Early Societies in SW Asia and the Indo-European migration

1. Early Societies in SW Asia and the Indo-European migration Ch. 2

2. The Quest for Order

3. Mesopotamia: “The Land between the Rivers” Semitic Migrants Sumerian City States Sumerian Kings • Most gov’t were • Assemblies • Crisis led to the king • (monarch) • Absolute authority • Formal Gov’t develop • Due to internal/external • Pressure • Gov’t: organized city • Projects • Ziggurat: holy stepped • Pyramid temple • Irrigation systems to • Support agriculture and • Urban society • Used military forces for • protection • Sumerians were • Dominant people of • Mesopotamia • Created irrigation • Networks • Attracted Semitic • Speaking people (same • Language tongue) • Built 1st cities (centers • Of political and military • Authority) • Included Marketplace • And cultural centers

5. The Course of Empire Sargon of Akkad and Empire: A new form of Political Organization Hammurabi & the Babylonian Empire Hammurabi’s Laws • Created • Mesopotamian empire • Sargon gained power • Through a coup • Conquered city by city • Sargon had a personal • Presence • Many he conquered did • Not like this (raids, • Destruction, financial • Support) • Empire weakened due to • Chronic rebellion in city- • states • High standards of • Behavior • Stern punishment • For violators • Lextalionis= “law • Of retaliation” • Punishments • Resembling violations • Code took into • Account social standing • 1595 Babylon falls to • The Hittites • Leader of Babylonian • Empire • Relied on central • Bureaucratic rule & • Taxation • Deputies in controlled • Territories • Efficient predictable • Gov’t

6. The Later Mesopotamian Empires Nebuchadnezzar & the New Babylonian Empire Assyrian Empire • 600-550bce Chaldean empire • (aka Babylon) • Brought wealth to cities • Defensive walls, palaces, temples • 6th c. lost control and absorbed • Into foreign empires • Extended power to SW Asia • Used iron weapons in army • Used administrative techniques • Followed laws like those of • Hammurabi • Preserved Mesopotamian • Literature (ex. Epic of Gilgamesh) • Empire ends due to internal/external • forces

7. The Formation of a Complex Society and Sophisticated Cultural Traditions

8. Economic Specialization and Trade Bronze and Iron Metallurgy The Wheel Shipbuilding and Trade Networks • Metallurgical • Developments important • Due to specialized labor • Invention of bronze • Impact: militarily (swords, • Spears, axes, shields, etc..), • Agriculturally (knives, bronze • Tipped plows instead of bone • Or wood) • Iron is also used and • Becomes the metal of choice • Sumerians used water • Craft to go into the Persian • Gulf • Traded with Harappan • Society (India) • Mesopotamians • Traded with people in • All areas • Assyrians traveled by • Donkey to Assur & Kanesh • Families operated organized • businesses • Efficient means of • Transportation using • Wheeled vehicles & • Sailing ships • Facilitated long- • Distance trade • Wheeled carts & • Wagons: carrying • Heavy loads • Wheel diffused to • Other lands

9. The Emergence of a Stratified Patriarchal Society Social Classes and Temple Communities Slaves Patriarchal Society Women’s Roles • Specialized labor • And trade led to more • Wealth • Kings & nobles (off- • Spring of gods) • Special projects & • Lavish capital cities • Promoted high status • Priests allied w/kings • Priest intervene w/ • Gods to ensure good • Fortune for community • Temples generate • Income (banks=store • Wealth, trading ventures, • Help those in need) • Free Commoner, • Dependent clients, slaves • Men ruled publicly • & privately • Privately: family work • Marriage arrangements, • Family decisions, sell fam • Into slavery • Publicly: policies • POWS, • Convicted • Criminals, • Heavily indebted • Many were • Domestic servants • Granted • Freedom w/a gift • At times • Advised • Kings & gov’t • Obtained • Education • And worked • As scribes • Virginity of • Brides at marriage • Forbade • Casual socializing • Of married men • And women • 1500bce • Wore veils

10. The Development of Written Cultural Traditions Astronomy & Mathematics Cuneiform Education The Epic of Gilgamesh • Symbols to • Represent sound • Syllables & ideas • “wedge shaped” • Important for • Agriculture • Rhythms of • Seasons • Divided year • Into 12mths and • 60=1hr &60 s.=1 • min • Themes of: • Friendship, human/god • Relationships, life & • Death meaning • Principle vessel for • Moral issues • Vocational • Formal schools • (ex. Scribes/Gov’t • officials, Priests, • Lawyers, etc.) • Writing to • Communicate • Complex ideas • About the world, • God, humans & • Relationships

