Chapter Two Western Asia and Egypt 3500-500 BC http://www.bing.com/images/s earch?q=fertile+crescent+and+a ncient+egypt&view=detail&id=B 8464002DB14588969A8A95BFF B1988652A4BB42&first=0&FOR M=IDFRIR Civilization Begins in Mesopotamia • Mesopotamia = “the land between the rivers” • Tigris-Euphrates River Valley • Little rain, but rivers provided silt and irrigation capability • Three general empires – Sumer – Akkad – Babylon http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mesopotamia&view=detail&id=F698E4F1AE58 CD8EF24325FAF2D6AAB2496702B1&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR Polytheism Grows in Mesopotamia • Polytheism = “many gods” • Harsh climate, famine led people to call on help from gods in nature • Ziggurats (temples) built to honor the god of a city http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mesopotamian+ziggurat&vi ew=detail&id=6C292732BF1D7193F29B00FC0C7B9DD141210F4D&f irst=0&FORM=IDFRIR The Sumerians • Walled cities like Ur featured buildings of clay bricks • Theocracy develops— government by divine rulers • Farming was supported by trade and industry • Copper, gold, and silver all in use for jewelry and tools • Traded as far away as India and the Mediterranean Sea • Invented the wheel for work purposes • Three groups of people – Nobles – Commoners – Slaves http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Ur&view=detail&id=C4FE0C0 6EF96887B52FB3ABB0053A53D63F90A09&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR Sumerian Creativity • Developed cuneiform writing – Pointed stylus marked on clay tablets – Dried tablets became permanent records • Scribes became powerful people as the record-keepers • Wagon wheel transported goods • Potter’s wheel helped make containers • First to develop bronze • Number system based on 60 • Geometry and astronomy began here http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=cuneiform &view=detail&id=9E58BDD18F8879ECFA471B053F0 032170326F99C&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR Empires Develop in Mesopotamia • Sumerian city-states fought and conquered each other • First great empire called Akkad, led by Sargon (2340 BC) • Babylon develops by 1792 BC • Hammurabi rules in 1750’s BC • First written law codes developed under Hammurabi’s rule http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=hammurabi%27s +law+code&view=detail&id=39E60AC1C1F3135F96A44F1 332B4CA15DCC3A6B8&first=30&FORM=IDFRIR Egyptian Civilization Develops Along the Nile River • Northern river delta called “Lower Egypt” • Upstream area farther south called “Upper Egypt” • Protected by the desert and the Red Sea, people faced less warfare than Mesopotamians • Nile flooding brought water and silt to the desert http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=nile+river+delta+map&view= detail&id=727FB4F9128D747E1641C91FA9DD63A0B765925B&first=30 &FORM=IDFRIR Egyptian Religion • Polytheistic gods, associated with natural forces • Sun god (Amon-Re) was source of life (Pictured) • Pharaoh’s (rulers) claimed to be descended from Amon-Re • River and land gods Osiris and Isis also very important http://www.bing.com/images/search?q =amon- re&view=detail&id=58D2191B3870B9F 353ACA3613AADE1894FB5E4F2&first= 90&FORM=IDFRIR Three Egyptian Kingdoms • Old Kingdom (2700- 2200 BC) • Middle Kingdom (2055- 1650 BC) • New Kingdom (1550- 1070 BC) http://www.bing.com/images/se arch?q=old+middle+and+new+kin gdoms+of+ancient+egypt&view= detail&id=75C197B99F1422200E 22F0D096273D634769558C&first =30&FORM=IDFRIR Old Kingdom • Pharaoh ruled with the help of his vizier • Claimed divine power • Pyramids built in this period as tombs for the pharaohs • Egyptians believed they had two bodies – Physical one – Spiritual one called “ka” (Symbol pictured) http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=egypti an+ka&view=detail&id=F9C1D85306855F590D FFC6B366AE71F2E8A43285&first=0&FORM=ID FRIR Pyramids Built at Giza • “The Great Pyramid” built for Khufu around 2540 BC • How it was built is still a mystery • Great Sphinx is statue guarding the pyramids http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=pyramids+at+Giza&view= • Symbol of royal power detail&id=53ACF3E7942FA3C4D3A1BD7498271297F69D8319&first =90&FORM=IDFRIR in Old Kingdom Middle Kingdom • Developed after 150 years of instability • Conquered Nubia to the south • Armies