III. SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION

AND

IV. OTHER CIVILIZATIONS OF MESOPOTAMIA

SECTION 3:OBJECTIVES• Explore how geography affected the

development of the Sumerian civilization

• Identify the achievements of the Sumerian people

• Describe what life was like in Sumerian society

• Sumer 1st city

of the Fertile

Crescent• Modern day Iraq • Constant invasions• Protection

– Flooding unpredictable – Surrounded by dry land and

mountains

Sumerian Civilization

Physical Area

“Crossroads of the World”

land routes to Africa,

Asia and Europe Few natural barriers

• Deserts – Arabian / Syrian • Lots of invasions

Diverse people

• Mesopotamia

“Land between two rivers” Greek

Floods unpredictable Lower Mesopotamia

droughts Dikes and canals Advanced Trade

Government: City–State

• By 3000 B. C. – independent city-states

• City–State: a large town or city and the surrounding countryside cooperate for mutual defense.

•Basic unit of Sumerian civilization

City-State– Built strong defense walls

•farmers took refuge there during attacks

•Uruk – about 1000 acres encircled by a wall six miles long

– Stored food in case of invasion

City-State

Each city worshipped its own gods and goddesses•dependent on special god for food and protection

•2/3 of harvest went to Temple Ziggurat

•random floods – people scared kept worshipping

•priests ruled

Sumerian Religion

– Ziggurat – the home or temple dedicated to the chief god or goddess of the city-state

Gods were cruelPyramid shapedGods owned the citiesPhysical, economic and

political center of the city Theocracy (eventually kings)

Sumerian Religion

• Sumerian religion provided value structure

•Strong belief in life after death

•Shadowy underworld•Each person had a

"Ghost" •Guardian angel

Sumerian WritingGenerally regarded as the first written language. "Cuneiform“-wedge-like shape system of writing.

Pictograms clay tabletswedged shaped stylus Sir Henry Rawlinson deciphered writing

Inscriptions - cliff at Behistun – (Iran)

Sumerian Writing

– Record keeping– Teaching purposes– Scribe schools – Scribal education

professionally trained scribes • Temples and palaces, the

military, and government services

• For Male and wealthy families

Achievements of Sumerians Wheel - 3700 BC.

Math system - number 60 60 second minute, 60 minute hour, 360

degree circle Architecture

Arches and columns Clay for bricks

Algebra and geometry Astronomy – charted constellations

AkkadiansAkkadians2330 BC – Mesopotamia –

AkkadSargon – Ruler – most

powerful Akkadian KingCreated an empire that

Reached MediterraneanLasted about 150 yrs

Couldn’t preserve empireBack to independent city-

states

2330 BC – Mesopotamia – Akkad

Sargon – Ruler – most powerful Akkadian KingCreated an empire that

Reached MediterraneanLasted about 150 yrs

Couldn’t preserve empireBack to independent city-

states

Babylonians- 1792 –1600 BC

Babylonians- 1792 –1600 BC Iraq“Babylonian Empire”

centuries of foreign domination

Babylon capitalThe first Babylonian

EmpireHammurabi 1st Ruler 1830 BC - first dynasty

of Babylon High point under

Hammurabi Empire - Persian Gulf

to the Mediterranean Sea

Iraq“Babylonian Empire”

centuries of foreign domination

Babylon capitalThe first Babylonian

EmpireHammurabi 1st Ruler 1830 BC - first dynasty

of Babylon High point under

Hammurabi Empire - Persian Gulf

to the Mediterranean Sea

Hammurabi - king and chief priest first written legal code 282 laws - trade, family,

labor, real estate and personal property

“Eye for Eye”, “Tooth for Tooth” approach

Established state as authority to enforce laws

connection with religion

Hammurabi - king and chief priest first written legal code 282 laws - trade, family,

labor, real estate and personal property

“Eye for Eye”, “Tooth for Tooth” approach

Established state as authority to enforce laws

connection with religion

HittitesHittites

1531 BC- 1200 BC1531 - Hittite army

stormed Babylon destroyed the cityUsed Iron weapons

Great warriors / lawmakers less brutal code of

law

1531 BC- 1200 BC1531 - Hittite army

stormed Babylon destroyed the cityUsed Iron weapons

Great warriors / lawmakers less brutal code of

law

AssyriansAssyrians

1200 BC. – about 900 BCOne of the most brutal powersMost skilled warriorsDisciplined army – used iron

weapons, cavalry, iron-tipped battering rams. Kill enemies on the spot CavalryHeight of power –

Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, Nile River Valley

1200 BC. – about 900 BCOne of the most brutal powersMost skilled warriorsDisciplined army – used iron

weapons, cavalry, iron-tipped battering rams. Kill enemies on the spot CavalryHeight of power –

Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, Nile River Valley

ASSYRIANS

Capital – Nineveh (NIN*uh*vuh)1st great library 22,000 tabletsEpic of Gilgamesh

written in cuneiform 12 clay tablets about 2000

BC. 1850 - British archaeologists

excavated King Assurbanipal’s library

1872 - museum researcher George Smith translated

ASSYRIANS

Capital – Nineveh (NIN*uh*vuh)1st great library 22,000 tabletsEpic of Gilgamesh

written in cuneiform 12 clay tablets about 2000

BC. 1850 - British archaeologists

excavated King Assurbanipal’s library

1872 - museum researcher George Smith translated

Smith could not finish the translation tablet was missing.

