Western Asia and Egypt 3500-500 BC

Chapter 2

What was the fertile crescent?

DO NOW

Section 1- Civilization Begins in Mesopotamia

Located in what is now southern Iraq

Mesopotamia- land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

Fertile Crescent- arc of land from Mediterranean to Persian Gulf Rich soil and abundant crops

Fertile due to layers of silt deposited by 2 rivers during flood

Because floods unpredictable, people learned to control river through irrigation and drainage ditches

3 main areas: Assyria, Akkad, Sumer (Sumerians)

The Fertile Crescent

Physical environment affected view of the world- thought unreliable supernatural forces controlled world

People looked to religion to answer questions

1000’s of gods/goddesses- polytheistic

Humans were supposed to serve and obey gods

Growth of Religion

Origins of Sumerian people a mystery

By 3000 BC est independent cities in southern Mesopotamia

City-States of Ancient Mesopotamia

Ziggurat at Ur- Iraq

Surrounded by walls & built of sun-dried bricks

City includedSmall peasant houses Large buildings for priests and city officials

Living in city-state gave people sense of identity

Sumerians created the arch and the dome

Sumerian Cities

Temple dedicated to chief god or goddess of city built atop ziggurat- massive stepped tower

People devoted much time and wealth to building temples and elaborate houses for priests and priestess

Temple served as center of city physically, emotionally, economically and politically Stored surplus food for distribution

Gov’t was a theocracy-divine authority b/c believed gods ruled the city Believed kings derived power from gods

Religion and Rulers

Economy based on trade and industry Made woolen textiles, pottery, metalwork

Sumerians discovered tin + copper= bronze

Bartered wool, barley, dried fish, metal goods, ect for imported copper, tin and timber

Invention of wheel (3000 BC) made transportation easier

Economy and Society

3 major social groupsNobles: royals, priestly officials and

family

Commoners: farmers, merchants, craftspeople fishers for palace and temple estates

Slaves: palace officials used in building projects- females used for weaving and grinding grain

Economy and Society cont..

What is a technological innovation our generation will be credited with?

DO NOW

Sumerians, Akkadians and Babylonians

Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia

Cuneiform: wedge-shaped style of writing Made impressions on clay using reedsDried out tablets in the sun-source of info

Scribe-key to successful careerHold most important positionsWent to school

Writing allowed society to keep recordsAlso communicate new ideas- ‘The Epic of

Gilgamesh’

Writing and Literature

Wagon wheel-transportation

Potter’s wheel-shape containers

Sundial-keep time

Number system

Geometry to measure fields

Astronomy-charted constellations

Technology

Akkadians- north of the Sumerian city-states

2340 BC Sargon, Akkadian leader, overran Sumerians and set up first empire in world history Empire: large political unit or state

2100 BC Akkadian empire fell from attacks

Akkadian & Babylonian Empires

In Babylon, Hammurabi came to power

Gained control of Sumer and Akkad- new Mesopotamian kingdom

Code of Hammurabi- strict justicePenalties severe and varied according to social classRetaliation was a fundamental part of the system

Duties of public officials very seriousOfficials who failed to solve crimes had to make

personal restitution

Code of Hammurabi

Sumer-Protection LawsBuilders held responsible for buildings

Marriage and Family- largest amount of lawsParents arranged marriages for children and

then signed marriage contract Man-dominated society Woman’s place was in the home- could be

divorced or drowned for not fulfilling duties or humiliating husband

Fathers strict with children- could be disinherited

Code of Hammurabi

Egyptian Civilization

Nile River Begins in Africa and

flows North

World’s longest river

Splits into 2 before hitting the MediterraneanNile Delta- Lower

EgyptLand to the south-

Upper Egypt

Yearly flooding was the “miracle” of the Nile Deposit of mud known as the “Black Land”

River unified- transportation and communication Fastest way to travel

Natural barriers (security)Deserts to West and East, Red Sea to East and

Mediterranean Sea to North

These factors provided sense of security and continuity

Importance of the Nile & Geography

Growth of Religion Polytheistic Two groups of gods

SunLand

Sun godSun seen as source

of life God took on

different forms and names based on role

Re

Growth of Religion cont..Land gods

Included Osiris and Isis

Osiris-symbol of resurrection/rebirth

Egypt identified with him in hopes of gaining life after death

How does wealth or social status affect lifestyle?

Do Now

Simple structure- pharaoh at the top

Upper classNobles and priests

Ruling classRan gov’t and managed their own estates ($$)

Middle classMerchants, artisans, scribes and tax collectors Middle-class homes in city were comfortable Merchants engaged in trade on Nile and internationalArtisans: stone dishes, wood furniture,

gold/silver/copper tools, papyrus paper and rope

Egyptian Society

Lower classBiggestWorked the landPaid taxes in form of cropsLive in small villages Provided military service and forced labor for building projects

Egyptian Society cont..

Married young (girls 12, boys 14) and established homes and family

Monogamy was general rule but husband could have multiple wives if first wife childless

Husband was master of house but wife well respected

Wives in charge of house and educating children

Women’s property and inherence stayed in their hands- even in marriage

Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

Careers and public offices closed to women BUT some women operated business and 4 queens became pharaohs

Parents arranged marriages for children- mainly concerned with family and propertyMain purpose of marriage was children- esp

sonsTomb paintings show close and affectionate

relationships between parents and sons and daughters

Marriages could end in divorce with compensation for the wife

Daily Life cont…

Hieroglyphics- “sacred writings” Complex- learning and writing took time and skill

Hieratic script- simplified version of hieroglyphics Simplified using dashes, strokes and curvesUsed for business transactions, record keeping and

daily life

First carved in stone then written on papyrus

Scribes Age 10 upper class boys went to school run by scribes Learned to read and write- strict and took many years

Writing and Education

Pyramids, temples and monuments show artistic and architectural achievements

Sculptors followed particular formulas in styleHuman body often portrayed profile, semi-profile and frontal

view

Advances in mathematics Calculate area and volume and geometry to survey flood land

Developed accurate calendar- 365 days based on movements of moon and stars

Embalming led to expertise in human anatomy- archeologists have discovered directions from doctors

Art and Science

New Centers of Civilization

Why are residents of a community sometimes suspicious or hostile to strangers?

