The River CivilizationsMesopotamia, 2800 – 539 BCE

The Importance of RiversThe most successful (i.e. long-lasting,

powerful, wealthy) early cultures were born near major riversNileYellowIndusTigris / Euphrates

Access to water, fertile land, and a good climate provided stability, allowing the people to focus their energies in other directions

Mesopotamia - The First “Civilization”Rose in the Fertile Crescent, between the

Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the same region as the oldest cities

This is not a single, continuous empire, but a series of groups who rose to dominance.

Very influential on concurrent and later cultures.

The Sumerians – 2800-2370 BCEThe region was dominated by a series of city-

states, each controlling approximately 100 square miles

Main ones were Uruk, Ur, Lagash, and EriduThese cities fought over water rights and

borders, with stronger ones conquering weaker ones and absorbing their territoryThis expansion led to the development of

kingdoms

Written with a wedge-shaped stylus into a slab of clay; later inscribed in stone or painted.

First civilization to develop writing

Cuneiform – started as pictographs, then simplified over timeThis concept was exported to

Egypt, Greece, and other nearby groups

Initially for record-keeping, so only nouns, numbers

Later evolved to abstract thoughts, all features of language as we know it

Also invented the wheel during this period

Why does the invention of writing change everything?

Social OrderThe city-states were ruled by Kings, who were

believed to be divinely appointedChief administrator, law-giver, judge, and soldierThe entire apparatus of government was believed

to have been created by the godsKing and nobility owned most of the land

Free clients – men and women who worked for the nobility in exchange for use of land

Commoners – free citizens who owned landCraftsmen, merchants, traders, administrators of

legal and tax systemSlaves

The Akkadians - 2334 or 2270-2193 BCEUnder a series of kings, the city-state of

Akkad began to grow in wealth and powerThe region conquered completely by King

Sargon, in either 2334 or 2270 BCEHe had been cupbearer to the previous king,

Ur-Zababa of Kish. He killed the king, usurped the throne, and then conquered all of Mesopotamia

In official versions of the story, his seizure of the throne was divinely ordained

Rule may have been cruel; his dynasty was short-lived.

As Sargon conquered other city-states, he installed Akkadian governors to rule, instead of native Sumerians

Respected religious traditions, even installing himself as head priest of Anu, a sky-god

Language of the empire became Akkadian

First known ruler to keep a standing army

More TurmoilFor the next 200 years, different groups, both

from within and without Mesopotamia vied for power

2125 BCE – Ur rose to dominance, with rulers extending its borders; like the Akkadians, this power was brief

2004 BCE – Elamites sacked Ur

Amorites – Babylon – 2000-1595 BCEThe Amorites were a people from West of the

EuphratesOverthrew a series of Akkadian kings,

eventually establishing power over all of Mesopotamia

Ruled out of the city of Babylon, thus also called the Old Babylonian dynasty

They kept the Sumerian language and writing for religious purposes, but spoke a Semitic dialect in everyday use

Freed citizens from forced labour

Freed up royal land for use by the people

Changed the economy by encouraging merchants and larger trade systems, and lowering or eliminating taxes

Culturally and religiously, the region kept the older traditions

Established a clear code of law

Hammurabi – ruled 1792-1750 BCEHe ascended the throne of

Babylon in 1792 BCE and immediately established it as the leading city of the region

Is responsible for the Code of Hammurabi, the one of the oldest known written legal codes.Code was said to be divinely

inspiredSet down consequences for

breaking the law, with consequences changing with rank

Assyria – 911-605 BCEThe Assyrian kingdoms,

north of Babylon, were ruled by Assyrian monarchs as vassals to Babylon under Hammurabi, but his successors quickly lost power

In the period of turmoil with the conquering of Babylon by the Hittites, the Assyrians managed to remain independent and fairly strong, while most of Mesopotamia experienced turmoil

Beginning in 911 BCE, the Assyrian kings waged a series of campaigns to conquer their neighboring states.

Assurnasirpal II (883-859 BCE)led his army to reunite Mesopotamia, building heavily fortified towns, but also collecting samples of plants for gardens in the capital

His successors would continue the expansion of the empire

Under the Assyrians, the kings were also the chief priests

This period saw a new resurgence of art, culture, and wealth, with vast trade routes

Overextended themselves, and could not control their empire

Babylon regained power briefly in 605, but the entire region fell to the Persians in 539 BCE