Foundations of Western CivilizationFoundations of Western Civilization

To 1000 B.C.E.To 1000 B.C.E.

Prehistoric Human SocietiesPrehistoric Human Societies

The Paleolithic (“Old The Paleolithic (“Old Stone”) Age, c. 40,000-c. Stone”) Age, c. 40,000-c. 10,000 B.C.E.10,000 B.C.E.– Hunter-gatherersHunter-gatherers– Trade (e.g. seashells)Trade (e.g. seashells)– TechnologyTechnology

» firemakingfiremaking» bone and stone weapons bone and stone weapons

and jewelryand jewelry

– Art and religion: Cave Art and religion: Cave paintings and female paintings and female figurines figurines

The Neolithic (“New The Neolithic (“New Stone”) Revolution, c. Stone”) Revolution, c. 10,000-c. 4000 B.C.E.10,000-c. 4000 B.C.E.– Transition from a Transition from a

nomadic existence as nomadic existence as hunter-gatherers to hunter-gatherers to more settled lifestylemore settled lifestyle

» Invention of agricultureInvention of agriculture

» Domestication of Domestication of animalsanimals

– Increasingly gender-based Increasingly gender-based division of labordivision of labor

– Specialized crafts (metallurgy Specialized crafts (metallurgy and weaving)and weaving)

– Emergence of social hierarchy: Emergence of social hierarchy: patriarchal organization of patriarchal organization of state and society would state and society would become the norm in the West become the norm in the West

– Invention of irrigation (c. 6500 Invention of irrigation (c. 6500 B.C.E.) facilitated B.C.E.) facilitated establishment of settled establishment of settled agricultural communities in the agricultural communities in the Fertile CrescentFertile Crescent

Mesopotamia, c. 4000-1000 B.C.E.Mesopotamia, c. 4000-1000 B.C.E.(Bronze Age)(Bronze Age)

The Tigris and EuphratesThe Tigris and Euphrates– Flood control and irrigationFlood control and irrigation– Trade, migration, Trade, migration,

movement of armiesmovement of armies– The West’s first large-scale The West’s first large-scale

civilizationcivilization» Cities containing large Cities containing large

public buildingspublic buildings» Crop diversification and Crop diversification and

diverse craftsdiverse crafts» Organized central Organized central

governmentsgovernments» WritingWriting

Religion and MythologyReligion and Mythology– Polytheistic religious belief Polytheistic religious belief

reflected harshness of war reflected harshness of war and struggle with and struggle with unpredictable environmentunpredictable environment

» War-like gods who War-like gods who possessed total control possessed total control over human livesover human lives

» Sacrifices, rituals, temples Sacrifices, rituals, temples ((zigguratsziggurats))

» Power of priests and Power of priests and priestessespriestesses

– Epic of GilgameshEpic of Gilgamesh» Search for immortality Search for immortality

by semihistorical King by semihistorical King Gilgamesh of Uruk Gilgamesh of Uruk after death of his friend after death of his friend EnkiduEnkidu

» Realizes that only gods Realizes that only gods enjoy immortality; enjoy immortality; humans must content humans must content themselves with fame themselves with fame derived from derived from performing mighty performing mighty deedsdeeds

» Story of a devastating Story of a devastating flood in later version flood in later version

SumerSumer– Earliest cities in southern Earliest cities in southern

MesopotamiaMesopotamia– Agriculture and trade (as Agriculture and trade (as

far away as India)far away as India)– Sumerians Sumerians

» Developed the wheelDeveloped the wheel» Created first writing Created first writing

system (cuneiform)system (cuneiform)» Devised a mathematical Devised a mathematical

system and astronomysystem and astronomy

The Akkadian Empire, c. The Akkadian Empire, c. 2350-2200 B.C.E.2350-2200 B.C.E.– World’s first empireWorld’s first empire

– Sargon the Great conquered Sargon the Great conquered Sumerian cities and Sumerian cities and territories westward to the territories westward to the Mediterranean, in part to Mediterranean, in part to ensure metal suppliesensure metal supplies

– Destroyed by invading Destroyed by invading Gutians during reign of Gutians during reign of Sargon’s grandsonSargon’s grandson

The Kingdom of The Kingdom of Assyria, c. 1900 Assyria, c. 1900 B.C.E.B.C.E.– Became dominant city-Became dominant city-

state due to control of state due to control of trade between Anatolia trade between Anatolia and Mesopotamiaand Mesopotamia

– Encouragement of Encouragement of private enterprise private enterprise rather than state rather than state monopolymonopoly

The Kingdom of Babylon The Kingdom of Babylon and King Hammurabi’s and King Hammurabi’s Code (18Code (18thth century B.C.E.) century B.C.E.)– Earliest known written lawsEarliest known written laws– King’s responsibility to King’s responsibility to

maintain order and justicemaintain order and justice– Basis of international Basis of international

commercial law: regulated commercial law: regulated contracts, interest, contracts, interest, mortgages, etc.mortgages, etc.

