Transcript Unit One: Mess-o

Key Concepts
Political: Who controls what? What type of
government is there? Anything to do with
laws or war.
Economic: What type of economy? How
do people make a living?
Geography: Where is it? Is the land
mountainous? Desert? Oceanic?
Social: Religious, intellectual, artistic
Key Concepts for Ancient
Mesopotamia
Oldest known civilization
Cradle of Human Civilization
Ur: Capital City (right top)
Old Testament
Nebuchadnezzar
Ziggurat (right bottom)
Hanging gardens
Key Concepts for Ancient
Mesopotamia II
This civilization rose in the valleys
between the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers.
Some say this Fertile Crescent was
the real Garden of Eden.
Babylon
The ancient city of Babylon, under King Nebuchadnezzar
II, must have been a wonder to the traveler's eyes. "In
addition to its size," wrote Herodotus, a historian in 450
BC, "Babylon surpasses in splendor any city in the
known world."
Herodotus claimed the outer walls were 56 miles in
length, 80 feet thick and 320 feet high. Wide enough, he
said, to allow a four-horse chariot to turn. The inner walls
were "not so thick as the first, but hardly less strong."
Inside the walls were fortresses and temples containing
immense statues of solid gold. Rising above the city was
the famous Tower of Babel, a temple to the god Marduk,
that seemed to reach to the heavens
Babylon II—The Tower of Babel
Written Language
This is cuneiform.
Babylonians wrote using
this “wedge-shaped” writing
on clay tablets.
The Sumerians invented
writing.
Trade
Sumerians (Mesopotamians) were known
to trade with the Egyptians and the Indus
Valley civilizations.
In later years, these trade routes became
Silk Road.
Technology
The wheel was invented by 6000 BC
It helped military, farming and trade.
Below, this is made of wood.
Law
Code of Hammurabi
“eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”
5000 BC: First evidence of human
culture in Mesopotamia
This is the very beginning of the soon to be great
civilization of Mesopotamia.
4400 BC: Halaf Period
During this period pottery culture began to increase and
knowledge of metal began
3900 BC: Ubaid Period
The Ubaids were the first well know culture from
southern Mesopotamia. They were the first to give
evidence of temple and other advanced achitectures.
3600 BC: Warka Period
The Warka were the first civilization after the Ubaids in
southern Mesopotamia. This period also marks the
beginning of the protoliterate period of ancient
Mesopotamia.
2900 BC: Pre-dynastic Sumerians
This was the first movement of
Sumerians in to Mesopotamia
2750 BC: First Sumerian Dynasty of Ur
This was the beginning of the dynasty of Ur. The kings of
Ur were the first kings of Sumerian society.
The
Sumerians
2340-2125 BC: Akkadians rule Mesopotamia
The Akkadians led by Sargon the 1st were the first to unify
Mesopotamia and spread its culture through out the
fertile crescent. Sargon the 1st established his capital in
Akkad.
Sargon the 1st
1800-1170 BC: Old Babylonian Period
The Babylonians were the second group of Semitic
people to unite Mesopotamia. Because of their central
location they dominated all trade routs and eventually
Mesopotamia. They were led by King Hammurabi.
1728-1685 BC: King Hammurabi’s rule
King Hammurabi was the first known author of a code of
laws. His laws were inscribed on a pillar for all to see.
1200-612 BC: The Assyrian Period
This is when the feared army of Assyria came and
dominated Mesopotamia. Led by Assurnasirpal the 2nd
they established the first true empire the world had ever
seen.
714-681: Reign of Sennacherib
When this Assyrian conqueror did his conquest of Judah it
resulted in the first deportation of Hebrews.
612-539 BC: Neo-Babylonian Period
The Babylonians once again regained control
over Mesopotamia.
605-565 BC: Reign of Nebuchadnezzar
This man also had a conquest of Judah. This led to the
deportation of more Hebrews. This marked the
beginning of the Hebrew Exile.
539 BC: Fall of Babylon
The Fall of Babylon marked the beginning of
Persian dominance in Mesopotamia.
521-486 BC: Reign of Darius the 1st
During king Darius’ reign the Persian empire reached its
fullest extent. It reached from Macedon to Egypt, and
Palestine to India.
499-494 BC: Greek Rebellion against Persia
Greece began to Rebel against the ruling
Persians. This was the beginning of Greece’s
fight against Persia.
480-479 BC: Invasion of Greece by Xerxes
Greece was then invaded by Xerxes, ruler of the Persian
Empire at that time, after Greece’s rebellion.
479 BC: Defeat of Persia’s army by the Greeks
This event marked the downfall and eventually annihilation
of the Persian Empire.
334-330 BC: Conquest of Persia by Alexander the
Great
This conquest led to the destruction of the Persian Empire
and the liberation of many other cultures including Egypt.