MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATION IN ASIA

MESOPOTAMIA

Derived from the Greek words “meso” which means “between” and “potamos” or “river”.

“Land between two rivers”“The Fertile Crescent”“The Cradle of History”

SUMERIANS (3000-2340 B.C.E) “The first builders of civilization”ACTIVITIES OF THE SUMERIANS; Hunting Planting Making dams, dikes, and canals Domistication of animalsCUNEIFORM System of writing Came from the Latin words “cuneus”

meaning “wedge-shaped” and “forma”, “form”

SUMER “The southern part of Mesopotamia” Composed of 12 city-states and

headed by “Lugal” or “priest-king”Some well-known city-states in sumer; - Eridu - Kish - Lagash - Uruk - Ur - Nippur.

ZIGGURATS Temple-like structures;home and

temple of the Gods

LEGACY OF SUMERIANS

Cuneiform Plow and wheel Built first cities, school, and temples

(Ziggurats) Cartography, astronomy, and mathematics Nippur (the oldest map in the world, the

map of Nippur) Mixed copper and tin and made bronze Different weapons in war made from

bronze Water Clock

AKKADIAN EMPIRE (2340-2100 B.C.E)

“World’s first empire”AKKAD- city-state in a region north of

Sumer- Founded by Sargon I Next rulers of Akkadian Empire;- Naram-Sin- Ur-Nammu- Ibbi-Su

BABYLONIANS (1792-1595 B.C.E) SUMUABUM- invaded

mesopotamia and established the kingdom of Babylonia

BABYLON- capital of Babylonian Empire

HAMMURABI - descendant of Sumuabum,and

great leader of Babylon - “Lawgiver of Babylonia”

SOCIAL CLASSES;

The Nobles (king, aristocrat, priest and rich

landlords) The Freemen (farmers, merchants,

soldiers, and artisans) The Slaves FARMING- chief industry of ancient

Babylonians Has 65,000 Gods and did not

believe in heaven,hell and purgatory

LEGACY OF BABYLONIANS Hammurabi Code (285 laws) Ziggurat Epic of Gilgamesh Sexagesimal system of

calculation by sixties Divided the circle into 360

degrees or 60s Divided the hour into 60

minutes and each minutes into 60 seconds

12 Zodiac signs

ASSYRIANS (1813-605 B.C.E)

ASHUR- capital of Assyria Shamshi-Adad I- established the

capital Tiglath-Pileser I- founder of

Assyrian Empire OTHER GREAT LEADERS; Ashurnasirpal II (important leader

that time) Tiglath-Pileser III (greatest

Assyrian emperor) Sennacherib Esarhaddon Ashurbanipal

CHALDEANS (612-539 B.C.E) “New or second Babylonian Empire” Nabopolassar-established the new

empire of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar- son of Nabopolassar-Great leader of Chaldean Empire LEGACY; Hanging Garden of Babylon ( Seven

Wonders of the Ancient World) Tower of Babel

PERSIANS (539-330 B.C.E) CYRUS THE GREAT AND DARIUS THE GREAT- Great leaders of PersiaSATRAPIES- division of provinces in the

Persian Empire and headed by a governor (satrap)

ZOROASTRIANISM- Religion of perians- Founded by Zoroaster or Zarathushtra- “Believe that life is a constant struggle

between good and evil.AHURA MAZDA- God representing good sideAHRIMAN- the evil one

MEDITERRANEANS LEGACY;Hittites- used iron in making weapons

Lydians- used coin in tradingPhoenicians- developed a modern system of writing “phoenetic alphabet”

Hebrew- embraced Judaism and began to practice “monotheism”