Download Exploring Four Empires of Mesopotamia

Exploring Four Empires
of Mesopotamia
History Alive! Ch. 6, pp. 51-59
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6.1 Introduction
City-states of Sumer were like independent countries
Often fought over land and water rights
Never united into one group
Lack of unity left them open to attacks by stronger groups
2300 B.C.E, Akkadians conquered Sumer
Made Sumerian city-states a part of an empire
Empire builders first conquer other lands, then use their power to
keep these lands under their control
Between 2300 and 539 B.C.E, four empires rose up in Mesopotamia
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6.2 The Akkadian Empire
• 2300 B.C.E., the Akkadians conquered Sumer
• Came from northern Mesopotamia
• Led by a great king named Sargon
• Sargon became the first ruler of the Akkadian Empire
• Strong king and skilled general
• Created empire through powerful military strategies
• Assembled a large army
• Taught his soldiers to fight in tight formations
• Used smart political strategies
• Destroyed walls of cities to make it harder for people to rebel
• Made sure governors of city-states were loyal to him
• Became first king to demand that his sons rule after his death
• Sargon and the Akkadians created the world’s first empire—this was
their greatest achievement
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6.3 Life Under Akkadian
Rule
• Sargon rules for 56 years
• Agade—empire’s capital
• Became cultural center with many beautiful temples and palaces
• One of the richest and most powerful cities in the world
• Built up city with tribute
• Sumerian culture lived on
• Used Sumerian irrigation techniques to farm
• Used Sumerian system of cuneiform writing
• Worshipped the same gods and goddesses
• Cultural achievements of Akkadians
• Language gradually replaced Sumerian language
• Beautiful three-dimensional sculptures
• Relief sculptures—steles
• Victory Stele celebrated King Naram-Sin’s military victory
• After 200 years, the Akkadian Empire fell to new invaders from
the north
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6.4 Hammurabi and the Babylonian
Empire
• Hammurabi was king of Babylon, a city-state in central
Mesopotamia
• He conquered Mesopotamia—became known as Babylon
• Best known for his Code of laws, written from 1792 to 1750
B.C.E.
• Claimed gods told him to create laws that applied to everyone
• Written on a stele and placed in temple for everyone to see
• Code was very detailed
• Covered situations such as trade, payment for work, marriage,
and divorce
• Spelled out punishments for stealing, causing injury, and other
crimes
• Hammurabi’s code was an important achievement
• First code of laws and punishments that applied to everyone
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6.5 Life in the Babylonian
Empire
• Babylonia thrived under Hammurabi
• Worked to unite people of his empire
• Made Babylonian god, Marduk, supreme over other gods
• Built roads and created postal service
• Agriculture and trade flourished
• Kept irrigation systems working properly
• Land remained fertile & provided plenty of food
• Babylon became important center of trade
• Traded with people all along Persian Gulf
• Traded grain and woven cloth for wood, gold, silver, precious gems, and livestock
• Trade helped empire’s economy
• Babylonian society was unusually fair for its time
• Slaves had rights
• Could work elsewhere and keep their wages
• Could own property
• Could buy their freedom
• Women had rights
• Could own property
• Could keep money of their own
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6.6 The Assyrian Empire
• Assyria was north of Babylon
• Assyrians rose to power in 900 B.C.E.
• Series of rulers began training them for war
• With trained army, Assyrians began to expand their territory
• Assyrians were feared for their military might & cruelty
• Greatest achievements were their new weapons & war strategies
• Perfected use of horses and iron weapons in battle
• Became extremely good at siege warfare
• Assyrians developed new ways of attacking cities
• First to use battering rams
• Built moveable towers for soldiers to climb over walls
• Assyrians were often ruthless
• Made entire populations leave conquered areas
• Spread tales of their cruelty and wide—part of their military strategy
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6.7 Life Under the Assyrians
• Built beautiful palaces for their kings
• Built on tall mounds with huge sculptures of winged and human-headed
bulls or lions stood at entrances
• Ordinary people farmed the land
• Dug canals to irrigate land and keep it fertile
• Built some of the earliest aqueducts
• Assyrian craftspeople were known for two-dimensional sculptures called
bas-reliefs
• Most famous were on palace walls
• Often showed king hunting, fighting in battle, or enjoying life
• Assyrian empire lasted about 300 years
• Stretched from Egypt to Persian Gulf
• Became too big to control
• Fell in 612 B.C.E.
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6.8 The Neo-Babylonian
• Babylonians regained control over Mesopotamia
Empire
• Established new empire, the Neo-Babylonian Empire
• Most famous king was Nebuchadezzar II
• Ruthless leader—reigned from 605 to 562 B.C.E.
• Expanded empire whenever he could
• As military leader, Nebuchadezzar knew it was important to keep his
capital city, Babylon, safe
• Built an inner wall and outer wall around city
• Towers were placed on walls for archers to stand on
• Moat was dug around outer wall and filled with water
• Bridges were used to cross moat and enter city
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6.9 Life in the Neo-Babylonian
Empire
• 605 to 562 B.C.E, city’s ziggurat was rebuilt
• Called “House of the Platform Between Heaven and Earth”
• Nebuchadezzar decorated his palace with the Hanging Gardens of
Babylon
• Planted on rooftops and tall terraces
• Watering system kept gardens fresh and green
• One of great wonders of ancient world
• Skilled in mathematics & astronomy
• Created first sundial
• Made discoveries that led to 60-minute hour and 7-day week
• Lasted only 75 years
• Conquered by Cyrus of the Persian Empire
• Persians rules most powerful empire in the world for 200 years
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