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Lecture 01: The Civilizations of Western Asia and Egypt The First Humans Australopithecines, c. 2-4 million years ago Homo habilis, c. 1-4 million years ago Homo erectus, c. 100,000-1.8 million years ago Homo sapiens Neanderthal, Homo c. 100,000-30,000 B.C. sapiens sapiens, c. 200,000 B.C. The Hunter-Gatherers of the Paleolithic Age Paleolithic Age, c. Nomadic people 2,500,000-10,000 B.C. Division of labor 500,000 years ago Cave paintings Fire, The Neolithic Agricultural Revolution (c. 10,000-4000 B.C.) Characteristics: growing plants and domesticating animals Age (c. 10,000 – 7000 B.C.) Independent development of agriculture Middle East, 8000 B.C. Balkans, 6500 B.C. France, Central Europe, and Coastal Mediterranean, 4000 B.C. Western Asia and Nile Valley of Egypt, 6000 B.C. Northwestern and Central India, 7000-5000 B.C. Southeast Asia and South China, 5000 B.C. North China, 6000 B.C. Mesoamerica, 7000-5000 B.C. Mesolithic Consequences of the Neolithic Revolution Neolithic farms and villages Oldest in the Middle East Shift to systematic agriculture Consequences Settled in villages and towns Çatal Hüyük, 6700-5700 B.C. •Walled city •Mudbrick houses Trade Specialization of crafts Pottery and baskets Flint blades Page 1 of 6 Change in relationship of men and women Men work in the fields and herd animals Women care for children and weave cloth Fixed dwellings and domestication of animals Writing Metalworking The Rise of Civilization Characteristics of Civilization Urban focus political and military structures New social structure based on economic power Economic specialization, surplus of crops Distinct religious structure The development of writing New and significant artistic and intellectual activity ** New Early Civilizations Around the World Mesopotamia of the Tigris and Euphrates Valleys of the Indus River Yellow River in northern China Central Asia—Turkmenistan/Uzbekistan Supe River Valley--Peru Why civilization developed Rivers Challenge and response Material forces created specialization of labor Management of water resources Religion provided unity and purpose The Ancient Near East Civilization in Mesopotamia City-States of Ancient Mesopotamia Sumerian city-states, c. 3000-2350 B.C. •Walls •Temple atop a ziggurat •Gods ruled the cities •Kingship divine in origin •Economy was agricultural •Social groups •Nobles •Commoners •Slaves Page 2 of 6 Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia Akkadian Empire, c. 2340-2100 B.C. Semitic people around 2340 B.C. overran the Sumerian cities and established an empire over most of Mesopotamia** Empire falls about 2100 B.C. Amorites (Old Babylonians) Hammurabi in 1792 B.C. creates a new empire Established a new capital at Babylon Code of Hammurabi Strict justice Penalties according to class Performance of work Marriage and the family Regulations of sexual relations Importance of Religion Influence of physical environment Human relationships with the gods Numerous gods and goddesses Cultivation of Writing and Sciences Writing in the form of cuneiform (“wedge shaped”) •Primarily for record keeping which means retention of knowledge •Communicate important ideas •Literature - Epic of Gilgamesh Achievements in Math •Based on 60 using combinations of 6 and 10 •Geometry to measure fields and erect buildings •Used 60 to chart the heavens •Calendar of 12 lunar months (extra month time to time) Sargon Egyptian Empire The Importance of Geography Nile River flows from central Africa Nile Delta Flooding predictable Food surpluses Nile as transport, unifying Egypt Natural barriers create isolation, protection from invasion Confidence Stability The Old and Middle Kingdoms The Old Kingdom Upper and Lower Egypt united, 3100 B.C. Old Kingdom, c. 2686-2125 B.C. •Divine kingship: the pharaoh (“great house”) Page 3 of 6 •The nomarch The Middle Kingdom, ca. 2055-1650 B.C. Stability, golden age Concern of the pharaoh for the people Society and