Transcript Early Civilizations of the Middle East

Early Civilizations of the
Middle East
Chapter 25, Section 2
Birth of Civilization
 The first evidence of
human civilization
appeared in the Tigris and
Euphrates river valleys.
 This fertile river valley
had excellent farmland
because of the flooding of
the rivers.
 The Greeks termed this
area Mesopotamia which
means “the land between
the rivers.”
 People began to settle
down in this area as a
result of the development
of farming and the need
for protection.
The Fertile Crescent
The Sumerians
 Sumerian civilization emerged around the year 3500
B.C.E. in southern Mesopotamia.
 Sumer is a Greek word meaning “southern.”
 The Sumerians developed city-states with a priest-king as
their leader.
 The major Sumerian cities were located at Ur, Uruk, and
Eridu.
Sumerian Accomplishments
 The Sumerians developed several key advancements.
 Ziggurat – huge mud-brick temples which were the focal
point of Sumerian worship.
 Cuneiform – the first written language that was created by
pressing a reed into a clay tablet.
 Wheels – the Sumerians were the first to create the wheel
which they originally used to make pottery.
 Number system based off of 60 (our modern units for a 60second minute and 60-minute hour are derived from this)
Ziggurat
Cuneiform
Conflict in Mesopotamia
 Due to the limited natural barriers for protection the
civilizations of the Middle East faced constant threats
from foreign powers.
 Eventually the Sumerians are overthrown by a group
called the Akkadians.
 Under the rule of their king, Sargon I, the Akkadians
created the first empire in history.
 The Akkadians used their professional army to defeat their
opponents and control their lands.
The Emergence of Order
 Over time the chaos of
Mesopotamia resulted in
stronger central
governments asserting
their power.
 One power, the
Babylonians, developed
the first code of laws.
 This code of laws, known
as Hammurabi’s code,
were displayed in public
for all to see.
 One famous law from
Hammurabi’s code was
“an eye for an eye, a
tooth for a tooth.”
Cultural Diffusion
 The advancements made by
the Mesopotamians were
spread all throughout the
ancient world.
 The smelting of iron weapons
was created by the Hittites
who used this specialized
technology to forge their
empire.
 The Phoenicians developed
an alphabet with 22
characters for help in their
business dealings. This
alphabet was later adopted
by the Greeks and is the
ancestor of our modern
alphabet.
Rise of the Persian Empire
 By the year 500 B.C.E. most of Asia Minor was controlled
by a group known as the Persians.
 The Persian king Cyrus the Great used his military and
political power to topple the Mesopotamian civilizations and
create one of the most powerful empires in the ancient
world.
 The Persians divided their empire into provinces, each with
its own satrap, or governor, to rule over.
 The Persians treated the people they conquered kindly as
long as they were loyal to the Persian king.
Persian Empire
Persian Developments
 The Persians created a road network which connected
the vast reaches of their empire.
 Along the main highway, the Royal Road, the built relay
stations where messengers could get new horses to
continue their journey.
 This relay system helped to vastly improve communication
and governmental authority.
 The Persians also created standard languages (Aramaic)
and coinage for use throughout their empire.
Overthrow of the Persian Empire
 The Persian Empire will
eventually be conquered
by a group called the
Macedonians.
 Their leader, Alexander
the Great, invaded
Persia to avenge the
Persian invasions of
Greece in 490 and
480/79 B.C.E.
 Alexander annihilated
the Persian armies sent
to oppose him and was
eventually crowned king
of the Persian empire.
Hellenism
 Alexander spread the concept of Hellenism throughout
his newly-conquered empire.
 Hellenism comes from the term Hellenes, which is what the
Greeks called themselves.
 Hellenism, therefore, is the spread of Greek culture
throughout Alexander’s empire.
 Under Hellenism Greek art, architecture, literature,
technology, and ideas were integrated into the Middle
East
 This culture diffusion continued well after Alexander’s
abrupt death in 323 B.C.E.
Roman Conquest
 Eventually another Mediterranean civilization, Rome,
conquered all the lands around the Mediterranean rim.
 Under Roman rule trade flourished throughout the
Middle East.
 Roman rule also brought with it an extensive law
system, road network, national security force, and
economic stability.
 By 395 C.E. the Roman Empire split into two halves, the
Roman and Byzantine Empires.
 The Byzantine Empire continued to ruler over parts of Asia
Minor for the next 1000 years.
Roman Empire