DO NOW

People who domesticate animals for food and clothingMoves along regular migratory routes to

provide a steady source of nourishment for those animals

Their relations with civilized society…Viewed nomads as hostile and barbaric Traded animals and animal products for

grains/vegetables they were unable to growCarried products between civilized centers-

new technologyIf overpopulation or drought disrupted normal

patterns, often attacked cities for relief

Role of Nomadic People

One of most important nomadic people

Name refers to people who spoke a language derived from a single parent tongue (Greek, Latin, Persian, Sanskrit, Germanic)

Originated in Black Sea or Southwest Asia 2000 BC moved into Europe, India, western

Asia

Indo-Europeans

Created empire in western Asia and threatened Egyptian power

First Ind0-Europeans to use iron

Destroyed in 1200 BC by “Sea Peoples”

End of Hittites and weak Egypt left no dominant powers in western AsiaAllowed small kingdoms and city states to

emerge

Hittites (1600 BC and 1200 BC)

Lived in area of Palestine

After downfall of Egyptians and Hittites- newfound political independence helped them to expand trade Basis of their prosperity

Chief cities of Byblos, Tyre & Sidon were ports on eastern Mediterranean Produced purple dye, glass, lumber

Built ships-strong in sea tradeEventually created trade empireCharted new routes- reached Britain and west coast of

Africa

Phoenicians

Best known for their alphabet

Simplified writing by using 22 different signs to represent sounds of their speech All 22 could be used to spell out all the words

in the Phoenician languageImportant because passed on to the Greeks

Phoenicians

Phoenician Alphabet

What are pastoral nomads? How did they affect settled peoples?

How did the Phoenicians influence Americans today?

Questions

South of the Phoenicians

Minor political factor BUT religion flourished and influenced Islam and Christianity

History and beliefs written down in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)Descendants of Abraham-migrated from

Mesopotamia to CanannLifestyle based on grazing animals rather than

farming Because of drought moved to Egypt and were

enslaved until Moses led them out

Israelites

United KingdomKing David (1010-

970 BC) est control over present day Israel and made Jerusalem capital

His son, King Solomon, expanded army and encouraged trade- ancient Israel reached height of power

After death of King Solomon tension among tribes led to creation of two separate kingdoms

Kingdom of Israel-10 northern tribes, captial- Samaria

Kingdom of Judah- 2 tribes, captial- Jerusalem

Divided Kingdom

722/721 BC Assyrians overran Kingdom of Israel sending tribes to other parts of Assyrian empire “Ten lost tribes” merged with neighboring

peoples and lost identity

Chaldeans destroyed Kingdom of Judah in 586 BCCaptives sent to Babylonia Exile from their homeland is called Diaspora

Eventually Persians allowed people of Judah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild

Divided Kingdom cont…

Monotheistic

Covenant, law and prophets- 3 aspects of Jewish religious tradition

Ten Commandments

Age of Prophecy

Judaism

Why do you think a country that is good at fighting might not be good at ruling?

Do Now

Semitic- speaking people who used iron to est an empire in 700 BC

Empire included: Mesopotamia, Iran, Asia Minor, Syria, Israel, Egypt

At it’s height ruled by kings whose power seen as absolute Under leadership empire became well organized Local officials responsible to kingDeveloped efficient system of communication

(horses to carry messages- within 1 week)

Assyrian Empire

Strong at conquering- developed effective military leaders and fighters

Army was large, well organized & disciplined

LayoutInfantrymen at coreCavalrymen and war chariots used to shoot

arrows Equipped with iron weapons

Assyrian Empire cont…

Variety of tactics Guerrilla warfare in mountainsBattles on open groundLay siege to cities (battering rams & siege towers)-

tunnel under

Terror used as part of warfare Smashed dams Looted & destroyed townsSet crops on fire Cut down trees (fruit)Poor treatment of prisoners

Empire fell in 612 BC to Chaldeans and Meads

Assyrian Empire cont..

After collapse of Assyrian Empire the Chaldean king Nebuchadnezzar II made Babylonia leading state

Persians: Indo-Europeans from southwest Iran

Nomadic but unified under Cyrus (559-539 BC)“Cyrus the Great”Demonstrated wisdom, compassion and

organization Respect for other civilizations (Jews)

Persian Empire

Darius (521-486 BC) added western India, part of Europe and Greece to empire

Divided gov’t into 20 provinces (satrapies)Governor (satrap) ruled each province: collected taxes,

provided justice, recruited soldiers

Communication system Well-maintained roads dotted with stations for food &

shelter

Empire’s power depended on military Standing army of soldiers from all over kingdom Core was elite infantry force- “Immortals” (member killed,

immediately replaced)

Persian Empire cont..

After Darius- Persian kings isolated at their courts Kings increased taxes & loyalty to

empire declinedWeakened monarchy

Polygamous kings had many wivesSons had little power and all trying to

gain throne Weakened empire and led to conquest

by Alexander the Great in 330s BC

Fall of Persian Empire