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Chapter 2. Early Societies in Southeast Asia and the Indo-European Migrations. Civilization Defined. Cities/Urban Political/Military system Social Hierarchy Economic/Job Specialization Complex Religion Written language “ Higher Culture ” – Art & Architecture Public Works.
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Chapter 2 Early Societies in Southeast Asia and the Indo-European Migrations
Civilization Defined • Cities/Urban • Political/Military system • Social Hierarchy • Economic/Job Specialization • Complex Religion • Written language • “Higher Culture”– Art & Architecture • Public Works
Early Mesopotamia3000-2000 B.C.E. • “Between the Rivers” • Tigris and Euphrates • Modern-day Iraq • Cultural continuum of “fertile crescent” • Sumerians the dominant people
The Wealth of the Rivers • Nutrient-rich silt • Key: irrigation • Necessity of coordinated efforts (reservoirs, canals, dikes, dams) • Promoted development of local governments • City-states • Sumer begins small-scale irrigation 6000 BCE • By 5000 BCE, complex irrigation networks • Population reaches 100,000 by 3000 BCE • Attracts Semitic migrants, influences culture
Sumerian City-States • Cities appear 4000 BCE • Dominate region from 3200-2350 BCE • Ur (home of Abraham, see Genesis 11:28), Nineveh • Ziggurat - home of the city god • Divine mandate to Kings • Regulation of Trade • Defense from nomadic marauders
Ziggurat at Ur • Temple • “Mountain of the Gods”
Sumerian Religion - Polytheistic Enki Innana Anthropomorphic Gods
Political Decline of Sumer • Semitic peoples from northern Mesopotamia overshadow Sumer • Sargon of Akkad (2370-2315 BCE) • Destroyed Sumerian city-states one by one, created empire based in Akkad • Empire unable to maintain chronic rebellions • Hammurabi of Babylon (1792-1750 BCE) • Improved taxation, legislation • Used local governors to maintain control of city-states • Babylonian Empire later destroyed by Hittites from Anatolia, c. 1595 BCE
Hammurabi The upper part of the stele of Hammurabi’s code of laws
Hammurabi The upper part of the stele of Hammurabi’s code of laws
Legal System • The Code of Hammurabi • Established high standards of behavior and stern punishment for violators • lex talionis –“law of retaliation” • Social status and punishment • women as property, but some rights
Later Mesopotamian Empires • Weakening of central rule an invitation to foreign invaders • Assyrians use new iron weaponry • Beginning 1300 BCE, by 8th-7th centuries BCE control Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, most of Egypt • Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (r. 605-562) takes advantage of internal dissent to create Chaldean (New Babylonian) Empire • Famously luxurious capital
Technological Development in Mesopotamia • Bronze (copper with tin), c. 4000 BCE • Military, agricultural applications • Iron, c. 1000 BCE • Cheaper than bronze • Wheel, boats, c. 3500 BCE • Shipbuilding increases trade networks
Social Classes • Ruling classes based often on military prowess • Originally elected, later hereditary • Perceived as offspring of gods • Religious classes • Role: intervention with gods to ensure fertility, safety • Considerable landholdings, other economic activities • Free commoners • Peasant cultivators • Some urban professionals • Slaves • Prisoners of war, convicted criminals, debtors
Patriarchal Society • Men as landowners, relationship to status • Patriarchy: “rule of the father” • Right to sell wives, children • Double standard of sexual morality • Women drowned for adultery • Relaxed sexual mores for men • Yet some possibilities of social mobility for women • Court advisers, temple priestesses, economic activity • Introduction of the veil at least c. 1500 BCE
Development of Writing • Sumerian writing systems form 3500 BCE • Pictographs • Cuneiform: “wedge-shaped” • Preservation of documents on clay • Declines from 400 BCE with spread of Greek alphabetic script
Sumerian Scribes “Tablet House”
Uses for Writing • Trade • Astronomy • Mathematics • Agricultural applications • Calculation of time • 12-month year • 24-hour day, 60-minute hour
Mesopotamian Literature • Epic of Gilgamesh, compiled after 2000 BCE • Heroic saga • Search for meaning, esp. afterlife • This-worldly emphasis
The Early Hebrews • Patriarchs and Matriarchs from Babylon, c. 1850 BCE • Parallels between early biblical texts, Code of Hammurabi • Early settlement of Canaan (Israel), c. 1300 BCE • Biblical text: slavery in Egypt, divine redemption • On-going conflict with indigenous populations under King David (1000-970 BCE) and Solomon (970-930 BCE)
Egypt's king, Ramses II, written about in the Old Testament, is now thought to have reigned between 1290-1224 B.C.E. This Egyptian wall art depicts Ramses holding what is suspected to be three slaves. One is black, one appears to be East Asian, and the third, in the foreground, appears to be Semitic. The blacks and Semite came from close by. The East Asian leaves us wondering.
David with the Head of Goliath, c. 1450/1455, Andrea del Castagno
Moses and Monotheism • Hebrews shared polytheistic beliefs of other Mesopotamian civilizations • Moses introduces monotheism, belief in single god • Denies existence of competing parallel deities • Personal god: reward and punishment for conformity with revealed law • The Torah (“doctrine or teaching”)
Foreign conquests of Israel • Assyrian conquest, 722 BCE • Conquered the northern kingdom • Deported many inhabitants to other regions • Many exiles assimilated and lost their identity • Babylonian conquest, 586 BCE • Destroyed Jerusalem • Forced many into exile • Israelites maintained their religious identity and many returned to Judea
The Phoenicians • City-states along Mediterranean coast after 3000 BCE • Extensive maritime trade • Dominated Mediterranean trade, 1200-800 BCE • Development of alphabet symbols • Simpler alternative to cuneiform • Spread of literacy