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Ancient Middle East

Ancient Middle East. Culture and Religion. Social Classes. High Social Class King, priests Wealthy Merchants Middle Class Most of the People Property owned or Family Lowest Class Slaves (Prisoners of war/Criminals). King/Priests. Rich Merchants. Most Others.

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Ancient Middle East

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  1. Ancient Middle East Culture and Religion

  2. Social Classes • High Social Class King, priests Wealthy Merchants • Middle Class Most of the People Property owned or Family • Lowest Class Slaves (Prisoners of war/Criminals) King/Priests Rich Merchants Most Others Slaves

  3. Ancient Culture(Sumeria) • Men had more authority and rights than women. • Women were allowed to own land, businesses and seek divorce • Educated were privileged elite (Male) • Government officials, scribes

  4. Teachings History • Zi or 'spirit' to actual Deities • Polytheistic (Pantheon-Many Gods) • Gods represented forces in the world • Gods feared- “super-human” • Purification • Sacrifices (Animal and sometimes human) • Magic (Divination, Astrology) • One society built off the last • Incorporated gods of captured peoples (Hittites) • Many shared common traits through cultural contact Mesopotamian Beliefs (Sumer-Akkad, Assyria, Babylon) The human-like gods were agents in mythology, of greater or lesser status

  5. Anu- Sky God (Sumerian) • Marduk-Sacred animals (Babylonian) • Ashur-"bull of heaven"(Assyrians)

  6. Teachings Spread • Ahura Mazda, source of good • Ahriman, evil spirit • Dualism = good and evil • Heaven and Hell • End of time, final judgment (fire) • Recognize the individual morality and ethics • individual responsibility • Much of Persian Empire • Darius worshipped Ahura Mazda • Other religions discouraged • Zoroastrianism never completely disappeared • Foundational Zoroastrianism (Persia) During the reigns of Cyrus and Darius in Persia a new religion called Zoroastrianism took hold, based on the teachings of Zoroaster.

  7. Teachings History • First monotheistic religion (Yahweh ) • Belief in divine revelation (Covenant) • Set of laws called the Ten Commandments • Code of ethics, or moral standards of behavior • No central authority -Sacred Texts • Land of Israel Sacred (Promised) • 11c BC Israelite Kingdoms • Series of Deportations-Diaspora Judaism (Israel/Palestine) Set of beliefs and practices originating from the ancient Israelites, embodied in the Hebrew Bible

  8. Review (Group)

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