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Ancient History of the Middle East

Ancient History of the Middle East. The Sumerians – 4000 BC -› 1700 BC. First villages were built in Fertile Crescent Successful farming settlements grew into city-states Erech , Ur, Kish Drained marshes for farming Worshipped in Ziggurat Priests controlled daily life

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Ancient History of the Middle East

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  1. Ancient History of the Middle East

  2. The Sumerians – 4000 BC -› 1700 BC • First villages were built in Fertile Crescent • Successful farming settlements grew into city-states • Erech, Ur, Kish • Drained marshes for farming • Worshipped in Ziggurat • Priests controlled daily life • Developed writing system – cuneiform • Invented wheel, sail, plow

  3. Egyptians – 3000 BC -› 300 BC • Founded in Cultural Hearth of Nile River Valley • Series of 3 stable Kingdoms • Trade and agriculture important • Nile River is “beating heart” of region • Religion • Pharaohs were divine • Belief in the afterlife • Eventually conquered by Greeks (Macedonians)

  4. Assyrians – 2500 BC -› 600 BC • Located in Northern Mesopotamia • Briefly controlled Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Northern Tier • Eventually conquered by subjects (Babylonia)

  5. Israelites/Hebrews – 1700 BC -› ? • Founding father was Abraham • Their history is written in the Bible • Lived in Canaan (modern-day Israel) • Divided into 12 tribes • Became a monarchy under King David • Conquered by the Assyrians in 800 BC • Hebrew people still live today

  6. Hittites – 1800 BC -› 1100 BC • Ruled Fertile Crescent and Asia Minor • Warlike people • Adopted cuneiform and other techs. from Babylonians • Mastered iron and had fast, light chariots • Transported culture, but didn’t contribute anything culturally

  7. Babylonians - 1700 BC -› 539 BC • Conquered territory in Fertile Crescent • Hammurabi – 282 laws • Stressed equality and justice • Built the Hanging Gardens • One of the Seven Ancient Wonders • Conquered by the Persians

  8. The Phoenicians – 1550 BC -› 300 BC • Formed a maritime trading kingdom in Lebanon • Cedar trees and murex • Established trade colonies • Built fast ships with keel • Invented Bireme • Spread knowledge w/alphabet • 22 consonants • Traveled to British Isles

  9. Persians – 600 BC -› 330 BC • Also known as Achaemenid Empire • Empire at height extended from India, into Europe, and throughout M.E. • Began in modern-day Iran • Founded by Cyrus the Great • Great military leader • 3 innovations • Fought in “off-season” • Mounted cavalry on camels • Used engineers in army

  10. The Persian Empire • Darius I divides kingdom • 20 provinces • Based on ethnicity • Satrap ruled each • Built roads to increase commerce and aid communication • Standardized coinage

  11. Persian Religion - Zoroastrianism • Ancient Persians believed in many gods • Magi were intermediaries • Zoroaster (600BC?) prophesied to be born • Magi tried to kill him • Life was battle between good and evil • Gods Ahura Mazda (good) and Ahriman (bad)

  12. The Greeks (Macedonians)334 BC -› 146 BC • Greeks small city-states • Major victory over Darius II at Marathon • Gold discovered in Macedonia in 359 BC • Challenge Greeks • Alexander the Great becomes leader of Greece and Macedonia (334 BC)

  13. Rise of the Greeks • Soldiers, hoplites, organized into phalanxes • Innovations • Wore shoes • Full body armor • Tower shield • 12 ft iron spear • Short-bladed sword • Formations (300-ish)

  14. Alexander vs. Darius III • Used cavalry and infantry together • Defeated Darius at Issus and Gaugamela • Alex pushes army into India • Died in 323 BC • Empire divided • Greek culture blended with Middle East – Hellenistic civilization • Alexandria, Egypt

  15. Hellenistic Culture • Greek culture was transported to Middle East through conquest • Aspects of the indigenous cultures were diffused with the Greeks

  16. Roman Empire – 27 BC -› AD 476 • Extended from Rome to control much of Middle East by 115 AD • Army held empire together • Trade flourished, roads built throughout empire • Still used today • Increased spread of ideas and technology • Leap year calendar • Language

  17. The enduring Roman influence is reflected pervasively in contemporary language, literature, legal codes, government, architecture, engineering, medicine, sports, arts, etc. Much of it is so deeply imbedded that we barely notice our debt to ancient Rome. Consider language, for example. Fewer and fewer people today claim to know Latin — and yet, go back to the first sentence in this paragraph. If we removed all the words drawn directly from Latin, that sentence would read; “The.” -Reid, T. R. (1997). "The World According to Rome". National Geographic192 (2): 54–83. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/.

  18. Christianity in Rome • Constantine spread Christianity • Moved capital to Constantinople • Split in Empire • Bishop of Rome (Pope) • Eastern Patriarch • Byzantine Empire lived on after fall

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