– Criminal penalties harsh Criminal penalties harsh and reflective of social and reflective of social hierarchyhierarchy

Egypt and the Levant, c. 3050-1000 B.C.E.Egypt and the Levant, c. 3050-1000 B.C.E.

Egyptian CivilizationEgyptian Civilization– Geography as DestinyGeography as Destiny

» The NileThe Nile Protected by deserts Protected by deserts

on the east and weston the east and west Predictable annual Predictable annual

floodingflooding

» Stability and UnityStability and Unity Developed in relative Developed in relative

isolation into a isolation into a prosperous and stable prosperous and stable kingdomkingdom

Old Kingdom, c. Old Kingdom, c. 2687-2190 B.C.E.2687-2190 B.C.E.– Unification of Upper Unification of Upper

and Lower Egypt by and Lower Egypt by King Menes, c. 3100-King Menes, c. 3100-3000 B.C.E.3000 B.C.E.

– Controlling the riverControlling the river» Astronomical chartsAstronomical charts

» Writing system: Writing system: hieroglyphshieroglyphs

– Religion and Religion and GovernmentGovernment

» About 2,000 gods in the About 2,000 gods in the Egyptian pantheonEgyptian pantheon

» All powerful kings All powerful kings were believed to be were believed to be human incarnations of human incarnations of godsgods

» Only the king could Only the king could express the ultimate express the ultimate truth and justice, or truth and justice, or ma’atma’at

– The AfterlifeThe Afterlife» Belief in an immortal Belief in an immortal

soul and reward for soul and reward for those who lived a just those who lived a just lifelife

» MummificationMummification

» Provisions for the Provisions for the afterlife in burial afterlife in burial chambers of those who chambers of those who could afford it, could afford it, including the including the Book of Book of the Deadthe Dead

– The PyramidsThe Pyramids» Royal burial tombs Royal burial tombs

reflected the kings’ reflected the kings’ power in political and power in political and religious lifereligious life

King Djoser’s Step King Djoser’s Step Pyramid at Saqqara Pyramid at Saqqara (c. 2650 B.C.E.)(c. 2650 B.C.E.)

King Cheop’s Great King Cheop’s Great Pyramid at Giza (c. Pyramid at Giza (c. 2575 B.C.E.)2575 B.C.E.)

Middle Kingdom, c. 2061-1665 Middle Kingdom, c. 2061-1665 B.CB.C.E..E.– Diminished flooding of the Diminished flooding of the

Nile and famines around 2350 Nile and famines around 2350 B.C. E. led to civic disruption B.C. E. led to civic disruption and the loss of royal authorityand the loss of royal authority

– Regional governors withdrew Regional governors withdrew support of the king, spawning support of the king, spawning political breakdown and the political breakdown and the First Intermediate Period (c. First Intermediate Period (c. 2190-2061 B.C.E.)2190-2061 B.C.E.)

– King Mentuhotep II’s King Mentuhotep II’s reunification of Egypt initiated reunification of Egypt initiated the Middle Kingdomthe Middle Kingdom

– Territorial expansion and Territorial expansion and increased trade contactsincreased trade contacts

New Kingdom, c. 1569-New Kingdom, c. 1569-1081 B.C.E.1081 B.C.E.– Second Intermediate Period Second Intermediate Period

(c. 1664-1570 B.C.E.)(c. 1664-1570 B.C.E.)» Famines Famines

» Invasion by the HyksosInvasion by the Hyksos

– Thebans from Upper Egypt Thebans from Upper Egypt reunited Egypt as New reunited Egypt as New KingdomKingdom

» Warrior pharaohs further Warrior pharaohs further extended Egypt’s borders extended Egypt’s borders and trade contactsand trade contacts

– New Kingdom New Kingdom aberrationsaberrations

» Queen Hatshepsut (r. Queen Hatshepsut (r. 1502-1482 B.C.E): Only 1502-1482 B.C.E): Only woman to rule as pharaoh woman to rule as pharaoh (and female king)(and female king)

» Akhenaten (Amenhotep Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV, r. 1372-1355 B.C.E.) IV, r. 1372-1355 B.C.E.) and Nefertitiand Nefertiti

Introduced cult of one Introduced cult of one central god, Aten, and central god, Aten, and moved capital to Amarnamoved capital to Amarna

Wife tried to restrain his Wife tried to restrain his zeal, but his devotion to zeal, but his devotion to Aten undermined his Aten undermined his effectiveness as rulereffectiveness as ruler

» Tutankhamen (r. 1355-Tutankhamen (r. 1355-1346 B.C.E.): restored 1346 B.C.E.): restored worship of traditional godsworship of traditional gods

Other Bronze Age CivilizationsOther Bronze Age Civilizations The Peoples of the LevantThe Peoples of the Levant

– The CanaanitesThe Canaanites» Dominated trade between the Dominated trade between the

Mediterranean and Near EastMediterranean and Near East» Developed first alphabet, c. Developed first alphabet, c.

