Chapter 6 Exploring Four

Empires of Mesopotamia

What were the most important achievements of the

Mesopotamian empires?

The Akkadian Empire

Life Under Akkadian Rule

• King Sargon created the world’s first empire.

• Soldiers were taught to fight in tight formations.

• King Sargon became the first king to decree that his sons rule after his death.

• The Akkadians developed their own language.

• Artists carved beautiful relief sculptures on stones.

The Babylonian Empire

Hammurabi and the Babylonian Empire

• King Hammurabi created a code of laws that applied to everyone in the empire.

• Code of laws were written on steles and placed in temples for everyone to see.

• The laws and punishments did not treat all people equally and seem harsh compared to modern laws and punishments.

• Babylonian society was unusually fair for its time. Slaves could buy their freedom and own property. Women could keep their own money and own property.

Life in the Babylonian Empire

The Assyrian Empire

The Assyrian Empire

Life Under Assyrian Rule

• The Assyrians perfected the use of horses and iron weapons in battle. They also became greatly skilled at siege warfare. They used battering rams to break down walls. They used moveable towers to climb over walls.

• The Assyrians honored their powerful kings with beautiful palaces, huge sculptures, and 2-dimensional sculptures called bas-reliefs.

• The Assyrians built some of the earliest aqueducts.

The Neo-Babylonian Empire

The Neo-Babylonian Empire

Life in the Neo-Babylonian Empire• King Nebuchadrezzar restored the splendor of King

Hammurabi’s time. • King Nebuchadrezzar had inner and outer walls

built around Babylon and towers, for archers to stand on, built, and moats dug.

• The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were one of the great wonders of the ancient world. The sight of so many trees and bushes rising above the desert landscape was astonishing.

• Neo-Babylonians created the first sundial and made discoveries that led to our present-day system of a 60-minute hour and 7-day week.

Summary