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ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA. The Geography of Sumeria. Unpredictable flooding, frequent drought No natural protecting barriers (e.g. hills) Few natural resources (no wood, stone, metal ore). The Geography of Sumeria. Sumerians overcame their problems by Irrigation systems

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ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

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  1. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

  2. The Geography of Sumeria • Unpredictable flooding, frequent drought • No natural protecting barriers (e.g. hills) • Few natural resources (no wood, stone, metal ore)

  3. The Geography of Sumeria • Sumerians overcame their problems by • Irrigation systems • City-walls built of mud brick • Trade up-river for raw materials

  4. Sumerian Government • City-states • An independent city with the farmlands surrounding it • Ruled at first by priests • Crops depend on blessing of the gods • Gods can do much harm to humans • Polytheism • Belief in many gods

  5. Sumerian Government • Later rule moved to warrior leaders • Wars between city-states grew more frequent • First dynasties established • Royal power passed from father to son

  6. Cultural Diffusion • Sumeria the very first civilization in the western world • Sold grain and artifacts up-river • Trade led to cultural diffusion • Spread of ideas, technology, beliefs, customs, products from one culture to another

  7. The First Empires • Empire • One ruler or nation controlling several nations or peoples • Babylonian Empire • Established about 2000 BC • Warriors from north conquered Mesopotamia • Set up capital at Babylon

  8. Hammurabi • Ruled the Babylonian empire 1792 – 1750 BC • Famous for the first great code of laws issued by a king • Hammurabi’s Code focused on • Trade issues • Personal violence • Family relationships/responsibilities

  9. The Assyrians • Conquered Babylon • Ruled whole Middle East 850 –612 BC • A violent, war-like people • Used iron weapons and armor • Killed or enslaved conquered peoples • Moved them away from their homelands

  10. The Assyrians • Capital at Nineveh, in the north of Mesopotamia • Assyrian carvings focus on war, lion-hunting • King Ashurbanipal collected a library of 20,000 clay tablets • Organized and cataloged by subject • Epic of Gilgamesh and other Sumerian documents

  11. The Chaldean Empire • Chaldeans conquered Nineveh 612 BC • Returned capital to Babylon • Sometimes called Second Babylonian empire, 612 – 550 BC • Nebuchadnezzar • Hanging Gardens of Babylon

  12. Chaldean Astronomy • Chaldeans set up observatories on top of ziggurats • Recorded movement of stars • Deduced existence of the solar system • Created astrology

  13. The Persian Empire • Cyrus the Great conquered whole Middle East, 550-539 BC • Persian empire lasted 550 – 331 BC • Destroyed by Alexander the Great

  14. The Persian Empire • Ruled with tolerance • Conquered peoples stayed on their own land, worshiped own gods • Provided they were obedient, paid taxes

  15. The Persian Empire • First great bureaucracy • Royal satraps sent throughout empire to govern provinces • Provinces match boundaries of conquered peoples • Each province had military ruler and tax collector • Royal Road built to allow swift passage of royal commands, soldiers

  16. The Persian Empire • Unified monetary system – one set of standard coins • Stimulated trade across the empire • Zoroastrian religion • Universe divided in struggle between forces of good and evil, light and darkness • Influenced Christian heresies

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