Transcript Early Societies in SW Asia and the Indo

Ch. 2
I. The Quest for Order

 A. Mesopotamia (3000bce): “The land between the
Rivers”
 Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
1. Sumer (3000bce)
a. Construction of elaborate irrigation
systems=abundant harvests.
b. Dominant people of Mesopotamia
MESOPOTAMIA
I. The Quest for Order cont’d.

2. Semitic Migrants
a. Sumer attracted migrants (Akkadian, Aramaic,
Hebrew & Phoenician).
b. Nomadic Herders
c. built first cities
d. centers of bureaucracy, marketplaces, cultural
centers, writing & formal education.
3. Sumerian City-States
a. est. states (internal/external pressures)
b. gov’t formed (authority, organized community
projects)
I. The Quest for Order cont’d.

c. Ziggurats-stepped pyramids that housed
temples and altars to the principal local deity.
d. Irrigation extremely important (agriculturally
and urban).
3. Sumerian Kings
a. absolute authority w/in their realms
b. cooperation with nobles
 B. The Course of Empire
 Once they were organized w/in they began to extend
their boundaries.
I. The Quest for Order cont’d.

1. Sargon of Akkad (2370-2315bce)
a. began as a minister to king of Kish
b. organized a coup, conquered Sumerian cities.
2. Empire: A New Form of Political Organization
a. Sargon “experiment” to hold power
b. Personal presence, results negative
c. 2150 Empire collapse (internal pressures)
3. Hammurabi and the Babylonian Empire
(17921750bce)
a. Improvements: centralized bureaucracy & regular
taxation.
I. The Quest for Order cont’d.

b. stationed deputies
4. Hammurabi’s Laws
a. high standards of law
b. severe punishment for violaters
c. lex talionis- “law of retaliation” punishment
resembling violation.
d. took into account social standing
 C. Later Mesopotamian Empires
 Imperial rule returned w/ Assyrians
 Powerful organized armies under officers of merit rule
 Calvary forces (chariots, archers)
I. The Quest for Order cont’d.

1. The Assyrian Empire (1300bce)
a. made use of iron weapons
b. administrative techniques of predecessors
c. law like Code of Hammurabi
d. preserved literature (ex. Epic of Gilgamesh)
2. Nebuchadnezzar and the New Babylonian Empire
(605-562bce)
a. aka Chaldean empire
II. The Formation of a Complex Society
and Sophisticated Cultural Traditions

 Economic diversity
 Trade linked distant peoples
 Defined social classes
 Patriarchal Society
 Writing is the foundation
 A. Economic Specialization and Trade
1. Bronze Metallurgy
a. Metallurgical innovations one of the most
important due to specialized labor.
II. The Formation of a Complex Society and
Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d

b. bronze impacts military and farming
2. Iron Metallurgy (1000bce)
a. cheaper and more available
b. metal of choice
3. The Wheel (3500bce)
a. Transportation (vehicles, ships)
b. long distance trade
c. agriculture
II. The Formation of a Complex Society and
Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d

4. Shipbuilding (3500bce)
a. trade in Persian Gulf area (Harappans of
India)
5. Trade Networks
a. Assyrians traveled by donkey from N.
Mesopotamia to Anatolia.
b. well organized business
II. The Formation of a Complex Society and
Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d

 B. The Emergence of a Stratified Patriarchal Society
1. Social Classes
a. agriculture and specialized work led to wealth
b. long distance trade
c. Ruling classes: kings (offspring of gods) and
nobles
2. Temple Communities
a. Priests communicate w/gods to ensure good
for the community.
b. income from land holdings & workshops
c. banks, underwrite trading ventures, helped needy
II. The Formation of a Complex Society and
Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d

1. Slaves
a. 3 sources: POWs, convicted criminals,
indebted individuals
2. Patriarchal Society
a. authority (public/private) w/men
b. work
c. marriage arrangements
d. policies/public affairs
II. The Formation of a Complex Society and
Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d