The London Daily Telegraph

Smith searched ancient library until he found the missing tablet

Smith could not finish the translation tablet was missing.

The London Daily Telegraph

Smith searched ancient library until he found the missing tablet

ChaldeansChaldeansDefeated Assyrians

Nebuchadnezzar II – Conquered most of the Fertile Crescent

Babylon – rebuilt – 605-562 BC

Became large and wealthy

Kings palace included beautiful terraced gardens

Hanging Gardens of

Babylon

Seven Wonders

of the World

PersiansPersians558 BC - Cyrus the Great Defeated the Medes

In 546 BC – led army defeated the Lydians

Cyrus the Great – founded the Persian EmpireUnified 2 Iranian tribes – the Medes and

PersiansLater captured Babylon

Issued a declaration upon capturing Inscribed clay barrel Cyrus Cylinder

Contains accounts of his victories, merciful acts, royal lineage

558 BC - Cyrus the Great Defeated the Medes

In 546 BC – led army defeated the Lydians

Cyrus the Great – founded the Persian EmpireUnified 2 Iranian tribes – the Medes and

PersiansLater captured Babylon

Issued a declaration upon capturing Inscribed clay barrel Cyrus Cylinder

Contains accounts of his victories, merciful acts, royal lineage

Darius I – son of Cyrus extended the borders. conquered Egypt in 518 BC Athens and Sparta too powerful

The Persians governed through regional satraps, or governors. Persepolis – Capital

sent out “listeners” (known sometimes as “the king's eyes and ears”) to check on regional conditions.

Cities connected by “royal roads” horsemen sped with messages from the capital.

Darius I – son of Cyrus extended the borders. conquered Egypt in 518 BC Athens and Sparta too powerful

The Persians governed through regional satraps, or governors. Persepolis – Capital

sent out “listeners” (known sometimes as “the king's eyes and ears”) to check on regional conditions.

Cities connected by “royal roads” horsemen sped with messages from the capital.

Persian ReligionZoroaster (628-551), or Zarathushtra,

a religious prophetZoroastrianism

Taught that on Earth people received training for a future lifein the world the forces of good

and evil battle one another people must choose

Choose good rewarded with eternal blessings

Choose evil would face punishment

Persian ReligionZoroaster (628-551), or Zarathushtra,

a religious prophetZoroastrianism

Taught that on Earth people received training for a future lifein the world the forces of good

and evil battle one another people must choose

Choose good rewarded with eternal blessings

Choose evil would face punishment

The Persians at first practiced religious tolerance - religious leaders revolted within the empire. Egypt broke away from the

empire and was regained with difficulty.

Palestine revolted, as did Babylon and some of the Greek dependencies.

These problems had weakened Persia by the time man named Alexander became king of Macedon in Greece.

He conquered the Persian Empire.

The Persians at first practiced religious tolerance - religious leaders revolted within the empire. Egypt broke away from the

empire and was regained with difficulty.

Palestine revolted, as did Babylon and some of the Greek dependencies.

These problems had weakened Persia by the time man named Alexander became king of Macedon in Greece.

He conquered the Persian Empire.

PhoeniciansPhoenicians

NOT an empireModern day Israel, Syria, and

LebanonLoose union of city-states with

independent kingsTraded via the sea

NOT an empireModern day Israel, Syria, and

LebanonLoose union of city-states with

independent kingsTraded via the sea

Phoenician TradePhoenician Trade

Skilled sailorsCarthage (N. Africa) becomes

regional powerLumber, gold, silver, glass-blowing,

purple dye

Skilled sailorsCarthage (N. Africa) becomes

regional powerLumber, gold, silver, glass-blowing,

purple dye

Phoenician CulturePhoenician Culture

Extreme ReligionSometimes human sacrifices

AlphabetLeads to Greek Alphabet, which leads

to Roman (modern) alphabet

Extreme ReligionSometimes human sacrifices

AlphabetLeads to Greek Alphabet, which leads

to Roman (modern) alphabet

LydiansLydians

NOT an empire either!

Coined moneyMoney Economy replaced Barter

EconomyCoins made of mixture of gold and

silver

NOT an empire either!

Coined moneyMoney Economy replaced Barter

EconomyCoins made of mixture of gold and

silver