Economy in Ancient Egypt Pharaoh surrounded by an upper class of nobles class and artisans Most people worked the lands Monogamy and early marriage the norm Women’s property and inheritance remained in her hands Merchant The Culture of Egypt Spiritual life in Egyptian society Provided a sense of security and timelessness Polytheistic with two groups of special importance •Sun gods •Land gods Egyptian rulers were the “Son of Re” The Art Pyramids Tombs Great Pyramid and Writing Art •Profile, semi-profile, frontal art •Formulaic and stylized Writing •Hieroglyphics •Means “priest carvings” or “sacred writings” •Never developed into an alphabet Chaos and a New Order: The New Kingdom Hyksos, ca. 1650 B.C. Horse-drawn chariots Egyptians learned bronze for making farm implements and weapons The New Kingdom, ca. 1550-1070 B.C. Queen Hatshepsut (ca. 1503-1480 B.C.)** Amenhotep IV (Akhnaten, ca. 1364-1347 B.C.) Aten--worship “Sea People” drove the Egyptians out of Palestine Empire ends in 1070 B.C. Domination by Libyans, Nubians, Persians & Macedonians Page 4 of 6 New Centers of Civilization Megalithic structures, 4000 B.C.—Neolithic The Role of Nomadic Peoples The Europe** Impact of the Indo-Europeans •From somewhere in the steppe region north of the Black Sea or in southwestern Asia •One group into Asia Minor and Anatolia around 1750 B.C. coalesced with people of the Hittite kingdom •First to use iron •Hittites destroyed by another group of Indo-Europeans ca. 1200 B.C. The Phoenicians & Children of Israel The Phoenicians Palestine Ports of Byblos, Tyre, and Sidon** Traders and colonizers Alphabet The Hebrews: the “Children of Israel”** Semitic-speaking people Religiously important Emerge as distinctive people c. 1200 – 1000 B.C. United Kingdom •Saul (c. 1020 – 1000 B.C.) •David (c. 1000 – 970 B.C.) •Solomon (c. 970-930 B.C.) •Control Palestine •Temple housed the Ark of the Covenant The Divided Kingdom Division into the kingdom of Israel with its capital at Samaria and Judah with its capital at Jerusalem Assyrians destroyed Samaria in 722 B.C. and overran the kingdom of Israel Ten tribes of the Kingdom of Israel were dispersed and disappeared Two tribes of Judah survived only to face new enemies Chaldeans defeated the Assyrians and destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Many upper class people of Judah deported to Babylon Persians destroyed the Chaldean kingdom People of Judah allowed to return to Jerusalem The Spiritual Dimensions of Israel Monotheistic Yahweh: Omnipotent, just, and good Expected goodness from his people or they would be punished Was not removed from the life he created Three aspects of Jewish religion: Covenant, law, the prophets Page 5 of 6 The Assyrian Empire Use of iron weapons, create an empire by 700 B.C.** Ruled by kings with absolute power System of communication Well organized army -- infantrymen and war chariots Use of terror The Babylonian Empire Conquered Assyria in 612 B.B. King Nebuchadnezzar II (605 – 562 B.C.)—capital at Babylon Conquered by Persians in 539 B.C. The Persian Empire Indo-European-speaking Under Cyrus the Great (559 – 530 B.C.) huge empire Conquered Assyria in 539 B.C., treated humanely Allowed Jews to return to Jerusalem Reputation for mercy Cambyses (530-522 B.C.), son of Cyrus, conquered Egypt Darius I (521-486 B.C.) extended empire but was defeated by Greeks in 490 B.C. Civil Administration and the Military Divided into 20 provinces or satrapies collected tribute, responsible for justice and security System of communication Royal Road All subjects were the king’s servants Professional army of international contingents Cavalry and infantry Isolation of the later kings Satraps Persian Religion Zoroaster Zoroastrianism Monotheistic •Ahuramazda, the creator and only god •Opposed by an evil spirit: Ahriman •Gave all humans free will and the power to chose between right and wrong •Each soul faced final evaluation to determine if you go to paradise or an abyss Page 6 of 6