The Mediterranean & The Middle East, 2000-500 B.C.E. Part II

1. The Mediterranean & The Middle East, 2000-500 B.C.E.Part II John Ermer World History AP Miami Beach Senior High

2. The Assyrians (911-612 B.C.E.) • Neo-Assyrian Empire • The first “empire” to rule far-flung, diverse peoples • Assyria • Northern Mesopotamia, Hilly, Temperate Climate • Exposed to attack from the east, west, and north • Constant attack made local farmers apt fighters—soldiers • Assyrian rulers begin military campaigns to conquer • Armies move west, across the deserts and steppe to Med. Sea • North to Armenia (Urartu), South to Babylonia, East to Media/Persia • Assyrians conquer Egypt • Largest empire to date, built to enrich the center at the expense of the periphery

3. Assyrian Empire Building • Assyrian army is root of conquest, professional soldiers • Pioneers of military organization • Iron weapons, armed divisions, four man chariots • Couriers, signal fires, spies • Siege tactics—mobile towers, tunnels, battering rams • Mass deportations and brutality to keep control • Exploitation of peripheral territories to benefit of center • Though provincial infrastructure improved • Merchant classes thrive in conquered cities

4. The Assyrians • King= the gods’ earthly representative • All the peoples under his control=servents • Capital of Ashur=ancient holy city • Religious and state functions blurred • First government sponsored mail system, king “holds court” • Spread of propaganda for support of king’s actions • Palaces loomed large in Ashur, Nineveh, and Kalhu • Library of Ashurbanipal at Nineveh • Palace art served state functions • Social Structure: Free landowners, farmers/artisans, slaves • Foreigners in Assyria given same legal rights as Assyrians

5. Map of the Assyrian Empire

6. Israel (2000-500 B.C.E.) • Rise of the Israelites the result of two trends: • Loose group of nomadic herders/caravan merchants bound by extended lines of kinship settle down into sedentary farmers • Transformation of austere cult of a desert god into a new monotheistic religion built around one all-knowing, all-powerful God—the God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam • Never very powerful, Israelites influence world with faith • Central location b/w Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia, Arabia • Land around them is forbidding • Influence out of proportion with size/power of people

7. Origins of the Israelites • Semitic-speaking people—Hebrew (related to Phoenician & Aramaic; and less closely related to Arabic and Akkaadian) • Monotheistic • Aramaic eventually replaces Hebrew as common language • Information through archaeology, contemporary sources, and Hebrew Bible • Compiled from different groups with distinct vocabularies • Orally transmitted until c. 900 B.C.E. with cannon around • Stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel) • Slavery in Egypt (Moses, Joshua, Land of Canaan, Walls of Jericho) • Tribes of Israel, establishment of Judges, Ark of the Covenant • The Philistines (pre-Greek Aegeanites)—Sea People’s?

8. The Israelite Kings & Priests • Conflict: Israelites vs. Philistines c. 1500 B.C.E. • Religious leader,Samuel, anoints king—Saul (c.1020 B.C.E.) • c. 1000-960 B.C.E.: King David • Names Jerusalem political & religious capital of Israel • c. 960-920: King Solomon (height of Israel’s power) • Expanded trade to Phoenicia, Arabia, & Africa • Growing gap between rich and poor • Large scale building projects—the First Temple • Development of a priestly class • Corruption, disregard for welfare of poor--Prophets • Extended families dominated by elder males • Female dowry and assigning of slave girl • High amounts of women’s rights, no property ownership

9. Map of Palestine c.1200 B.C.

10. Solomon’s Temple

11. Jewish Diaspora • Splitting of Israel into two kingdoms (North & South) • Northern Kingdom=Israel, capital in Samaria (10 Tribes) • Southern Kingdom=Judah, capital in Jerusalem (2 Tribes) • 721 BCE: Israel destroyed by Assyrians, repopulated • Israel no longer considered mainstream Jewish • 587 BCE: Judah conquered by Babylonians • Nabuchadnezzar destroys temple, deports rich and skilled • Many stay after Persian emperor Cyrus allows return to Israel • Diaspora—Greek for “dispersion” or “scattering • Synagogue—Greek for “bringing together” • Diaspora and returned Jews compile strict laws • Temple rebuilt, though more modestly • Ban from marrying non-Jews, distinct community

12. The Phoenicians (1200-500 B.C.E.) • In modern day Lebanon (ancient Syria-Palestine) • Descendants of Semitic pastoral nomads—the Aramaeans • Self identify as Can’ani, or Canaanites, Greeks: Phoinikes • Mountainous terrain spurs development of city-states • Biblos, Berytus, Sidon, Tyre • Maritime navigation and commerce=wealth • Purple dye, glass, cedar, pine, metals, foodstuffs, papyrus • Development of the first alphabet • Greeks would later adopt the same, modify

14. Phoenician Colonization of the Mediterranean—Carthage • 900 B.C.E.: Tyre colonizes Cyprus for copper, trade route • Phoenician Triangle: N. Africa, S. Spain, W. Italy, Sicily, Malta • Conflict with Greeks, Sicily is main battleground • Carthage becomes powerful Phoenician colony (N. Africa) • Comes to dominate many other Phoenician colonies • Population of 400,000 (one of world’s largest cities) • Naval power dominates western Mediterranean • Sailed the Atlantic, sourced tin as far away as England • Trade with Sub-Saharan Africa • Used Numidians, Iberians, and Gauls as merceniaries • Direct control of Iberia & Sardinia, system of protectorates

15. The Carthaginian Empire

16. Phoenician Carthage

17. Moving & Shaking (750-550 B.C.E.) • 650: Assyrian power unrivaled, but position weakened • Overextended military vulnerable • Brutality discredits Assyrian rule, emboldens opponents • Neo-Babylonians (Chaldaean Empire) & Medes (Iranians) destroy Assyrian homeland, depopulate land • Babylonians assume rule of most Assyrian land • Nebuchadnezzar & glory of Babylon