The First EmpiresCh. 1 Sec. 3

The Assyrians Assyrians came

1000 years after Hammurabi

Lived north near the Tigris River

Assyria was the name of the Empire

Built a large Army in 900 B.C.

Why Assyrians were so strong??

Well organized army

First large army to use iron weapons

Learned from the Hittites

Heated iron ore, hammered it, and rapidly cooled to make a stronger metal

Assyrians cont…………. Why were the Assyrians so Strong???

• Fierce warriors• Built tunnels under walls and ladders to go

over walls• Battering rams• Set fire to buildings• Loyalty----if not, then forced out

Well Organized Government

Persian Gulf—stretches in the east to Egypt’s Nile River in the west

Nineveh—Capital of Assyria located on the Tigris River

Provinces—Political Districts Built Roads to join all parts of the

Empire Had military stations along the road

for protection

Life in Assyria Worshipped many Gods Babylonian writing Punishment was harsh and cruel Erected large temples and palaces

Life in Assyria Produced and

collected literature One of the world’s

first libraries was in Nineveh

Held 25,000 tablets of stories and songs of Gods

The Chaldeans Assyria’s cruel

treatment of people led to rebellions

650 B.C. fought over who would be next king

Chaldeans conquered in 612 B.C.

Assyria crumbled

The Chaldean Led by King Nebuchadnezzar Controlled all of Mesopotamia 605 B.C. to562 B.C. Descendants of Hammurabi Capital was Babylon

Babylon World’s riches and largest city

Hanging Gardens—terraced gardens showcased large trees, masses of flowering vines, and other beautiful trees.

Pump brought water to the Hanging Gardens

Think Pair Share Why do you think King

Nebuchadnezzar built the Hanging Gardens??

To Please his Wife!!!!!

Babylonian Concepts Caravan—groups of traveling

merchants or sellers and buyers Center of Science—changes of sky

patterns revealed plans of the Gods. Astronomers—people who study

heavenly bodies Made first sundials and first to have a

7 day week

Fall of the Chaldeans Hard to control conquered people 539 B.C. Persians came from the

mountains to capture Babylon. Became new Persian Empire