EgyptEgypt Nubia

Frenemies

Middle Kingdom Egypt; 2080-1640 B.C.E.

Hyksos conquer Egypt• New chariot technology easily defeated

Egyptians.• Hyksos rule from 1640-1570 B.C.E.

The New Kingdom 1570-1075 B.C.E.

• Egyptians overthrew Hyksos• Expanded Egyptian Empire• Hatshepsut; female pharaoh

• Thutmose III conquered more land, including part of Nubia

• Ramses II, great pharaoh,– Made peace with

Hittites– Great buildings– 99, 150

Egypt reaches its peak

Egypt in decline

• Attacked by “People of the Sea” (Philistines?)

• Large empire split into many small kingdoms

• Libyans conquer Egypt

Nubia

• Ancient civilization south of Egypt

• Traded with Egyptians

• Eventually conquered by Egypt

Nubians become Egyptized

• Nubian monarchs and nobles moved to Egypt

• Studied Egyptian language & religion• “Guardians of Egyptian values”

Amenemhat III, (1797 BCE) King Taharqa,

(664 BCE)

Kush (briefly) conquers Egypt

• 751 B.C.E., Kush King Piankhi overthrew Libyan dynasty then ruling Egypt.

• 671 B.C.E., Assyrians conquer Egypt, force Kushites to retreat

Meroë

Meroë

• Capital of Kushite Kingdom• Grew wealthy & strong using the Nile to

trade• 250 B.C.E. to 350 C.E.

Homework:

• Read pages 83-87• Answer question 4• Answer should be at least a paragraph,

and address all 3 “Think About” topics

Empire # 2: Assyria

The Assyrian Empire; 850 B.C.E – 612 B.C.E.

Assyria means War!Assyria means War!

• Assyrian society glorified military Assyrian society glorified military strengthstrength

• The Assyrians created an empire The Assyrians created an empire using only military conquest & using only military conquest & forceforce

• Question: Why?Question: Why?• Answer: GeographyAnswer: Geography

• The Assyrians originally lived on a flat plain that was constantly being invaded

• Their geography forced them to fight

Empire• Using their

awesome military might, the Assyrians conquered all of the fertile crescent, Egypt, and Anatolia (Turkey)

Reasons for Assyrian conquest

• 1) Military Technology– Strong armor– Best weapons– Siege weapons (tunnels

& ladders)– Long-range bows

• 2) Military Organization– Planning & skill used in sieges– Terror Tactics: killed all survivors (beheading),

some were sold into slavery

• 3) Strong, centralized Leadership–Kings and

Governors had complete control over conquered areas.

Check yourself

fool!

Assyrian Culture• Focused on war & feats of bravery, e.g.

the lion hunt• Cuneiform based writing system

Nineveh

• Assyrian capital city (Mosul)• Built by King Sennacherib• Largest city of its time• Giant library

The End of Assyria

• Why did Assyria fall?– 1: Assyrian

Empire got too big to control

– 2: Brutal conquests created many enemies

– 3: Weak leaders

The Conquerors became the conquered• Army of Medes

& Chaldeans conquered Assyrian empire

• Burnt Nineveh to the ground

Celebrate!

Please join the Fertile Crescent in celebrating the end of the Assyrian Empire!

Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar rebuildsTour the City

Amazing hanging gardens! Built for the King’s wife. One of the wonders of the ancient world.

300 foot high Ziggurat. Temple just like the old days of ancient Sumer

Editorial: New phonetic alphabet is an abomination! Letters that stand for sounds instead of ideas? Preposterous! Shall we all stand around sounding words out instead of instantly recognizing a symbol as an idea. I don’t care for these new-fangled ways, as a people we must return to the good and pure ideas of old. Those ideas are enshrined in our pictograms. Without them, we as a society would fall apart, chattering and inventing strange new words until each one of us had his very own language… The Tower of Babel returns! Beware citizens!

Babylon born again!Ancient capital of Sumer revitalized - Since 600 B.C.E

Assyrian Military Power

Causes of Increasing Power

1.

2.

3.

Causes of Declining Power

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