Ancient Mesopotamia
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Transcript of Ancient Mesopotamia
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Ancient MesopotamiaMr. Skommesa -- AP World HistoryMr. Skommesa -- AP World History
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Civilization Defined
Urban Political/military
system Social stratification Economic
specialization Religion Communications “Higher Culture”
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Civilization and the Means of Production
Essential element: concentration of wealth Agriculture Control over natural resources
Development of ancient civilization not hunter-gatherer economics
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Development of Agriculture
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Mesopotamia
“Between the Rivers” Tigris and Euphrates
Contemporary Iran, Iraq
Cultural continuum of “fertile crescent”
“Between the Rivers” Tigris and Euphrates
Contemporary Iran, Iraq
Cultural continuum of “fertile crescent”
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The Wealth of the Rivers
Nutrient-rich silt Key: irrigation
Necessity of coordinated efforts Promoted development of local governments City-states
Sumer begins small-scale irrigation 6000BCE By 5000BCE, complex irrigation networks
Population reaches 100,000 by 3000BCE
Attracts Semitic migrants, influences culture
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Sumerian City-States
Cities appear 4000BCE Dominate region from 3200-2350BCE
Ur (home of Abraham, see Genesis 11:28), Nineveh (see Jonah)
Ziggurat home of the god Divine mandate to Kings Regulation of Trade Defense from nomadic marauders
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The Ziggurat of Ur
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Political Decline of Sumer
Semitic peoples from northern Mesopotamia overshadow Sumer Sargon of Akkad (2370-2315BCE)
Destroyed Sumerian city-states one by one, created empire based in Akkad
Empire unable to maintain chronic rebellions
Hammurabi of Babylon (1792-1750BCE) Improved taxation, legislation Used local governors to maintain control of city-states
Babylonian Empire later destroyed by Hittites from Anatolia, c. 1595BCE
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The Royal Standard of Ur
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Legal System
The Code of Hammurabi (18th century BCE) 282 items lex talionis (item 196: “eye
for an eye”) Social status and
punishment women as property, but
some rights
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Later Mesopotamian Empires
Weakening of central rule an invitation to foreign invaders
Assyrians use new iron weaponry Beginning 1300BCE, by 8th-7th centuries BCE control
Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, most of Egypt Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (r. 605-562) takes
advantage of internal dissent to create Chaldean (New Babylonian) Empire Famously luxurious capital
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Mesopotamian Empires1800-600BCE
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Technological Development in Mesopotamia
Bronze (copper with tin), c. 4000BCE Military, agricultural applications
Iron, c. 1000BCE Cheaper than bronze
Wheel, boats, c. 3500BCE Shipbuilding increases trade networks
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Social Classes
Ruling classes based often on military prowess Originally elected, later hereditary Perceived as offspring of gods
Religious classes Role: intervention with gods to ensure fertility, safety Considerable landholdings, other economic activities
Free commoners: Peasant cultivators, some urban professionals
Slaves: Prisoners of war, convicted criminals, debtors
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Patriarchal Society
Men as landowners, relationship to status Patriarchy: “rule of the father”
Right to sell wives, children
Double standard of sexual morality Women drowned for adultery Relaxed sexual mores for men
Yet some possibilities of social mobility for women Court advisers, temple priestesses, economic activity
Introduction of the veil at least c. 1500BCE
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Development of Writing
Sumerian writing systems form 3500BCE
Pictographs Cuneiform: “wedge-shaped”
Preservation of documents on clay Declines from 400BCE with spread of Greek
alphabetic script
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Uses for Writing
Trade Astronomy Mathematics
Agricultural applications
Calculation of time 12-month year 24-hour day, 60-minute hour
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Mesopotamian Literature
Epic of Gilgamesh, compiled some time after 2000 BCE
Heroic saga Search for meaning, esp. afterlife This-worldly emphasis
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The Early Hebrews
Patriarchs and Matriarchs from Babylon, c. 1850 BCE
Parallels between early biblical texts, Code of Hammurabi
Early settlement of Canaan (Israel), c. 1300 BCE Biblical text: slavery in Egypt, divine redemption
On-going conflict with indigenous populations under King David (1000-970 BCE) and Solomon (970-930 BCE)
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Moses and Monotheism
Hebrews shared polytheistic beliefs of other Mesopotamian civilizations
Moses introduces monotheism, belief in single god Denies existence of competing parallel deities Personal god: reward and punishment for
conformity with revealed law The Torah (“the teaching”)
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Foreign conquests of Israel
Civil war Northern tribes: Israel Southern: Judah
Assyrian conquest, 722 BCE Exiles Israel: ten lost tribes
Babylonian conquest, 586 BCE Additional exile of many residents of Judah Returned later than century
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Israel and Phoenicia, 1500-600BCE
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The Phoenicians
Set-up City-states along Mediterranean coast after 3000BCE
Extensive maritime trade Dominated Mediterranean trade, 1200-800BCE
Development of alphabet symbols Simpler alternative to cuneiform Spread of literacy
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Indo-European Migrations
Common roots of many languages of Europe, southwest Asia, India
Implies influence of a single Indo-European people Probable original homeland: contemporary
Ukraine and Russia, 4500-2500BCE
Domestication of horses, use of Sumerian weaponry allowed them to spread widely
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The Indo-European Migrations
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Implications of Indo-European Migration
Implications of Indo-European Migration
Hittites migrate to central Anatolia, c. 1900BCE, later dominate Babylonia
Influence on trade Horses, chariots with spoked wheels, use of Iron Iron Migrations to western China, Greece, Italy also significant
Influence on language and culture Aryo, “noble, lord”
Aryan, Iranian, Irish Caste system in India