Western Civilization

Chapter 2Western CivilizationAssyrians, Neo-Babylonians, & Persians 1200 330 B.C.9th Century B.C. brings large empiresBrought diverse people togetherBrought all living in the empire the benefits of higher civilizationSingle government

Single religion

New art and literature

New technology

New trade connections Assyrian Empire

Persian Empire

AssyriansFirst to unify almost entire Near EastFrom Arabian DesertSettled near Tigris River, an area without natural boundariesInfluenced by Mesopotamians, Hammurabi, and Sargon ISuffered tribal raids 1750 1000 B.C.As a result, they created a very strong military: new iron weapons and horse-drawn chariotsFought preventive wars with Hebrews, Phoenicians, Arameans, and Mesopotamians to keep enemies awayAfter defeating them, they terrorized them, so many gave up without a fightAssyrian EmpireIn 745 B.C., set up by Tiglath-pileser III

He was succeeded by Sargon II in 721 B.C.

Both enlarged empire to Syria, Palestine, & JudahOther rulers: Sennacherib in705 B.C.

Esarhaddon in 681 B.C.

Ashurbanipal in 669 B.C.

By 650 B.C. almost the entire civilized Near East was under Assyrian controlBut the empire weakened because of internal discontentHated captorsHated their brutal treatment of those conqueredConstant warfare had killed off many of the AssyriansEgypt revoltedChaldeans revolted in southern MesopotamiaThe Medes joined with Chaldeans to destroy the Assyrian capital of Nineveh in 612 B.C.Nineveh Palace

Nineveh Library Tablets

Assyrian ContributionsAttempted to have a centralized monarchy, a single stateForced an unsettling peace on the area for 300 yearsEconomically:- encouraged trade- broke down barriers to trade- encouraged a common spoken language to help with trading transactions

Culturally:imitated the achievements of othershelped spread ideasavid buildersused Mesopotamian style of architecturecreated relief work : battles, stories, huntsCollected works of Akkadians & Sumerians and placed them in library in Nineveh

ReligionResembled the early Mesopotamian religion with Assur as the state god

Others tried to take over where the Assyrians left off: the Egyptians, the Lydians, the Medians, and the ChaldeansChaldeans:Their great ruler Nebuchadnezzar conquered Syria-PalestineDestroyed the temple in JerusalemDeported Hebrews to Babylon as captivesRebuilt the Hanging Gardens of BabylonTried to revive Mesopotamian culture and religionMade strides in astronomyLacked economic and military strengthFell into hands of Persians in 525 B.C.Nebuchadnezzar

Phoenicia

PhoeniciansWere Canaanites and heirs to the civilization of UgaritAfter attacks from Sea Peoples in 1200B.C., their territory was reduced to a small strip where Lebanon is todayKnown for purple-dyed clothMaster shipbuildersInvolved in tradeHad colonies in Mediterranean; ex. CarthageCarthage

Phoenicians were influenced by foreigners like EgyptIn artWigsAlphabet

Phoenician state fell to Assyrians in 750 B.C.Their culture survivedPersian Empire

Medes and Persians arrived in western Iran about 1500 B.C.Medes were at first the rulers of the PersiansThat changed in 550 B.C. when Cyrus the Great captured the Medes

Cyrus ( r. 559 530 B.C.) conquered most of western and central AsiaHis son, Cambyses ( r. 530 525 B.C.) added Libya and Egypt to the empire

Darius succeeded Cambyses ( r. 521 486 B.C.) and added Thrace and N.W. India to the empire

Xerxes ( r. 486 465 B.C.) came next and tried to add Greece to the realm but failed

Persia was then known as the Achaemenid Persian Empire and lasted 200 yearsIn the end it fell to Alexander the Great

SuccessesHad military strength: 300,000 men in army who excelled as cavalrymen with bowsHad a great navy as wellWere generous and tolerant to those conqueredHad effective governmentProvinces were called SatrapiesGovernors were called SatrapsKings inspectors traveled the empire to make sure the kings edicts were carried outHad unifying language: AramaicHad open tradeWeaknessesNot all ventures succeeded: Greece and the Ukraine expensive lossesEven though Persians felt they were tolerant, their captured people resented themThere was intrigue at court as people tried to compete for powerPersian ReligionZoroastrianism founded by Zarathustra (Zoroaster in Greek)

Zoroastrianism may have influenced Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, & Roman PaganismHoly Book was the AvestaEmphasized the power of one god over all people: Ahura Mazda

Zoroastrians believed in good and evil, free will, and a last judgmentPriests were known as Magi

Era of Small Nations, 1200 800 B.C.HebrewsFounded Western tradition of religionBible helps us know their history (corroborated by archeology)Began as Semitic nomads moving from the Arabian Desert to Mesopotamia to Syria-Palestine led by AbrahamLived in semi-arid areas in small tribes with patriarchal leadersSome moved to Egypt where during the 18th Dynasty they were mistreated and the Hebrews left Exodus shortly before 1200 B.C.

