Ancient Middle EastAncient Middle East

• Civilizations developed in river Civilizations developed in river valleys because they provided:valleys because they provided:– Resources (water, fertile soil)Resources (water, fertile soil)– Transportation to support tradeTransportation to support trade– Sustainable food supplySustainable food supply

Fertile CrescentFertile CrescentMediterranean to Persian Mediterranean to Persian

GulfGulf• MesopotamiaMesopotamia

- Means: “- Means: “Land Land between the riversbetween the rivers””

• TigrisTigris and and Euphrates Euphrates flow through regionflow through region

sometimes these sometimes these rivers flood and leave rivers flood and leave behind behind siltsilt after water after water goes downgoes down Silt: rich soilSilt: rich soil

Sumerians Civilization – 3000 Sumerians Civilization – 3000 B.C.B.C.

• What is a city-state?What is a city-state?

A A citycity and surrounding and surrounding lands with it’s own lands with it’s own rulerruler

Much like a modern Much like a modern day countryday country

Examples: Eridu, Examples: Eridu, UrukUruk, Umma, , Umma, UrUr

PriestsPriests

• Controlled Controlled government

• Acted as go-between with with godsgods

• Managed irrigation Managed irrigation system – system – demanded demanded cropscrops as taxes as taxes

ZigguratZiggurat

• ReligiousReligious center center

• City HallCity Hall

• ““Mountain of GodMountain of God””

• Center Center of all citiesof all cities

• Conduct rituals at the Conduct rituals at the top top of the zigguratof the ziggurat

Ziggurat at UrZiggurat at Ur

MonarchsMonarchs

• Time of war Time of war a a strong man strong man took took overover

• Gave back power Gave back power after warafter war

Monarchs to DynastyMonarchs to Dynasty

• Military leaders Military leaders became full rulersbecame full rulers

• Rulers passed on Rulers passed on power to sonspower to sons– This establishes a This establishes a

dynastydynasty

Cultural DiffusionCultural Diffusion

• Sumerian Sumerian foodfood surplus leads to surplus leads to long distance tradelong distance trade

• This leads to the This leads to the spread of ideas spread of ideas and productsand products from one culture to from one culture to anotheranother

Polytheism and Sumerian Polytheism and Sumerian GodsGods

• Belief in many GodsBelief in many Gods

- almost 3000 god & - almost 3000 god & goddessesgoddesses

- controlled forces of - controlled forces of naturenature

• Had Had humanhuman qualities qualities

• Immortal and all Immortal and all powerfulpowerful

• Most powerful god Most powerful god was was EnlilEnlil clouds clouds and air and air

Sumerian and their GodsSumerian and their Gods

• Lowest of all Gods Lowest of all Gods were were UdugsUdugs– Cause disease and Cause disease and

misfortunemisfortune

• Humans were Humans were god’s god’s servantsservants– Offered Offered sacrificessacrifices

to keep Gods happyto keep Gods happy

InnovationsInnovations• Wheel, Wheel, PlowPlow, Sail , Sail • CuneiformCuneiform: earliest : earliest

form of writingform of writing - 2300 B.C.- 2300 B.C. - - GilgameshGilgamesh: world’s : world’s

oldest epic poemoldest epic poem• astronomy, astronomy,

chemistrychemistry, medicine, medicine• Architectural Architectural

innovationsinnovations - - arches, columns, arches, columns, zigguratziggurat

Cuneiform TabletCuneiform Tablet

First Mesopotamian EmpiresFirst Mesopotamian Empires

• SargonSargon conquered most conquered most of the Fertile Crescentof the Fertile Crescent

- He was an - He was an AkkadianAkkadian

• Adopted Adopted Sumerian Sumerian cultureculture

• Established Established firstfirst empireempire– Brings together Brings together

people under 1 rulerpeople under 1 ruler

Babylonian EmpireBabylonian Empire

• AmoritesAmorites conquer conquer Sumerians in 2000 B.C.Sumerians in 2000 B.C.

• Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s Code

- 1792-1750 B.C.- 1792-1750 B.C.

- collection of - collection of 282282 laws laws

- Applied to everyone- Applied to everyone

- - EyeEye for an for an eyeeye

- Patriarchal: - Patriarchal: dominated by mendominated by men, , women had few rights women had few rights

Hittites Hittites (2000-1200 B. C.)(2000-1200 B. C.)

• Empire in Western Empire in Western AsiaAsia (modern day Turkey) (modern day Turkey)

• IronIron weapons and weapons and chariotschariots• First people to make use First people to make use

of ironof iron• Conquered Babylon 1595 B. C.Conquered Babylon 1595 B. C.• Borrowed Borrowed MesopotamianMesopotamian

culturecultureFell to unknown group described as Fell to unknown group described as ““Sea Peoples”Sea Peoples”

Phoenicians Phoenicians 3000 B. C.3000 B. C.

• LebanonLebanon

• Purple dye, glass, lumberPurple dye, glass, lumber

• Alphabet; maritime tradeAlphabet; maritime trade

• Established colonies for tradeEstablished colonies for trade

• Established Carthage Established Carthage and cities of Byblos, Tyre, and cities of Byblos, Tyre, SidonSidon

IsraelitesIsraelites1500-722 B. C.1500-722 B. C.

• Lived to the south of Lived to the south of the the

PhoeniciansPhoenicians

• MONOTHEISTICMONOTHEISTIC – – worshiped ONE godworshiped ONE god– Practiced Practiced JudaismJudaism

• Hebrew writingsHebrew writings– TorahTorah

AbrahamAbraham

• Abandoned polytheism ->Covenant with Abandoned polytheism ->Covenant with God God

(Promised Land)(Promised Land)

• Traveled to Traveled to CanaanCanaan

• 12 sons of Jacob-12 12 sons of Jacob-12 tribestribes of Israel of Israel

Captivity in Egypt and the Captivity in Egypt and the ExodusExodus

• Left Canaan and traveled Left Canaan and traveled to Egyptto Egypt

• Enslaved by EgyptiansEnslaved by Egyptians• MosesMoses

– Mt. SinaiMt. Sinai– Ten CommandmentsTen Commandments

• ExodusExodus-journey out -journey out of Egyptof Egypt– PassoverPassover

Kingdom of IsraelKingdom of Israel

• Original government divided by Original government divided by tribestribes and ruled and ruled by by judgesjudges

• SaulSaul-first king; not well supported -first king; not well supported

by the peopleby the people

• DavidDavid-well-liked; strong military; -well-liked; strong military;

JerusalemJerusalem

• SolomonSolomon-ruled during height; -ruled during height;

expanded trade; temple in Jerusalemexpanded trade; temple in Jerusalem

DeclineDecline

• Israel divided Israel divided

((Israel and JudahIsrael and Judah))

• Fell to the Assyrians Fell to the Assyrians

(722 B. C.)(722 B. C.)

• Eventually enslaved by Eventually enslaved by

Chaldeans (586); known as Chaldeans (586); known as

BabylonianBabylonian Captivity Captivity

• Diaspora – Jews migrated to other Diaspora – Jews migrated to other

areas of the Mediterranean regionareas of the Mediterranean region

AssyriansAssyrians900 B. C.900 B. C.

• NinevehNineveh• Conquered Egypt, Conquered Egypt,

Mesopotamia, E. Asia MinorMesopotamia, E. Asia Minor• Powerful military-chariots, Powerful military-chariots,

foot soldiers, cavalry, iron weapons, foot soldiers, cavalry, iron weapons, terrorism, cruelterrorism, cruel

• System of roads; messengersSystem of roads; messengers• LibraryLibrary• Conquered by Chaldeans (612 B. C.)Conquered by Chaldeans (612 B. C.)