Ancient Middle East River Valley Civilizations Civilizations developed

Ancient Middle East

River Valley Civilizations • Civilizations developed in river valleys because they provided: – Resources (water, fertile soil) – Transportation to support trade – Sustainable food supply

Fertile Crescent Mediterranean to Persian Gulf • Mesopotamia • - Means: “Land between the rivers” Tigris and Euphrates flow through region sometimes these rivers flood and leave behind silt after water goes down § Silt: rich soil

Sumerians Civilization – 3000 B. C. • What is a city-state? A city and surrounding lands with it’s own ruler Much like a modern day country Examples: Eridu, Uruk, Umma, Ur

Priests • Controlled • • government Acted as gobetween with gods Managed irrigation system – demanded crops as taxes

Ziggurat • • • Religious center City Hall “Mountain of God” Center of all cities Conduct rituals at the top of the ziggurat

Ziggurat at Ur

Monarchs • Time of war a • strong man took over Gave back power after war

Monarchs to Dynasty • Military leaders • became full rulers Rulers passed on power to sons – This establishes a dynasty

Cultural Diffusion • Sumerian food • surplus leads to long distance trade This leads to the spread of ideas and products from one culture to another

Polytheism and Sumerian Gods • Belief in many Gods • • • - almost 3000 god & goddesses - controlled forces of nature Had human qualities Immortal and all powerful Most powerful god was Enlil clouds and air

Sumerian and their Gods • Lowest of all Gods were Udugs – Cause disease and misfortune • Humans were god’s servants – Offered sacrifices to keep Gods happy

Innovations • Wheel, Plow, Sail • Cuneiform: earliest • • form of writing - 2300 B. C. - Gilgamesh: world’s oldest epic poem astronomy, chemistry, medicine Architectural innovations - arches, columns, ziggurat

Cuneiform Tablet

First Mesopotamian Empires • Sargon conquered most • • of the Fertile Crescent - He was an Akkadian Adopted Sumerian culture Established first empire – Brings together people under 1 ruler

Babylonian Empire • Amorites conquer • Sumerians in 2000 B. C. Hammurabi’s Code - 1792 -1750 B. C. - collection of 282 laws - Applied to everyone - Eye for an eye - Patriarchal: dominated by men, women had few rights

Hittites (2000 -1200 B. C. ) • Empire in Western Asia (modern day Turkey) Iron weapons and chariots • • First people to make use of iron • Conquered Babylon 1595 B. C. • Borrowed Mesopotamian culture Fell to unknown group described as “Sea Peoples”

Phoenicians 3000 B. C. • Lebanon • Purple dye, glass, lumber • Alphabet; maritime trade • Established colonies for trade • Established Carthage and cities of Byblos, Tyre, Sidon

Israelites 1500 -722 B. C. • Lived to the south of the • Phoenicians MONOTHEISTIC – worshiped ONE god – Practiced Judaism • Hebrew writings – Torah

Abraham • Abandoned polytheism ->Covenant with God • • (Promised Land) Traveled to Canaan 12 sons of Jacob-12 tribes of Israel

Captivity in Egypt and the Exodus • Left Canaan and traveled • • to Egypt Enslaved by Egyptians Moses – Mt. Sinai – Ten Commandments • Exodus-journey out of Egypt – Passover

Kingdom of Israel • Original government divided by tribes and ruled by • • • judges Saul-first king; not well supported by the people David-well-liked; strong military; Jerusalem Solomon-ruled during height; expanded trade; temple in Jerusalem

Decline • Israel divided • • • (Israel and Judah) Fell to the Assyrians (722 B. C. ) Eventually enslaved by Chaldeans (586); known as Babylonian Captivity Diaspora – Jews migrated to other areas of the Mediterranean region

Assyrians 900 B. C. • Nineveh • Conquered Egypt, • • Mesopotamia, E. Asia Minor Powerful military-chariots, foot soldiers, cavalry, iron weapons, terrorism, cruel System of roads; messengers Library Conquered by Chaldeans (612 B. C. )