Transcript 4 Empires PowerPoint

City-States
Mesopotamian City-States were independent
Each city-state was like its own nation (had its own
government, traditions, culture, etc.)
They often fought other city-states (for water
rights, and other reasons)
Empire
An empire is a large territory where several
groups are ruled by one leader or group
Examples: Roman Empire, Ottoman Empire, British
Empire
Positives and Negatives of an Empire
What do you think?
Akkadians
Around 2300 BC, a group from Northern
Mesopotamia, called the Akkadians, conquered
the city-states in Sumer.
The Akkadians were ruled by King Sargon I.
Sargon was a strong king who ruled with absolute
power
He was a very skilled general who won many
battles
Sargon I
Sargon the Great
Was not born into wealth of power
He took power from the King of Kish and began to
conquer other city-states
Invaded Southern Mesopotamia and defeated large
city-states such as Uruk and Ur. He then marched
further South until her reached the Persian Gulf.
Washed his sword in the waters of the Persian Gulf.
Sargon I
Sargon was the first person
to unite a multi-ethnic group
of people under one ruler
His Akkadian Empire was the
First to have a full-time, paid
army of about 5,400 soldiers
Akkadian Empire
Sargon I ruled for about 54 years (we don’t know
the exact number)
His army fought in tight formations with soldiers
holding shields in the front and soldiers with
spears behind the shields
After he conquered a city-state, he tore down
the walls of the city to make it harder for
rebellion
Akkadian Rule
Under the Akkadians, Agade in Northern
Mesopotmia was the capital of the empire.
He collected “tribute” or money and goods from
the city-states he conquered.
Sargon made Agade a beautiful city with
extreme wealth and power
Akkadian Rule
Even though the Akkadians conquered Sumer,
Sumerian culture lived on.
Sumerian irrigation, writing, and religion
influenced the Akkadians who adopted much
from the Sumerians.
Akkadian art became very well-known including
sculptures
Victory Stele
Three-dimensional
sculptures were very
popular.
Akkadian Empire
After King Sargon I died, the conquered citystates rebelled.
Sargon’s son attempted to hold the empire
together but after a number of years and
continual fighting, the Akkadian Empire fell.
For a time, the Sumerian city-states were
independent again.
Hammurabi
Hammurabi was the first ruler of the Babylonian
Empire.
He gained control of a small city-state called Babylon
after his father gave up his throne.
Babylon was the capital of the Babylonian Empire
Became king in 1792 BCE
Hammurabi
Babylonian Empire
Hammurabi’s Babylonian Empire covered the
area of Mesopotamia.
Hammurabi’s Code of
Laws
Written from 1792 to 150 BC.
Hammurabi used the laws to unify his empire and to
preserve order.
The laws were placed where everyone could see
them.
The laws were very detailed. They covered many
situations such as trade, payment, punishment, etc.
Hammurabi’s Code of
Laws
Example: If a builder builds a house and the house
collapses and kills the owner, the builder can be put
to death.
Example: If the robber is not caught, then shall he
who was robbed claim under oath the amount of his
loss; then shall the community, and . . . on whose
ground and territory and in whose domain it was
compensate him for the goods stolen.
Hammurabi’s Code of
Laws
Example: If any one open his ditches to water his
crop, but is careless, and the water flood the
field of his neighbor, then he shall pay his
neighbor corn for his loss.
Example: If a man knock out the teeth of his
equal, his teeth shall be knocked out. (A tooth for
a tooth)
Life Under Babylonian
Rule
Babylonia flourished under Hammurabi and
those who came after him.
Agriculture and trade expanded. Irrigation made
the land fertile.
The laws of Babylon were relatively fair
(especially compared to other laws of the time).
Women had some rights.
Fall of Babylon
The Babylonian Empire did not last for very long.
After Hammurabi’s death, over the next several
hundred years, the empire began to lose power
and various groups ruled the area.
Assyrian Empire
Ashurbanipal – ruler when Assyria was at its
height
From Northern Mesopotamia – North of Babylon
Conquered all of Mesopotamia
Created fear amongst their enemies (part of
their military strategy) – brutal to intimidate
other city-states
Assyrians
Rose to power around 900 BC
Strong military, used chariots, and siege warfare
Battering rams, horses, and iron
Very well-trained army, professional
Assyrians
Respected Babylonian culture and civilization
Create sculptures called bas reliefs
Built aqueducts, and decorated with ivory
At their height, they ruled the entire Fertile
Crescent and it lasted around 300 years
Assyrians
Fall of Nineveh in 612 BC
End of the Assyrian Empire