Ancient Near East Summary De Blois pp 27
Ancient Near East Summary De Blois, pp 27 -32
Mesopotamia after the fall of the Old Babylonian empire (1800 -1600) • Who ruled? – The Kassites • When did they rule? – c. 1600 -1200 • Where did they come from? – Iranian mountains • How did the king maintain support? – He awarded his followers land exempt from taxation • How was the continuity of the Babylonian culture maintained? – The Kassites adopted Babylonia art, religion, and script • What did they introduce to Babylonia? – War chariot
Mitanni • Where was Mitanni? – Between the upper reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates • Who were the Mitanni people? – The Hurrians (Horites in the Bible) • What distinct non-Semitic elements were found in Mitanni culture? – Indo-Aryan gods and names • Where did these elements come from? – India and Persia (Iran)
Indo- Aryans
The Hittite empire • Where did the Hittites live? – Asia Minor/Anatolia/Turkey • What family of language did they speak? – Indo-European • When was the Old Hittite kingdom? – c. 1700 -1600 • When was the new Hittite kingdom? – c. 1350 • What was the Hittite custom with the kings they defeated? – Conclude peace treaties with the kings they defeated, who were usually allowed to remain on their thrones as vassal rulers • What culture did the Hittites adopt? – Mesopotamian
Kassites, Mitanni, and Hittites
Crete and Mycenae • When did these cultures reach their greatest heights? – Second millennium • How are these cultures referred to in modern literature? – Minoan and Helladic (Hellas – Greek word for Greece) • What was the most important city on Crete? – Knossos • What were two distinctive aspects of this city? – It was not fortified. – Its wall paintings depicted mainly peaceful scenes. • How did the Greeks refer to the palace? – King Minos’ labyrinth
Crete (continued) • What script did the Minoans use? – Linear A- it has not been deciphered • Why was Crete prosperous? – Trade- its ships transported goods all over the Mediterrean • Who conquered Crete? When? – The Mycenae c. 1375 • Where did these people come from? – Greece • When did they settle there? – c. 2100 • What language did they speak? – Greek- Indo-European
Crete and Mycenae
Main characteristics of Mycenaean culture in the 14 th century BC • Military element – Fortified palaces – Elite corps of charioteers – Frequent battles • Art – Minoan- Abstract designs and floral motifs • Script – Linear B, borrowed from the Minoans
International Relations (1) • What are three primary sources of information we have today about ancient near Eastern international relations? – Clay tablets at Akhetaton in Egypt containing letters written by other kings to the pharaoh in Babylonian script, the lingua Franca of the day – Hittite treaties, including those on unequal terms with vassal states and those on equal terms with other great powers – Annals celebrating the kings great deeds inscribed on clay tablets, walls of temples, and other surfaces
International Relations (2) • How were friendly relations maintained between states? – Regular exchange of messengers, letters and gifts – Political marriages – Alliances were formed for fear of a mutual enemy or because former enemies realized they had nothing to gain by continued hostilities
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