Ancient Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia - The Land Between Two Rivers

Mesopotamia was a place where many cities began to grow. As its name suggests, Mesopotamia was located between two rivers. The two rivers were the Tigris River and the Euphrates River. Mesopotamia was located in the Middle East, and surrounded by desert. People came to Mesopotamia because the soil between the two rivers was very fertile.

Mesopotamia was Mesopotamia was located in the located in the Middle East. Middle East.

Mesopotamia was located in what is now the country of Iraq.

Mesopotamia was part of a larger region called the Fertile Crescent. This area, that stretched from the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea down to the Persian Gulf, had fertile soil and was where many civilizations started. The shape is somewhat similar to a crescent (think of a crescent roll, or a crescent-shaped moon).

The Cradle of Civilization

Mesopotamia is located in the Middle East, which is located in Southwest Asia. As weve discussed before, the first civilizations and examples of writing were found in Southwest Asia. These things began in Mesopotamia.

When a newborn baby begins life, he or she is placed in a cradle. Mesopotamia is called the cradle of civilization because the first civilizations began there, about 5,500 years ago in 3500 B.C.

City-States Formed Along the Rivers

Many city-states formed along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Mesopotamia. They each had their own form of government, and the people worshipped different gods and goddesses. Eventually, they each had their own kings. The region where the two rivers meet was called Sumer. The people who lived in the Sumer region were called Sumerians.

SUMERIANS

Writing first began in Sumerian cities. The first schools were set up in Sumer over 4,000 years ago. Sumerian schools taught boys the new invention of writing. Those who graduated became professional writers called scribes. Scribes were the only people who could keep records for the kings and priests. Boys that wanted to be scribes had to attend school from the age of 8 to the age of 20.

>Scribes used a sharp point called a stylus to etch words into clay tablets. These tablets have been discovered by archaeologists and looked at by historians.

Ziggurat at Ur

The Downfall of the Sumerians

Each of the Sumerian city-states had a ruler, and these city-states began fighting each other. They fought over land and the use of river water. Since the Sumerians were constantly at war with each other, they became weak. By 2000 BC, Sumer was a weakened area, and by 1759 BC, Sumer was conquered by another group of people - the Babylonians, who were from the north.

Babylonia

The Babylonian empire lasted from around 1800 BC to 1600 BC.

Babylons location made it a good place for trade. Groups of travelers, called caravans, traveled back and forth from the Sumerian cities in the south to the city of Akkad in the north. Along the way, they always stopped in Babylon to trade.

Hammurabis Code
Hammurabi was the king who united most of Mesopotamia and conquered the Sumerians. He developed a code of laws. The laws were numbered from 1 to 282. Law number 196 states: If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out. Some people summarize Hammurabis code by saying an eye for an eye.

On the left is a stela, which has all 282 of Hammurabis laws engraved on it. This stela is located in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.

The Hammurabi stela was discovered in 1909, in Susa, Elam, which is now Khuzestan. Khuzestan is a province of southern Iran.

Babylonia is Conquered
Though Hammurabi formed a large and rich empire, the people that ruled after him could not keep it together. The empire kept getting smaller and smaller until eventually it was destroyed.
Decline of Babylonian Empire Nomadic tribes moved into the region, drawn by wealth Included Indo-Europeans Steppes: arid grasslands north of the Black Sea

The Hittites
Hittite Military Might Hittites: warlike Indo-European tribe Built strong empire in Asia Minor (now Turkey) Horse-drawn war chariot and new techniques

Hittite Culture Blended their culture with cultures around them First to make objects out of iron Rule reached peak in 1300s BC

The ancient Hittite city of Hattusha, in Turkey.

The Hittites Three Man Chariot. Two archers and a driver in each chariot made this a fearsome offensive weapon.

The Assyrians
The Assyrians
From Northern Mesopotamia Barley, cattle Adopted Sumerian culture New empire in 900 BC Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Egypt

War Machine
Fierce warrior society War chariots, foot soldiers, cavalry Masters of siege warfare Terror

Assyrian Rule
Efficient system Local leaders System of roads Brutal with opposition

Cultural achievements, library

A stone carving of the Assyrians conquering an Egyptian town in their war on Egypt.

