Download WH1-2: Civilizations in the Ancient Middle East

WH1-2: Civilizations in the
Ancient Middle East
Sumerians
People/Brief History
One of the oldest civilizations
starting around 3200 BCE
No one knows where they
came from, but are believed to
be the first nomads to settle in
the Fertile Crescent
Made up of numerous citystates that were constantly
fighting over land.
Their texts include the first
mention of the ‘Great Flood’
later talked about in the Torah
and Bible.
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Sumerians
Contributions to civilization
Cuneiform – One of the oldest systems of writing and later
adopted by cultures including the Akkadians and Hittites.
Astronomy – Mapped constellations that are still used today
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Arithmetic – Invented math by combining and modifying
different number systems from other civilizations
Agriculture – First people to cultivate crop and animals on a
grand scale; including wheat, cattle, and sheep.
People/Brief History
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Akkadians
Sargon of Akkad assumed power of and began
conquering the area around Mesopotamia
creating the world's first empire (this included the
Sumerians).
Sargon’s Akkadian dynasty
lasted around 140 years
before it fell.
The “Curse of Akkad” is
claimed to have destroyed
this culture.
Babylonians
People/Brief History
Invaders from the Arabian Desert entered
Mesopotamia & seized the city-state of Babylon
Hammurabi became the king of Babylon
Hammurabi took control of the city-states in lower
Mesopotamia & established the Babylonian Empire
The Babylonians adopted many Sumerian ways
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Babylonians
Contributions to civilization
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Hammurabi’s Code
o Consisting of 282 laws, the code affected all aspects of
life, including farming, trade, wages & punishments.
o Hammurabi claimed these laws came from the sun god
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 Thus everyone must obey the king and his “god-sent” rules.
The Babylonians believed in astrology, the idea that a
person’s life is affected by the movement & position of
stars, planets & other heavenly bodies.
Hittites
People/Brief History
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War-like tribesmen from Asia Minor called Hittites
swept into Mesopotamia & captured Babylon.
Being far from their homeland, the Hittites eventually
withdrew from Babylonia, but continued to occupy the
western part of the Fertile Crescent.
Hittites
Contributions to civilization
The Hittites were the 1st people to make
widespread use of iron for tools & weapons.
They used horse drawn chariots in battle
A system of laws was set up with punishments
that were less severe than the Code of
Hammurabi
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Israelites/Hebrews
People/Brief History
The ideas & beliefs of the Hebrews, or Jews, are known
as Judaism.
The founder of Judaism was Abraham. He led his
people out of Mesopotamia because the group’s belief in
one god ran against the accepted practice of worshipping
many gods.
The Hebrews lived in Egypt for several hundred years,
but were forced into slavery. According to the Bible,
Moses began leading the Hebrews (or Israelites) toward
a new homeland in Canaan (also called “Palestine” &
“Israel”.) On the way to Canaan, Moses went up Mount
Sinai & brought back the Ten Commandments, laws of
moral conduct revealed to him by the Hebrew god.
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Israelites/Hebrews
People/Brief History (continued)
The Hebrews recorded their history & religious beliefs in
the Old Testament. The “Old Testament”, which is the 1st
part of the Christian Bible, tells how:
o Saul united the 12 Hebrew tribes, defeated the rival
Philistines & became the 1st Hebrew king.
o David slew the Philistine warrior Goliath, became the
2nd king of Israel & made Jerusalem his capital.
o Solomon succeeded his father David, and was widely
admired for his wisdom & leadership; and built the
magnificent Temple of Jehovah.
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Israelites
Contributions to civilization
The Hebrews practiced monotheism; the worship
of only one god, known as Yahweh in the
beginning
o Also referred to as YHWH and HaShem (The
Name)
Judaism, the Hebrew religion, stressed high
moral conduct (as seen in the Ten
Commandments)
Judaism influenced Christianity & Islam through
its emphasis on monotheism & moral principles.
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Phoenicians
People/Brief History
The Phoenicians lived north of Palestine along the
Mediterranean Sea.
They became skilled shipbuilders & sailors, and
traded throughout the Mediterranean world. They
were the greatest seafaring traders of ancient
times.
The Phoenicians established many colonies,
including the great city of Carthage in North Africa.
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Phoenicians
Contributions to civilization
Phoenician traders carried the products &
cultures of the Middle East to less advanced
peoples.
The most notable contribution of these people
was the alphabet. The Greeks & Romans later
made some changes that resulted in the alphabet
we use today.
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Assyrians
People/Brief History
• The Assyrians were ruthless conquerors
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who overran Phoenicia, Palestine,
Babylonia & other parts of the Middle East.
Their empire was the largest one the world
had seen at that time.
In battle, the Assyrians used bows with
iron-tipped arrows, iron spears & swords
and battering rams to break through brick
walls that guarded cities. Their armies
were the 1st to use men on horseback.
Assyrians
People/Brief History
The hated Assyrians terrorized the people with
acts of violence & torture.
The Assyrian empire lasted for 150 years
before being destroyed by the Chaldeans &
Persians.
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Assyrians
Contributions to civilization
The Assyrians were the 1st people to set up an
effective system for governing an empire.
A great library was built in the capital city of
Nineveh. It contained thousands of clay
tablets which enabled historians to learn about
life in the ancient Middle East.
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Chaldeans
People/Brief History
The Chaldeans helped overthrow the
Assyrians.
They took control of the Fertile Crescent &
established the 2nd Babylonian Empire.
The Chaldeans were led by their strong king
Nebuchadnezzar. He rebuilt Babylon, which
became the largest & most impressive city in
the ancient world.
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Chaldeans
Contributions to civilization
The Chaldeans built the beautiful Hanging
Gardens on rooftops in Babylon. The Greeks
called them one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the
World’.
The field of astronomy was further advanced
by accurate observations of the sun, moon,
planets & stars.
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Persians
People/Brief History
The Chaldean Empire declined after the death
of Nebuchadnezzar.
The Persian Empire extended for 3,000 miles
from Egypt to India. It lasted for about 200
years, reaching its height under King Darius I.
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Persians
Contributions to civilization
A well organized government was set up in which:
o The empire was divided into provinces, each
direct by a satrap (governor)
o Roads were built to speed trade and the
movement of the armies
o Conquered peoples were allowed to keep their
religion, laws & local customs
Cultural diffusion, the exchange of ways of
living, took place within various parts of the
empire.
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Persians
Contributions to civilization
The Persians accepted the teachings of the
prophet Zoroaster, who said that the world was a
struggle between good & evil. After death, people
who lived good lives would go to heaven, while
those who were evil would be sent to hell. This
idea of a final judgment is believed to have
influenced Judaism & Christianity.
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