Mesopotamia - Fayette County Public...
Transcript of Mesopotamia - Fayette County Public...
Sumer
In about 5000 BC, was the first civilization to develop in Mesopotamia.
Often referred to as the “Cradle of Civilization.”
Epic of Gilgamesh
• Recorded by a Babylonian scribe in 2000 BC.
• An epic poem about a great flood.
• Oldest piece of literature.
Must control the water!
• Location between Tigris and Euphrates rivers was ideal for farming.
• Regular flooding distributed silt
• In an effort to protect crops, the following were developed:
• Irrigation canals
• Dams
• Dikes
Mesopotamian City-States
• The kingdoms and empires of Mesopotamia were made up of individual city-states.
• A city-state includes a city with the countryside that surrounds it.
• Often the city was walled to provide protection from invasion.
Ziggurats, Trade, Social Hierarchy
• Ziggurats were step-pyramids used as temples
• The Mesopotamian region was a crossroads of trade between Europe, Asia, and Africa.
• Social Hierarchy shows the divisions and statuses in society.
Religion & Writing
• The people of Ancient Mesopotamia were polytheistic, believing in several gods and goddesses.
• Each city-state had a patron god or goddess.
• Cuneiform is recognized as the world’s oldest system of writing & includes wedge-like shapes made on clay tablets.
Sargon and the Akkadians
• Around 2300 BC Sargon invaded and conquered Sumer
• After his death, the Akkadian Empire fell to ruin.
Babylonian Empire
• In 1790 BC, Hammurabi united much of the region and formed the Babylonian Empire.
• Best known for Hammurabi’s Code of Laws
Hittites and the Assyrians
• Hittites were known for their ironworking and advanced weaponry.
• They conquered Mesopotamia in about 1400 BC but their empire collapsed in about 1200 BC.
• The Assyrians expanded their empire into the region in 1100 BC.
• They were known for brutality and amassing wealth.
Nebuchadnezzar
• The Babylonian Empire returned to power under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar in 612 BC.
• He made efforts to return Babylon to its former glory.
• He is known for the legendary Hanging Gardens.
The Persian Empire
• Cyrus the Great overthrows the Babylonian Empire in 539 BC
• Persian kings allowed conquered people to maintain their culture and belief system
• Darius I efficiently ruled and expanded the Persian Empire between 522-486 BC, building vast roads and a government mail system.
Zoroastrianism
• Taught that one wise god ruled the world, but was in a constant battle against the prince of evil.
• Emphasized the need to choose between good and evil in order to attain a positive afterlife.
• Significant development toward monotheism