Reading Check

1. What does Mesopotamia literally mean?

2. Where is it located geographically?

3. What Mesopotamian civilization did you read about last week? (Hint—S.)

4. Tell me one thing you learned about that civilization.

5. Name two of the other three empires you read about. (Hint—A, B, P)

Fertile Crescent Fertile Crescent EmpiresEmpires

Babylon, Assyria, &

Persia

Babylonian EmpireBabylonian Empire

Started as city by the Euphrates River in 1900 BCE

Babylon--capital of Babylonian Empire

Under King Hammurabi conquered all of the surrounding cities (including Sumer) to make it the Fertile Crescent’s 1st united empire in 1787 BCE.

Empire-- an area of many territories and peoples that is controlled by one government

Started as city by the Euphrates River in 1900 BCE

Babylon--capital of Babylonian Empire

Under King Hammurabi conquered all of the surrounding cities (including Sumer) to make it the Fertile Crescent’s 1st united empire in 1787 BCE.

Empire-- an area of many territories and peoples that is controlled by one government

Babylonian CultureBabylonian CultureBabylonian CultureBabylonian Culture

Very similar to Sumerian culture

Adopted their religion, literature, inventions, & practices

Became wealthy via trade & agriculture

Trade required them to build roads & bazaars

bazaar--outdoor market place for trading goods

caravan--a group of travelers (Why travel together?)

Babylonian Accomplishments

Babylonian Accomplishments

Hammurabi’s Code--first known, written set of laws, created by King of Babylon during his reign (1792-1750)

Created a useful system of mathematics & astronomy

Math based on numbers from 1-60

Does this sound familiar?

Allowed them to calculate areas of geometric shapes

Why would this be important for building an empire?

Hammurabi’s Code--first known, written set of laws, created by King of Babylon during his reign (1792-1750)

Created a useful system of mathematics & astronomy

Math based on numbers from 1-60

Does this sound familiar?

Allowed them to calculate areas of geometric shapes

Why would this be important for building an empire?

The End of BabylonThe End of Babylon

•All their wealth couldn’t save them from conquest…

•They fell to another, growing empire in 1500 BCE.

The Assyrian EmpireThe Assyrian Empire

•Civilization on upper Tigris River in an open plain•Capital—Nineveh•Frequently attacked by invaders•Developed standing army (soldiers who serve in military as their primary job)•By 1365 BCE decided that best defense was a good offense!•They started creating their own empire!

The Assyrian ArmyThe Assyrian Army

•Fierce & cruel warriors•Weapons made of iron (rather than copper or bronze)•Created forts & government to administer conquered cities•First mail service to communicate between cities in empire•Other Advancements:•Trained Horses & Chariots•Archers & Stone Slings•Battering Rams

The Softer Side of the Assyrians

They created a great library with clay tablets from Sumer & Babylon.

Biggest=Best?Biggest=Best?

By 650 BCE, Empire stretched from The Nile River to the Persian Gulf! (See map on p. 39 in textbook.)

Captured enemies (murdering or enslaving them), plundered & looted cities, & demanded taxes (tributes) from the vanquished.

The Assyrians were widely hated.

Several revolt attempts

Medes & Chaldeans overthrew them in 612 BCE.

By 650 BCE, Empire stretched from The Nile River to the Persian Gulf! (See map on p. 39 in textbook.)

Captured enemies (murdering or enslaving them), plundered & looted cities, & demanded taxes (tributes) from the vanquished.

The Assyrians were widely hated.

Several revolt attempts

Medes & Chaldeans overthrew them in 612 BCE.

Babylon’s Back, Baby!Babylon’s Back, Baby!

What city rose out of the ashes of Nineveh?

The Chaldeans made the city of Babylon their new capital.

This time around their most important king was Nebuchadnezzar II

Ruled from 605-562 BCE

Babylon grew strong under him

What city rose out of the ashes of Nineveh?

The Chaldeans made the city of Babylon their new capital.

This time around their most important king was Nebuchadnezzar II

Ruled from 605-562 BCE

Babylon grew strong under him

More Babylonian AccomplishmentsMore Babylonian Accomplishments

Center of Math & Science

Astronomy so accurate could calculate length of year to within minutes of modern methods!

Started domesticating honey bees (Why?)

Center of Math & Science

Astronomy so accurate could calculate length of year to within minutes of modern methods!

Started domesticating honey bees (Why?)

Reasons to Remember Babylon:

Reasons to Remember Babylon:

Huge wall surrounding the city

Beautifully decorated

Towers for guards

4-Horse Chariot-wide

Famous Gate of Ishtar

Reasons to Remember Babylon:

Reasons to Remember Babylon:

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Built by Nebuchadnezzar

Beautifully decorated

Roof-top tropical gardens

In the middle of the desert

1 of 7 Wonders of the Ancient World

Why? Let’s find out...

This Time Babylon Falls & Stays Down

This Time Babylon Falls & Stays Down

•Nebuchadnezzar is succeeded by his son in 562 BCE, but he’s assassinated just three years later.•Within a few years, new empire invades

The Persian EmpireThe Persian Empire(539-330 BCE)(539-330 BCE)

The Persian EmpireThe Persian Empire

Located east of Fertile Crescent (modern-day Iran & Afghanistan)

People were Indo-Europeans called Aryans (source of Iran’s name)

Started in 550 BCE by Persian province ruler named Cyrus the Great (550-330 BCE)

United Medes & Persians into a strong army and later a kingdom

Located east of Fertile Crescent (modern-day Iran & Afghanistan)

People were Indo-Europeans called Aryans (source of Iran’s name)

Started in 550 BCE by Persian province ruler named Cyrus the Great (550-330 BCE)

United Medes & Persians into a strong army and later a kingdom

The Persian EmpireThe Persian Empire

Army of archers & cavalrymen conquered most of ancient world (See map on p. 39)

Turkey

IndiaEgypt

Unlike Assyrians, they were benevolent:

Freed Jews

Treated conquered fairly & kindly (did force tributes)Allowed them to maintain culture

Army of archers & cavalrymen conquered most of ancient world (See map on p. 39)

Turkey

IndiaEgypt

Unlike Assyrians, they were benevolent:

Freed Jews

Treated conquered fairly & kindly (did force tributes)Allowed them to maintain culture

Ruling the Biggest EmpireRuling the Biggest Empire

Emperor Darius I (522-486 BCE) set up system to organize the empire:

Divided into 20 provinces

Each managed by governors

Judges & Tax Collectors appointed

Surprise inspectors

Well paved roads which led to international trade

Bureaucracycomplex structure of government offices needed to

govern a vast empire or nation (negative connotation)

ZoroastrianismZoroastrianismthe official religion of the Persian Empire

had one supreme god who made world, sun, moon & starsWhat is this kind of religion called?

the official religion of the Persian Empirehad one supreme god who made world, sun, moon & stars

What is this kind of religion called?

The Persian Empire LastedThe Persian Empire Lasteduntil Alexander the Great conquered it in 330 BCEuntil Alexander the Great conquered it in 330 BCE