CHAPTER 2 ANCIENT NEAR EAST PEOPLES AND EMPIRES

CHAPTER 2 ANCIENT NEAR EAST: PEOPLES AND EMPIRES

THE HEBREWS • Semitic-speaking people whose tradition was recorded in the Old Testament • Descendants of Abraham moved from Mesopotamia to Palestine • Known afterwards as “Children of Israel” • Drought in Palestine drove many Israelites to Egypt • where they lived well until pharaohs drove them into slavery until Moses led them out of Egypt • Between 1200 -1000 BC, the Israelites established themselves as a distinct people and established a kingdom • Saul was 1 st king of the Israelites (1020 -1000 BC) • His kingdom was destroyed after disastrous struggle w/ the Philistines, the tribes broke up • David (1000 -970 BC) reunited the tribes, defeated the Philistines and established control over all of Palestine

• David’s son, Solomon (ruled 970930 BC) did even more to strengthen royal power • Best known for building projects (the Temple in Jerusalem) • The Temple was the spiritual & political center of the kingdom • Reportedly housed the Ark of the Covenant • After Solomon’s death, the kingdom divided into 2 nations: the 10 northern tribes remained the kingdom of Israel, 2 southern tribes became kingdom of Judah

• By the end of the 9 th century BC, Israel was paying tribute to the Assyrian empire. • By 720 BC, the capital was destroyed and the Israelites were dispersed throughout the Assyrian empire • Judah paid tribute to Assyria, but remained independent • When Nebuchadnezzar II’s Chaldean Empire conquered Judah, Jerusalem was completely destroyed (586 BC) • Many upper-class of Judah were sent to Babylonia in exile (the Babylonian Captivity) • By 538 BC, the Persians had conquered the Chaldean Empire & the Israelites returned home & rebuilt Jerusalem • Remained under Persian control until Alexander the Great’s conquest of Persia around 333 BC • Judah survived, the people became know as Jews and their religion was know as Judaism

SPIRITUALITY OF ISRAEL • Yahweh was the chief god of Israel; though many worshiped other gods as well • Babylonian exiles, in the 6 th cent BC, were the first to accept Yahweh (the God of Israel) as the only God • Chief source of information about spiritual conceptions in Israel is the Hebrew Bible • Focuses on one basic theme: necessity of Jews to obey God’s law • The Prophets (p. 35 -36)

FAMILY & MARRIAGE • Family was patriarchal • Husband was master of his wife and possessed power (including life and death) over his children • One household could contain husband, wife, married sons & their wives and children under one roof • Kings were limited to 18 wives and citizens to 4 • Only kings could afford a large harem • Women were highly valued, but seen as servants of father or husband • Marriages arranged, but Hebrews did not use dowries • The groom actually paid the bride’s father (presumably for the loss of a daughter) • Sons were prized over daughters b/c daughters would leave the home.

NEIGHBORS OF THE ISRAELITES • The Philistines attacked from the sea and had five cities established on the Med. Coast • They settled as farmers and eventually came into conflict w the Israelites • The Phoenicians were another semitic-speaking people • Best known as transmitters • Most famous settlement was • Written language not pictographs like Carthage in North Africa earlier civs. • used 22 signs to represent sounds of their speech • spelled out all words in their lang. • Passed on to Greeks

THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE

• The Assyrian Empire rose as the Hittites were destroyed and the Egyptian civilization was in decline • Although part of Mesopotamia, Assyria had a different terrain and climate • Expanded in large part due to its brutal military methods and violent suppression of internal revolts. • Eventually overthrown by Chaldeans in Bablyonia.

THE NEO-BABYLONIAN EMPIRE • Nebuchadnezzar II (605 -562 BC) defeated the Assyrians • Under his rule, the Chaldeans conquered Egypt, Syria, & Palestine • Destroyed Jerusalem, began the Babylonian captivity • Great builder, responsible for the Ishtar Gate & the Hanging Gardens (one of the 7 wonders) • The last king, Nabonidus, was so • Chaldean power was short-lived; hated; Babylonians Babylon conquered by Persians in 539 welcomed the Persian BC invaders as liberators

THE PERSIAN EMPIRE • Persians were Indo-European-speaking people of southern Iran (nomads from the area of Persis) • They gain prominence under King Cyrus in 500 s BC-had largest and strongest empire to that time. Wise and capable. • Allowed Jews to return to Jerusalem after capturing Babylon. • Had a respect for ancient civilizations as well, borrowing building techniques, traditions, etc. that may be of use.

EXPANDING THE EMPIRE • Darius (521 -486 BC) strengthened empire even more, • Codifies Egyptian law • Builds a canal to connect the Red & Mediterranean Seas • Extended his eastern border to the Indus River • Advanced into Europe by making the Macedonian king a vassal • Revolt in the Greek Ionian city-states leads him to invade Geece • The invasion of Greece failed, culminating w/ the Athenian victory at Battle of Marathon

Persian Religion • Zoroastrianism • Zoroaster-prophet- did not introduce a new god, but introduced the thought that Ahuramazda was the only good God • Ahuramazda had qualities that all humans should to (good though, right, & piety) • Right is opposed by the lie, truth by falsehood, life by death • The good of Ahuramazda was countered by the evil spirit of Ahriman • Zoroastrianism seems to have many similarities to basic Christian beliefs