11. The Broader Influence of Mesopotamian Society

12. Hebrews, Israelites, and Jews The Early Hebrews & Migrations and Settlements In Palestine Moses and Monotheism Assyrian & Babylonian Conquests Early Jewish Community • Moses embraced • Monotheism • One god aka • Yahweh • Creator and • Sustainer of the world • Other gods imposters • Worship him alone • High moral & ethical • Standards • (ie. 10 Commandments) • Torah= holy book • (teaching)-Yahweh’s role • In guiding Human affairs • Obey=reward, disobey • =punishment • After king • Solomon • Israelites split • In two. • Kingdom • Of Israel=north • Kingdom of • Judah=South • KoI gets • Defeated • Becomes known • As 10 lost tribes • Lose identitiy • KoJ gets taken • Over but keeps • identity • Created a • Distinctive • Religious • Community • Based on their • Religion • Maintained • Identitiy different • From • Mesopotamians • Influence • Christianity & Islam • Pastoral nomads • Hebrew patriarch Abraham • Hebrew law used lextalionis • Migrated to Egypt in 18thc.bce • 1300bce=left Egypt w/Moses • To Palestine • These Hebrews formed 12 tribes • Aka as Israelites • Came under unified rule with • King David & King Solomon

13. The Phoenicians Phoenician Trade Networks The Early Phoenicians Alphabetic Writing • Influenced societies • In Mediterranean basin • Through their trade and • Communication • Industry, trade, & • Maritime trade • Excellent sailors, ship • Est. maritime colonies • Went beyond Mediterranean • Imported: food raw materials • Exported: metal goods, • Textiles, pottery, glass, art • Adapted Mesopotamian • Culture to their own • Ancestors of Phoenicians • Settled 3000 BCE • Not a unified monarchy • but set up city states ruled • By local kings • Commercialism more • Important than military or • State building • Often ruled by Egypt or • Mesopotamians • Phoenicians developed • Alphabet we use today • Letters to build words • No vowels • More literacy develops • Phoenician alphabet • Spreads throughout the • Mediterranean basin • Later spreads to Asia, • S. Asia, SE Asia

14. The Indo-European Migrations

15. Indo-European Origins Indo-European Languages The Indo-European Homeland Horses • Lang. of Europe, SW Asia • And India were similar • This created the term • Indo-European lang. • Explanation of similarity: • Descendants of ancestors • Spoke a common tongue • And migrated from their • Homeland • Migration led to evolution • Of different languages but • Basic grammatical structure • Of original lang. • Origin of Indo-Europeans: • Modern day Ukraine and S. • Russia region N. of Black Sea • & Caspian Sea • Indo- Euros domesticate • Horses in 4000 • Used 1st as food source • Later domesticated them • For riding • Attached to carts, wagons • And chariots • Faster & more efficient • Transportation • Military advantage

16. Indo-European Expansion and it Effects The Nature of Indo-European Migrations The Hittites War Chariots • Indo-European migrants • They their language and • Rule on the places they • Inhabited • Traded with Babylonians • And Assyrians • Adapted cuneiform to • Their lang. • Accepted Mesopotamian • Deities • Conquered Babylon; • Controlled area: Anatolia, • N. Mesopotamia, Syria, • Phoenicia • Expanded beyond the • Homeland • Population explosion • Led to migration • Migration continued • Till about 1000ce • Two technological • Inventions: light • Horse drawn chariot • And iron metallurgy • Used lighter spoked • Wheels • Charioteers were • The elite force of the • Army in the ancient • world

17. Indo-European Expansion and it Effects Indo-European Migrations To the East and West Iron Metallurgy Indo-European Migrations To the South • Cheap effective • Weapons in large • Quantities • Iron production • Diffused into Eurasia • Hittites improved • On existing methods • Indo-Europeans also migrated • East into central Asia • Some Indo-Europeans • Went west to the following • Areas: Greece, C. Italy, • S. Russia to C. Europe, • British Isles, Baltic region, • Iberian Penisula