Mesopotamia The Fertile Crescent Geography Environmental challenges very

Mesopotamia: The Fertile Crescent

Geography • Environmental challenges • very little rain • Unpredictable flooding • No natural barriers • Limited natural resources • Conflict • Cooperation

Religion • Polytheistic • Anthropomorphic (human-like) • Gods not always helpful – War-like-possessed total control • reflected struggle w/ unpredictable environment • Sacrifices, rituals, temples (ziggurats) • priests & priestesses

Achievements • • Sumerian Culture Cuneiform Arithmetic & geometry Architectural innovations

Politics/Government • Walled city-states • Monarchy priest/kings • Law - Code of Hammurabi – Constant conflict over resources

Politics: First Empires

Epic of Gilgamesh • Epic poem • Reveals much about life in Mesopotamia • Includes a story about a great flood

Economy • Agricultural • Extensive trade

Society • • • Kings, landholders, priests Military Wealthy merchants Ordinary peasants Slaves

Women • Not equal to men but still held rights/protections • merchants, farmers, artisans • could own property • priestesses • Elites could learn to read/write

Akkadian Empire (2330 -2100 BCE) – Semitic people from Arabian Peninsula – Conquered Sumerians – Akkad-later Babylon – World’s first empire – Sargon the Greatconquest to ensure metal supplies

Babylonia Empire (1800 -1500 BCE) • Babylon located on Euphrates River • Hammurabi was sixth king • Important trade center • Code of Hammurabi

Code of Hammurabi – 282 Laws-formed Babylonian legal system – One of earliest written laws – King’s responsibility to maintain order & justice – Basis of international commercial law: regulated contracts, interest, mortgages, etc. – Harsh penaltiesreflects social hierarchy – Carved into a stela, (stone pillar)- kept in a special temple

Assyrian Empire (1100 -612 BCE) – Assur, city on Tigris River originally under Babylonian rule – Expanded control overf 2 centuries – Lower Mesopotamia, Persia, Syria, Sinai Peninsula & along SE coast of Med. Sea into Egypt – controlled trade between Anatolia & Mesopotamia – highly centralized government headed by royal appointed governors – ruled with terror – Advanced weapons (seige engine) – Built a fine library (literature, math, science) – Encouraged private enterprise rather than state monopoly – Overthrown by Chaldeans

Chaldean Empire Neo-Babylonian (612 -539 BCE) • Another name for Babylonia • Took control of Babylon through bloody battles • Known for cruelty • King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Canaan & enslaved the Israelites • “Babylonian Captivity” Hanging Gardens • terraces rising to palace roof irrigated by pumps • Astronomy-created manuals for later civilizations • Timekeeping-divided the day into 12 double hours • 7 day week division of the hour into sixty minutes

Persian Empire (550 -333 BCE) • Originated on plateau east of Zagros Mtns • Indo Aryran origins • Cyrus the Great • Tolerant rule-respected different religions, languages customs • Divided into provincessatrapies- constructed roads