1600 B.C.E.1600 B.C.E.

– The HebrewsThe Hebrews» Origins, according to the Origins, according to the

Book of Genesis in the Old Book of Genesis in the Old TestamentTestament

Abraham and migration Abraham and migration from Ur to Palestine (c. from Ur to Palestine (c. 1900 B.C.E.) 1900 B.C.E.)

Loosely organized into Loosely organized into twelve tribestwelve tribes

Abraham’s covenant with Abraham’s covenant with the Hebrew god Yahwehthe Hebrew god Yahweh

» ExodusExodus Hebrews moved into Hebrews moved into

Egypt under Abraham’s Egypt under Abraham’s descendant Joseph. By descendant Joseph. By 1313thth century B.C.E., they century B.C.E., they were enslaved to work were enslaved to work on the pharaoh’s on the pharaoh’s building projects.building projects.

Moses led Hebrews out Moses led Hebrews out of Egyptian bondage, of Egyptian bondage, and on Mount Sinai he and on Mount Sinai he reestablished their reestablished their covenant with Yahweh covenant with Yahweh (c. 1250 B.C.E.)(c. 1250 B.C.E.)

– The Hebrew Covenant The Hebrew Covenant » The Ten CommandmentsThe Ten Commandments» The Torah (Pentateuch): The Torah (Pentateuch):

first five books of the Biblefirst five books of the Bible» Hebrew MonotheismHebrew Monotheism

Idea of Yahweh as the Idea of Yahweh as the one God developed in one God developed in the centuries after the the centuries after the period of Exodusperiod of Exodus

Fundamental influence Fundamental influence of Biblical texts and of Biblical texts and monotheism on monotheism on Christianity and Islam, Christianity and Islam, and of Hebrew law on and of Hebrew law on Western ethical Western ethical traditiontradition

Bronze-Age Greece and Bronze-Age Greece and Anatolia, c. 2200-1000 B.C.E.Anatolia, c. 2200-1000 B.C.E.

The Hittite Kingdom, c. The Hittite Kingdom, c. 1750-1200 B.C.E.1750-1200 B.C.E.– Maintained dominance by Maintained dominance by

controlling trade routes and controlling trade routes and raw materials, especially raw materials, especially metalsmetals

– Military prowessMilitary prowess» Sack of Babylon, 1595 Sack of Babylon, 1595

B.C.E.B.C.E.» Prevented Egyptian Prevented Egyptian

domination of the region domination of the region by stopping Ramesses II at by stopping Ramesses II at the Battle of Kadesh (c. the Battle of Kadesh (c. 1274 B.C.E.)1274 B.C.E.)

Minoan Crete, c. 2200-1400 Minoan Crete, c. 2200-1400 B.C.E.B.C.E.– Palace societyPalace society: centered on : centered on

independent palace complexes independent palace complexes that controlled the religious, that controlled the religious, economic, and political life of economic, and political life of their communitiestheir communities

– Mediterranean polycultureMediterranean polyculture» Integrated the cultivation of Integrated the cultivation of

grapes, olives, and graingrapes, olives, and grain

– Other cultural featuresOther cultural features» Highly specialized craftsHighly specialized crafts» Redistributive economy Redistributive economy

regulated from palace regulated from palace complexescomplexes

» Sophisticated artwork Sophisticated artwork depicting scenes of leisure and depicting scenes of leisure and sportssports

Mycenaean Greece, c. Mycenaean Greece, c. 1800-1000 B.C.E.1800-1000 B.C.E.– Earliest mainland Greek Earliest mainland Greek

culture characterized by culture characterized by independent hilltop independent hilltop fortifications that competed fortifications that competed with each other for with each other for resources and territoryresources and territory

– Redistributive economy Redistributive economy similar to that on Cretesimilar to that on Crete

– Warfare a central Warfare a central preoccupation, perhaps preoccupation, perhaps even eclipsing religioneven eclipsing religion

The Sea Peoples and Calamities of c. 1200-1000 B.C.E

Exact reasons remain unknown, but region’s political equilibrium was upset andmost centers were dramatically wiped out. In the resulting Dark Ages, most traces ofCivilization disappeared for several centuries.