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?