invaders, traders and empire builders ancient middle east
TRANSCRIPT
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