Chapter 2 Section 3 & 4 Sumerian Civilization & Empires of the Fertile Crescent

Chapter 2Section 3 & 4

Sumerian Civilization

&

Empires of the Fertile Crescent

The Fertile Crescent• Fertile Crescent

• b/w Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf

• b/w Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

• Map pg 28

Sumer

• Lowest part of Tigris-Euphrates Valley

• Rich soil

• Sumerians used metal as early as 3000 B.C

Sumerian City-States

• City-State= Land of city and surroundings controlled just by its own city

• Ur, Erech, & Kish had thousands of residents

• Seldom united

• Priests started out as rulers

• Warlords took over as kings as there was a need for control in city-states

Sumerian Writing

• Earliest written language

• No paper & Carved into clay

• Cuneiform- Sumerian writing consisted of over 600 symbols all in wedge form

Sumerian Engineering

• Built with sun dried bricks made of mud and straw

• Sumerians biggest contribution in engineering= The ARCH

• Arch= Curved structure with an opening

Continued

• Ziggurats- Sumerian Temples

– Layered buildings each layer getting smaller to the top

Numbering and Math

• Everything in multiples of 60

• Big numbers example 120 would be two 60’s

• Circle 360 degrees = six 60’s

• Time- hour= 60 minutes

–Minute= 60 seconds

• Had a Lunar Calendar

Education & Religion

• Polytheistic (believed in many gods)

• Only Upper class boys went to school to be educated

Empires Of the Fertile Crescent

• Lack of unity of the Sumerian City-States made them vulnerable to attack and take over

Akkadians

• Akkadians conquered Sumerians Around 2330 B.C.

• Came from Just north of Sumer in Mesopotamia

• Sargon- most powerful Akkadian King

• Expanded Empire to Mediterranean Sea

• Akkadian Empire Lasted 100 years

Babylonians

• Took over Fertile Crescent 1792 B.C.• Hammurabi Powerful Babylonian Leader• Developed the Code of Hammurabi

– 282 laws– Covered many rights such as working

conditions, wages, and fees for charges– Judges appointed by the king enforced

these laws– Most punishments for laws breakers

were “eye for an eye,” ruling

Babylonian Social classes/religion

• Same social class break as the Sumerians

• Marriages- were arranged from parents

• Husband of the marriage had control– Man head of household – Only the man could get a divorce

• Code of Hammurabi still protected women as well as men for fair treatment

• Polytheistic- Adopted Sumerian religion

Hittites

• Very Warlike

• Good Fighters

• First to make & use iron weapons

• Ruled in1600 B.C.

• Rule short lived too far from home

Assyrians

• Great conquers

• Ruled Fertile Crescent around 900 B.C.

• Ruled over Syria, Babylonia, and Egypt

• First to have a major cavalry (units of soldiers on horseback)

Assyrian Government

• Emperor/King had absolute power

• Each conquered Territory had an Appointed Governor Appointed by King

• King made inspections

• Army most important part of government

• Soldiers gained wealth from the lands they conquered

Assyrian Greatness

• Capital Nineveh

• Very fortified

• Had aqueducts

• Large Libraries were built in the city, Compilation of many Clay tablets

• Great Epic (Epic of Gilgamesh)

Chaldeans

• Ruled by Nebuchadnezzar 605-562 B.C.– Rebuilt City of Babylon – Very Strong Leader (heart and soul of

Chaldean Empire)– Made the Hanging Gardens (One of the seven

wonders of the world)

• After Nebuchadnezzar’s death Chaldean Empire Fell to the Persians)

Persians

• Conquered Babylon & Chaldeans in 539 B.C.

• Early kings very powerful

• Established and Expanded the biggest empire in history to this point.

• Kings all powerful– Great leaders and generals

Great Persian Kings

• Cyrus- took over rule in Iran– Conquered Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar– Greatly expanded the empire– Took control of all of the Fertile Crescent

• Darius- Second Persian Emperor – Greatly expanded the empire more than just

Fertile Crescent– Gained control of parts of Greece

Continued

• Xerxes-Third great Persian Emperor– Expanded the empire even more

• All Persian emperors had a good sense of justice and treated their conquered territories better than previous empires

• Starting with Cyrus territories were allowed to keep their own religion and laws

Persian Religion

• Persians=new form of religion from influential profit (Zoroaster)

• Zoroastrianism- Belief that every person on earth had a choice– To do good in the world– Or to do evil – Life on earth was training for a better life– Good will triumph over evil in the end

Fall of Persian Empire

• After Xerxes= Weaker Leadership

• Finally taken over by Alexander the Great

Quiz

• 1. What are the two major rivers in the Fertile Crescent?• 2. What architectural advancements did the Sumerians

give us?• 3. Define a city state• 4. Define Polytheism• 5. What was the First Empire to use Iron Weapons?• 6. What Empire used the first cavalry?• 7. Who built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon for his

wife?• 8. Name the three great Persian Kings.• 9. Who takes over Persia?