Exodus laid the foundation for the Hebrew nationFugitives wandering the desert with MosesFelt they had a special relationship with Yahweh (god)Yahweh promised to care for his people if they, in return, would worship only YahwehReceived the Ten Commandments

The nation became known as the Israelites and introduced JudaismThey searched for the promised landFound PalestineWere united under King Saul

Then King David

And Solomon

1020 930 B.C. was the height of their powerPatronized the arts and lettersDeveloped a system of law to unite people and to shape daily lifeDuring the reign of Solomon, discontents threatened their unityAfter Solomons death their unity fell apartJudah was the southern part that followed the descendents of King David and survived until586 B.C.As the political life faded, their religion got deeper and sustained that feeling of nationhood among HebrewsJudaismMonotheism practiced -- YahwehYahweh was the creator existing outside of time and spaceNo graven images of YahwehYahweh was God of justice, omnipotent, righteous, and caringHumans were created to become god-like, achieved only through moral perfectionIndividual conduct should be righteous and justCode of law written in the TorahHebrews saw themselves as Gods chosen peopleYahweh would send a Messiah to lead Hebrews to victory over other peoplesInfluenced Christianity and IslamEarly Greece

GreeceMountainousOnly 10% of land is flatRockyMuch of land is infertileIncludes many islands in Aegean and Ionian Seas where they farmed for survivalWeather is usually too arid or too coolDid not have large settlements or a central bureaucracyOvercrowding and lack of food were constant problems3 Characteristics DevelopedFirst, they turned toward the sea To colonize, so population could spread outTo get needed foodTo become involved in trade, so they developed industries in pottery and olive oil to trade for foodSecond, they became masters of resourcefulnessNothing was wasted, neither energy nor materialThis helped them bring balance, order, and refinement to their livesThey did not like excessThird, they had a strong desire for independenceThey needed to be self-sustaining because mountains divided cities

So we have the sea, trade, resourcefulness, and independence as major elements of the Greek spirit.IslandsBetween 2500 1200 B.C., the Late Bronze Age, there were 3 distinct Greek cultures:1. The Cycladic (3000 1550 B.C.)

2. The Minoan (2500 1375 B.C.)

3. The Mycenaean (1600 1200 B.C.)

The CycladicRugged islands near the bottom of the Aegean SeaSmall settlements of craftsmen who worked with lead and silverSmall figurines of men and women found in graves indicating religionSociety arranged in townsWerent warlike -- settlements unfortifiedHad fertility goddessesInfluenced Crete to the south

Minoan Found on the island of CreteSophisticated societySurge of creativity 2000 1400 B.C.Had palace at KnossosWith storerooms, workrooms, living quarters, public rooms, and a throne room, all around a central squareDecorated with frescoes of everyday life

Interior of Knossos

Fresco at Knossos

Stratified societySystem of writing Linear A

Planned agricultureWell-organized streetsDrainage system, indoor toilets, and piped waterHad luxury items from tradeHad religion with animal sacrifice, gift-giving, dancing, and bull-leaping

Cretans were fairly primitive until 2000 B.C.Had primitive farming, pottery, and used metalsThey learned refinement from other cultures encountered through tradeCulture reached its peak around 1700 1450 B.C.Between 1500 and 1450 most Minoan cities, but not Knossos, were destroyedSome say from volcanic eruption and tidal wave from There (Santorini)Others say from attackKnossos was destroyed around 1200 B.C.Volcano at Thera

Volcano at Santorini

Mycenae 1600 1150 B.C.

MycenaeWarrior civilization on Peloponnesian Peninsula of GreeceA principality centered around a fortress-palaceHad well-ordered bureaucracy dealing with taxes, tribute, and controlled metal productionHad strong economic and political controlHad written language Linear B for record keeping

Lions Gate at Mycenae

Mycenae reached its peak about 1300B.C.They were influenced by other civilizations of the Near EastThese influences can be seen in their art, technology, and religion. Example: architectural style from Hittites and MinoansAbout 1150, their culture collapsed, causes unknownEconomic collapse?Overpopulation?Drought? Attack?Rivalries with other cities?Mycenaean Weapons

Dark Age 1150 800 B.C.Marked by poverty and some backwardnessPalaces, wealth, trade, writing, art declined or disappearedHad :Simple farm lifeSome organized activitiesLarge movements of peoplePolitically fragmentedNo tradeLearned to work with iron since tin and bronze were unavailableAfter 1100 B.C.:Developed a common basic languageSome beginnings of writingCommon pattern of religion ( practiced cremation )Advanced skills in pottery ( geometric decoration : meandering)Had some trading activityHomers stories of the Iliad and the Odyssey ( 725 B.C.)Greek ReligionPermeated the daily lives of GreeksPolytheisticSaw deities as having human form Gods were immortalGods were more powerful than humans family of deities living on Mt. Olympus:Zeus the fatherHera - his wifeAthena goddess of womenApollo bringer of light & patron of the artsAres god of warPoseidon god of the seasHermes protector of merchants & thievesGreek Gods

Greeks believed deities controlled all human affairsThey had to live their lives in accordance with the gods willGods could inspire fearThey could also be benevolent, approachable, and concerned with the well-being of humansGods had human foibles; example, Bacchus was a drunkPeople worked to please the godsThey built templesGreeks also held festivals to honor gods : Olympic Games from 776 B.C. onwardThey had no elaborate priesthoodThey relied on Oracles, gods would speak through these gifted peopleThe most famous place for the oracles was at Delphi, a place with special priestessesDelphi

The Oracles

Mystery ReligionsThese were begun to respond to emotional needs not fulfilled by other godsThese were cults centered on a specific god or goddessReligion provided the framework and spark for intellectual and artistic growthPeople tried to understand and please their gods through art, literature, and philosophyLiteratureGreek literature dealt with religious themes and heroic deedsIliad tells of feats of heroism during Trojan WarOdyssey is an adventure story about Odysseus 10 year ordeal to get home from warHesiod, a poet, wrote Works and Days in 700 B.C. about injustice in the world