A drawing of the Assyrian capitol of Nineveh.

Nineveh under siege by the Babylonians and Medes.

The ruins of Nineveh.

A mythological beast called a Lammasu, from the gates of Nineveh.

The Assyrian War Machine

The Assyrians were geniuses at waging war. They invented the battering ram, which they used to pound down city walls. They used catapults to throw rocks at enemies, and the protected their archers (people who use a bow and arrows) with helmets and armor.

Assyrian Learning
The capital of the Assyrian Empire was a city called Nineveh. Nineveh became a great city of learning. It had a famous library that held thousands of clay tablets with writings from Sumer and Babylon. These records tell us a lot about life in Mesopotamia.

Assyria Overthrown
The people that the Assyrians conquered were constantly rebelling against Assyrian rule. Most of the time, the Assyrians crushed the people who tried to fight them. However, in 612 B.C., two groups joined together to smash the Assyrian empire. These groups were the Medes and the Chaldeans.

The Chaldeans
As Assyria began to decline, the Chaldeans swooped in.

Babylon, capital of their new empire

Nebuchadnezzar II Warrior and builder

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Chaldean culture Admired ancient Sumerian culture Developed calendar; advances in astronomy

The New Babylonian Empire

The Chaldeans created a new empire, centered at Babylon after they defeated the Assyrians in 612 BC. The greatest king of Babylon was Nebuchadnezzar II. He rebuilt Babylon and put massive walls around the city to protect it. He also built a great palace with hanging gardens.

A New Center for Learning

Under the Chaldeans, the New Babylonian empire became a center of learning and science. Chaldean astronomers charted stars and measured the correct length of the year. Chaldean farmers raised bees for their honey. Many people came to Babylon to share ideas and discoveries.
This clay tablet shows the world that was known to the Babylonians

The Fall of the 2nd Babylonian Empire

The second Babylonian empire came under attack and was defeated by the Persians, who were led by Cyrus, in 539 BC. Though the Chaldeans were defeated, the city of Babylon was spared from destruction.

The Phoenicians
In an area of western Asia called Phoenicia, city-states emerged as trading centers, and Phoenicians built a wealthy trading society. Trading Society
Western end of Fertile Crescent Farming difficult Trade and sea for livelihood Expert sailors Founded colonies on routes

Alphabet
Greatest achievement Invented by traders to record activities Adopted by many, including the Greeks Ancestor of the English language alphabet

Trade brought great wealth

Invented glassblowing Exports: ivory, silver, slaves

A Phoenician-style vessel.

PERSIAN
(ACHAEMENID)

Cyrus the Great

A tolerant ruler he allowed different cultures within his empire to keep their own institutions. The Greeks called him a Law-Giver. The Jews called him the anointed of the Lord. (In 537,

580 529 B. C. E.

Darius the Great

(526 485 B. C. E.)

he extended the Persian Empire to the Indus River in northern India. (2 mil. s.q. mi.) Built a canal in

Darius the Great

(526 485 B. C. E.)
Established a tax-collecting system.
Divided the empire into districts called SATRAPIES. Built the great Royal Road system. Established a complex postal system.

Ancient Persepolis

Persepolis

Persian Archers & Soldiers

Zarathustra [Zoroaster], 6c BCE:

Good Thoughts, Good Deed, Good Words Extent of
Zoroastrianism

Zend-Avesta
(The Book of Law)

The Sacred Fire the force to fight evil.

LYDIANS
Lydians originally from Europe Small states throughout Asia Minor following fall of the Hittites 10th century B.C.E. dominated western Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey)

400 years of prosperity Mineral wealth

Especially gold and electrum
Electrum mixture of gold and silver found in riverbeds

Controlled Asia Minors trade routes Conquered by Persians (547 B.C.E.)

Before the Lydians, goods had to be traded for other goods

Only thing close to money were lumps of gold and silver, which had to be repeatedly weighed and tested for purity

Lydians made standard-sized pieces of gold and silver and stamped them with their value
Invention of money

Use of money spread quickly

Helped to spread international trade

Capital Sardis trading center Ruled by a king

Most famous king was Croesus as rich as Croesus Sardis

Croesus