ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

The Geography of Sumeria Unpredictable flooding, frequent

drought No natural protecting barriers (e.g.

hills) Few natural resources (no wood,

stone, metal ore)

The Geography of Sumeria Sumerians overcame their

problems by Irrigation systems City-walls built of mud brick Trade up-river for raw materials

Sumerian Government City-states

An independent city with the farmlands surrounding it

Ruled at first by priests Crops depend on blessing of the gods Gods can do much harm to humans

Polytheism Belief in many gods

Sumerian Government Later rule moved to warrior leaders

Wars between city-states grew more frequent

First dynasties established Royal power passed from father to

son

Cultural Diffusion Sumeria the very first civilization in

the western world Sold grain and artifacts up-river Trade led to cultural diffusion

Spread of ideas, technology, beliefs, customs, products from one culture to another

The First Empires Empire

One ruler or nation controlling several nations or peoples

Babylonian Empire Established about 2000 BC Warriors from north conquered

Mesopotamia Set up capital at Babylon

Hammurabi Ruled the Babylonian empire 1792

– 1750 BC Famous for the first great code of

laws issued by a king Hammurabi’s Code focused on

Trade issues Personal violence Family relationships/responsibilities

The Assyrians Conquered Babylon Ruled whole Middle East 850 –612 BC A violent, war-like people Used iron weapons and armor Killed or enslaved conquered peoples Moved them away from their

homelands

The Assyrians Capital at Nineveh, in the north of

Mesopotamia Assyrian carvings focus on war, lion-hunting

King Ashurbanipal collected a library of 20,000 clay tablets Organized and cataloged by subject Epic of Gilgamesh and other Sumerian

documents

The Chaldean Empire Chaldeans conquered Nineveh 612

BC Returned capital to Babylon

Sometimes called Second Babylonian empire, 612 – 550 BC

Nebuchadnezzar Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Chaldean Astronomy Chaldeans set up observatories on

top of ziggurats Recorded movement of stars Deduced existence of the solar

system Created astrology

The Persian Empire Cyrus the Great conquered whole

Middle East, 550-539 BC Persian empire lasted 550 – 331

BC Destroyed by Alexander the Great

The Persian Empire Ruled with tolerance Conquered peoples stayed on their

own land, worshiped own gods Provided they were obedient, paid

taxes

The Persian Empire First great bureaucracy

Royal satraps sent throughout empire to govern provinces

Provinces match boundaries of conquered peoples

Each province had military ruler and tax collector

Royal Road built to allow swift passage of royal commands, soldiers

The Persian Empire Unified monetary system – one set

of standard coins Stimulated trade across the empire

Zoroastrian religion Universe divided in struggle between

forces of good and evil, light and darkness

Influenced Christian heresies