Babylon or The Sumerian Civilization

► Around 3500 B.C., The Sumerians settled in the lower part of the Tigris-Euphrates river valley (now Iraq and Syria)

► By 3000 B.C. they had formed 12 city-states in the valley.

► The population of each city-state ranged from 20,000 to 250,000

Remains of monumental building at Ur

Sumerian Government and Men and Women roles

►Each sumerian city-state governed itself independently of the others.

►By 2700 B.C. the leaders of most city-states ruled as kings. (they served as military leader and highest priest or deity)

►Men exercised great authority over women and children (they could sell women and children if needed)

►Women could buy and sell property and operate their own businesses and own and sell slaves.

Economy and Writing

► The economy was based mainly on commerce and trade, but they were good producers of grains and clothes.

► To prepare documents and keep accounts they developed the cuneiform writing system, the oldest in the world (3100 B.C.)

► To learn this system they had to study for many years at ‘eddubas’

RELIGION►The Sumerian as

the Egyptians practiced a polytheistic religion.

►Each deity presided over a specific natural force or a human activity.

►Ex. An, responsible for the seasons, Enlil winds and agriculture Marduk and his dragon, from a Babylonian cilinder

Sumerian inventions► They invented the wagon wheel.► The arch to build sturdier buildings.► The potter’s wheel to shape containers.► Sundial to keep time.► A 12 month calendar based on cycles of the moon.

Early chariots on the standard of Ur, 2600 B.C.

Mesopotamian Empires►1. Sargon I. Around 2300 B.C. The

Akkadians united all the city-states in one empire.

►2. Hammurabi’s Babylonian EmpyreThe Amorites overran many Sumerian centers,

including Babylon. The dynasty they founded at Babylon later produce a ruler who dominate Mesopotamia: Hamurabi. Under Hamurabi’s rule, Babylon became a major trade center. After Hamurabi’s death the Babylonian empire declined.

* The Hamurabi’s Law Code: A collection of laws from the various Mesopotamian city-states, dealed with most aspects of daily life.