Later Peoples of the Fertile Crescent Chapter 5

Later Peoples of the Fertile Crescent Chapter 5, Section 4 Mr. Gahsman – Social Studies 7

The Babylonians Conquer Mesopotamia • Rise of Babylon – Located on the Euphrates River, near modern-day Baghdad, Iraq – Former Sumerian town • Became its own citystate – 1792 B. C. – Hammurabi becomes Babylon’s king King Hammurabi of Babylon

• Hammurabi’s Code – Hammurabi was a great war leader – Brought all of Mesopotamia under his control • Called his territory the Babylonian Empire – Used tax money to pay for building and irrigation projects – Increased trade – Best known for his law code

• The Law Code – 282 laws dealing with every part of daily life – Some ideas still found in laws today – All crimes had penalties • Punishment was harsher if you harmed a rich man versus a poor man – Important because it was the first law code to be written down for all to see Pillar carved with Hammurabi’s Code

• Fall of Babylon – Hammurabi ruled for 42 years – Babylon faced many invasions after his death Babylonian Art

Invasions of Mesopotamia • Hittites – Originated in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) – Two military advantages • Masters of ironworking – Stronger weapons • Skillful use of chariots – Captured Babylon around 1595 B. C. – Hittite king was assassinated • Kingdom plunged into chaos Hittite 3 -man chariot

Hittite Charioteer Hittite Warrior

• Kassites – Originally lived north of Babylon – Captured the city from the Hittites – Ruled Babylon for over 400 years

• Assyrians – From northern Mesopotamia – Gained control of Babylon around 1200 B. C. – Very strong army • Used iron weapons and chariots • Fierce in battle – Looted villages – Burned crops – Killed anyone who resisted them – Ruled from the capital city of Nineveh – Built road network

Assyrian warriors attacking a city Assyrian warrior vs. Nubian warrior

• Chaldeans – Lived in the Syrian Desert – Attacked the Assyrians • Destroyed Nineveh in 612 B. C. • The Assyrian Empire collapsed – King Nebuchadnezzar • Rebuilt Babylon • May have built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon – Admired Sumerian culture • Studied Sumerian language • Adopted many Sumerian gods – Great astronomers Artist representation of a Chaldean temple

The Phoenicians • • Lived on the western end of the Fertile Crescent Not a great military power Wealthy trading society Geography of Phoenicia – Modern-day Lebanon – Main cities were Tyre, Sidon and Byblos (still exist today) – Had many cedar trees – Land trade was blocked by mountains, had to use the sea for trading

• Expansion of Trade – Became expert sailors – Built fleets of trading ships – Traveled to Egypt, Greece, Italy and Spain – Founded colonies • Most famous colony was Carthage in Northern Africa – Traded lumber, silverwork, ivory carvings, glass items and slaves – Made purple dye from crushed shellfish • Used to make purple fabric that was prized by wealthy people around the Mediterranean Sea – Most important achievement was their alphabet Replica of a Phoenician Trading Ship