sent into Palestine and Syria • Traded along east coast of Mediterranean and down the Red Sea to Ethiopia • Pharaohs concentrated on helping people by building canals and draining swampland to farm more http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=ancient+egy ptian+irrigation&view=detail&id=570D535F6B586F81 878A7C957D0335D89C612D23&first=0&FORM=IDFRI R New Kingdom • Hyksos conquered Middle Kingdom and ruled for 100 years • Horse drawn chariots and bronze weapons were too tough to match • Driven out by pharaohs by 1550 BC • Egypt becomes most powerful empire in SW Asia • Akhenaten failed to change major god to Aten and destroy worship of the others • Ramses II reasserts Egypt’s power in 1200s BC (Pictured) • “Sea Peoples” push Egyptians out of the Middle East, and Kingdom collapses soon thereafter http://www.bing.com/images/search?q =ramses&view=detail&id=9A07FA8303 03834D30CC4A9237BDB7F764AD70AA &first=0&FORM=IDFRIR Life in Ancient Egypt • Layered society for thousands of years – Pharaoh – Nobles and Priests – Merchants, artisans, scribes, and tax collectors – Peasant farmers • Positive attitude about life • Men ruled families, but http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=egyptian+social+pyra women and children were mid&view=detail&id=B936AC13AFC25BC4BDF90FBCDC8136CB not poorly treated 90F5536C&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR Egyptian Accomplishments • Invented hieroglyphic writing system • Wrote on papyrus reeds made into paper • Great architectural advances like the pyramids • 365 day calendar • Embalming and other medical expertise http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=egyptian+mummy&view=det ail&id=1998696EDE8275C8854477170FA6B2C811BA66E4&first=150& FORM=IDFRIR Other Groups of Peoples in the SW Asian Region • Still numerous nomadic people on the fringes of the civilized areas during this time period • Hittites were first Indo-Europeans to use iron (1600-1200 BC) • Phoenicians were great sea traders on Mediterranean and invented the alphabet • Israelites ruled present day Israel- Palestine from about 1200 BC to 586 BC • Northern tribes overrun by Assyrians in 722 BC • Southern tribes overrun by Chaldeans (Neo-Babylonians) in 586 BC and removed from the land in the Diaspora http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=ten+lost+tribes+of+israel &view=detail&id=6DF6F6CF2C67C80B346C3DAC1643BFFA3303FC 18&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR Judaism—First Monotheistic Faith • Believed in one God • Believed they had a covenant (contract) based on their belief in Him • Torah provided the basic rules of the Jewish faith • Age of prophecy developed as Assyrians and Chaldeans challenged the Jewish empire http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=assyrians&view=detail&id=03 7755C8EBB6379A418FF2330BDF7534C86DE2E4&first=90&FORM=IDF RIR New Empires Near the End of This Time Period • Assyrians ruled from the southern part of Turkey around 700 BC to 612 BC • Most famous ruler Ashurbanipal • Built world’s first library at Nineveh • Great warriors with large armies equipped with iron weapons • Used terror to promote their rule • Defeated by Chaldeans in 612 BC • Their most famous ruler was Nebuchadnezzar in city of Babylon http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=nineveh+library& • Fell to the Persians in 539 BC view=detail&id=E77FEAB001ED9B162959217E9FEA68626 298B717&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR Persians Move Westward to Conquer Middle East • Cyrus the Great captures Babylon in 539 (pictured) • His son Cambyses conquered Egypt • Darius I conquered Thrace and fought the Greeks between 521 and 486 BC • Created satrapies and established the Royal Road and the Immortals • Eventually conquered by Alexander the Great of Greece http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=cyrus+the+great&view=detail&id=C8521317924DC2F344C6A5CDF6BD70E2D0FEFC26&fir st=0&FORM=IDFRIR Zoroastrianism • Persian religion • Ahuramazda was the god • Evil spirit Ahriman opposed him (pictured) • Humans had free will to support one or the other • Supporters of Ahuramazda believed they would go to heaven http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=ahriman&view=d etail&id=2B4221060F60A091B07E3536441682D63107DE AA&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR.