Chapter 2 Section 2 Fertile Crescent Empires Section

Chapter 2 Section 2: Fertile Crescent Empires

Section 2: Fertile Crescent Empires Main Idea Indo-European invaders introduced new technologies to the Fertile Crescent while adapting earlier technologies developed by the civilizations they encountered there. Objectives • What military advantages helped the Hittites establish an empire in Asia Minor? • What events led to the rise and fall of the Assyrian and Chaldean empires? • What were the main achievements of the Phoenicians?

I. The Hittites Babylonian Empire declined, nomadic tribes fought over land wealth

I. The Hittites Invaders included Indo-Europeans from the steppes north of Black Sea

I. The Hittites c. 2000 BC – Hittites settled in Asia Minor and built an empire

I. The Hittites Used war chariots and new tactics; sacked Babylon in 1595 BC

I. The Hittites Blended their culture with cultures around them; were first to master ironworking

II. The Assyrians and the Chaldeans

A. The Assyrians Came from northern Mesopotamia By 900 BC empire included Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Egypt

A. The Assyrians Fierce warrior society; used war chariots, foot soldiers, cavalry - armed with iron weapons Soldiers of Assyria going to battle

A. The Assyrians Mastered siege warfare; used terror to control conquered areas Assyrians blinding prisoners. Captives were skinned alive, blinded, impaled, and had limbs, ears, noses, etc. cut off

A. The Assyrians Created efficient government using local leaders; system of roads connected the empire

A. The Assyrians Greatest cultural achievement - library at Nineveh Assyrian capital city, Nineveh Library constructed during the reign of King Ashurbanipal (c. 668 -627)

B. The Chaldeans Assyria declined, Chaldeans took power and made Babylon their capital

B. The Chaldeans Most famous king was Nebuchadnezzar II Hanging Gardens of Babylon

B. The Chaldeans Fought Egyptians and Jews, captured Jerusalem, brought Jews to Babylon as slaves Babylonian Captivity or Babylonian Exile

III. The Phoenicians Phoenician Ship

A. Phoenician Trading Society Phoenicia - western end of Fertile Crescent; farming difficult, turned to trading and the sea

A. Phoenician Trading Society Became greatest traders of ancient world; established colonies in Italy, Spain, North Africa

A. Phoenician Trading Society Invented glassblowing; traded glass items, cedar wood, and purple dye from a shellfish Phoenician glass bead necklace The murex

B. Phoenician Alphabet Greatest achievement was world’s first alphabet