3. Women’s Roles
a. advised king’s of gov’t
b. Formal education
c. scribes
d. midwives, shopkeepers, brewers, bakers
e. virginity of brides, no casual socializing
II. The Formation of a Complex Society and
Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d

B. The Development of Written Cultural Traditions
1. Cuneiform Writing
a. 2900bce graphic symbols to represent sounds,
syllables and ideas.
b. wedge shaped
2. Education
a. vocational instruction, also formal schools
b. communicate complex ideas on the world,
humans, gods & the world
II. The Formation of a Complex Society and
Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d

3. Astronomy & Mathematics
a. literacy=knowledge
b. crucial to agriculture
The Epic of Gilgamesh
III. The Broader Influence of
Mesopotamian Society

A. Hebrew, Israelites and Jews
 Hebrews speakers of Hebrew language
 Israelites branch of Hebrews settled in Palestine.
 Jews from southern Israelites from Kingdom of
Judah
1. The Early Hebrews
a. pastoral nomads
b. Abraham came from Sumerian city Ur.
c. lex talionis
Phoenicia, Kingdom of Israel, Kingdom of Judah 1500-600bce
III. The Broader Influence of
Mesopotamian Society cont’d

2. Migrations and Settlement in Palestine
a. Hebrews migrated to Egypt under Moses
b. 12 tribes fought against other Palestine
inhabitants
c. Monarchy under King Solomon & King David
3. Moses and Monotheism
a. one god known as Yahweh
b. creator and sustainer of the world
c. Ten Commandment=ethical & religious principles
III. The Broader Influence of
Mesopotamian Society cont’d

4. Assyrian & Babylonian Conquests
a. Political & military setbacks led Israelites
closer to Yahweh.
5. The Early Jewish Community
a. Distinct religious community believing that
they had a special relationship with Yahweh
b. Torah-Yahweh’s teachings
c. strong sense of identity different from
Mesopotamians.
III. The Broader Influence of
Mesopotamian Society cont’d

B. The Phoenicians
1. The Early Phoenicians
a. organized series of independent city-states
2. Phoenician Trade Networks
a. Influenced societies through Mediterranean
basin of maritime trade & communication networks
b. imported-food & raw materials, exportedmetal goods, pottery, glass
c. excellent sailors, best ships, commercial colonies
d. adapted Mesopotamian culture to their own needs
III. The Broader Influence of
Mesopotamian Society cont’d

3. Alphabetic Writing
a. 22 symbols representing consonants, no
vowels
b. more people became literate
c. spread through travel and trade
Phoenician, Greek and Roman alphabet
IV. The Indo-European Migrations

A. Indo-European Origins
1. Indo-European Languages
a. similarities in vocabulary & grammatical structure
in Europe, SW Asia, & India
b. sub-groups include: Indo-Iranian, Greek,
Germanic, Italic, Celtic
c. common tongue
2. Horses
a. domesticate, originally source of food
b. hitch to carts, wagons, chariots
c. transportation technologies; faster & efficient
IV. The Indo-European Migrations
cont’d

c. military advantage
B. Indo-European Expansion and its Effects
1. The Nature of Indo-European Migrations
a. expansion beyond homeland
2. The Hittites
a. to Anatolia; imposed language and rule
b. traded w/Babylonians and Assyrians
c. Cuneiform
d. Mesopotamian Deities
IV. The Indo-European Migrations
cont’d

3. War Chariots
a. 2 innovations-light horse drawn war chariots
& iron metallurgy
b. spoked wheels
c. strike forces in armies
4. Iron Metallurgy
a. weapons effective, cheap & large quantity
b. heat iron into charcoal, desired shape
IV. The Indo-European Migrations
cont’d

4. Indo-European Migrations to the West
a. Indo-European Celtic dominated Northern
Europe
b. recognizing 3 social groups: military elites,
priests and commoners