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Babylon
In the years following Sargon, a small kingdom was created around a city-state called
Babylon. In 1800 B.C. Babylon’s king, Hammurabi, began a drive to gain control over the old
city-states of Sumer. Hammurabi and the Babylonians dammed key parts of the Euphrates. This
gave them the power to cut off the flow of water or cause terrible floods downstream. Next,
Hammurabi’s armies attacked the weakened Sumerians. Hammurabi also won control of the
city-states around Babylon. He created a huge empire.
The empire of Babylonia under Hammurabi became rich and powerful. Shipments of
silver, copper, timber, and wine poured into Babylonia. These goods came from people in what
are today Turkey, Iran, and Syria. In exchange people in Babylonia sent grain and fruits.
Servants even floated ice from distant mountains down rivers to refrigerate food and drink.
Under Hammurabi, Mesopotamia’s center of power shifted north to Babylon. Yet many
Sumerian traditions remained. Babylonians used cuneiform to communicate in writing. In fact
the world’s first dictionaries were created so Babylonians could adopt Sumerian culture and
language.
1. Who was Hammurabi?
2. What strategy did he use to weaken the Sumerians?
3. What is the difference between Babylon and Babylonia?
4. How did cuneiform affect Babylon?