Transcript Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Sumerian Civilization – 3000 BCE Ziggurat Capital City is UR Characteristics 1. 2. Religion is polytheistic and had a grim view of the afterlife Men were head of household, women had few legal rights Sumerian Advances Wagon Wheel Arches in building 3. Cuneiform – Wedge shaped symbols 4. Sundial – 60 seconds in a 1 minute 5. Number system based on 60 6. 12 month calendar 7. Metal plow 8. Epic of Gilgamesh 9. 1st Umbrella Akkadians Located North of Sumer 2340 BCE conquered Sumerians Sargon I – ruled for 55 years. He united and expanded Mesopotamian culture and helped spread Sumerian achievements Babylonians – 1750 B.C. King Hammurabi – conquered Sumerians and Akkadian People sometimes described as Amorites Created 1st Babylonian Empire Hammurabi’s Code -uniform code of laws -written down – 282 specific laws “eye for an eye” type laws Hebrews – 1500 to 722 B.C. Journeyed into Palestine around 1200 B.C. from the Arabian Desert The Old Testament records their history Maintained their independence for 500 years Religion of the Hebrews is Monotheistic – belief in one God – Judaism God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient Solomon’s Temple Phoenicians – 1200 to 800 B.C. The best sea traders of the ancient world Founded cities in North Africa and Spain Known for their Alphabet (22 letters) – English alphabet is a direct descendent Traded cedar logs, textiles dyed in purple, glass objects, and jewelry Phoenician ABCs Phoenician Ships Hittites 1450 B.C. to 1200 B.C. Fierce Fighters from the country of Turkey Used iron weapons Invented the chariot – 3 men per chariot Wore their hair long with thick pigtails hung down their backs Legal system – less harsh than Hammurabi Hittites Assyrians – 800 to 612 B.C. One of the most lethal fighting forces Fighting force was organized into foot soldiers, charioteers and fast moving cavalry Burned cities and tortured and killed thousands Had network of roads that connected empire World’s largest cuneiform library Their cruelty would earn them many enemies King Sennacherib bragged that he destroyed 89 cities and 820 villages Assyrian Brutality Chaldeans – 616 to 539 B.C. Known as the 2nd Babylonian Empire Treated the Jewish Population horrible – enslaved the city’s population and exiled them to Babylonia Predicted eclipses and the length of year King Nebuchadnezzar built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon – one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World King Nebuchadnezzar Hanging Gardens of Babylon Babylonian Ziggurat Persians – 559 to 330 B.C. Empire was founded the Cyrus the Great – treated conquered cities with kindness Allowed Jews to return to their homeland Darius I extended the empire and divided it into 20 provinces with a rule known as Satrap Royal Road – 1,500 miles long – every 14 miles there were stations of food, rest, and horses – took only 7 days to travel the distance “Eyes and Ears of the King” – royal spies Zoroastrianism Zoroaster was a prophet with monotheisitic spiritual message Ahuramazda was the only god (good god). Ahriman was the evil spirit Had notions of heaven and hell Each soul faced a final evaluation of its actions Persian Rulers Persepolis