Akkadian Empire Babylonian Empire NeoBabylonian Empire Assyrian Empire

Akkadian Empire Babylonian Empire Neo-Babylonian Empire Assyrian Empire

Key Questions What is an empire? Why do empires form? What is the purpose of empire?

Empire: an extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority → especially an emperor or empress What factors lead to empire? • Disunity among the people → revolt, poverty, unrest • Political instability → poor, weak or inhumane leadership • Superior power of an opposing force • Militarily → bigger, better, faster, stronger • Economically → more access to resources and $ But what is the purpose of empires?

What is the purpose of an empire? • To take resources from the conquered state → Trade goods, taxes, new land • Power & Social control → laws and punishment • Spread culture → Language, mathematics, roads and a postal service • Military bases → build an army →

What was going on Sumer? ✕ Sumerian city-states did not get along! ✕ Frequent conflict over water and land resources ✕ Very little communication among city-states ✕ City-States built huge walls for protection Kept bad guys out, but totally cut cities off ✕ Weak Political and military organization ✕ No unified defense or military ✕ Individual kings ruled over their city-state ✕ No central leadership for the group of city-states ✕ Social unrest ✕ Food supply was diminishing → Drougt and salination ✕ Resources within city-states were not regulated well ✕ Poor land management caused poverty and famine

What is the purpose of an empire? • To take resources from the conquered state → Trade goods, taxes, new land • Social control → laws and punishment • Spread culture → Language, mathematics, roads and a postal service • Military bases and build an army → Sargon’s aristocratic warriors

How do people express their identity? ✕ Art and history! ✕ Laws and our morals/values

✕ 3 -5 man ✕ one drives, the others shoot + + Up to 4 -horses Iron plated wheels

✕ Gigantic cart on 4 reinforced wheels + ✕ ✕ ✕ Covered in damp leather (protect from fire) Heavy-duty irontipped spears on the end + Essentially small trees tipped with iron Archers rode on top The tank of the time