Early Middle East: Hebrews and Persians

What is the Middle East? And What is the Middle East? And Central Asia?Central Asia?

““Never mind what the fact is, it depends Never mind what the fact is, it depends what it is called.”what it is called.”

What’s wrong with these names?What’s wrong with these names? Near East/LevantNear East/Levant ““Middle East”/Greater & CentralMiddle East”/Greater & Central Southwest AsiaSouthwest Asia Maghrib Maghrib

FactsFacts Vast -Region stretching from Rabat to Tehran Vast -Region stretching from Rabat to Tehran

(3400 miles)(3400 miles) Few distinct natural boundariesFew distinct natural boundaries Intercontinental—Europe, Africa, and Intercontinental—Europe, Africa, and

Asia-”Crossroads”Asia-”Crossroads” ““Greater Middle East” - Equal to U.S. in size.Greater Middle East” - Equal to U.S. in size. 20 independent states20 independent states 3 Sub-regions: North Africa, Arab lands, 3 Sub-regions: North Africa, Arab lands,

Highlands of Turkey and IranHighlands of Turkey and Iran Land of the 7 Seas Land of the 7 Seas

Physical map of northern Middle East - north to south includes Black Sea, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan

Note green vegetation areas in Israel on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean sea, and along the Nile river and delta.

Mirage. . .

Fertile Crescent

The World of the Old Testamenthttp://scriptures.lds.org/biblemaps/4

Empires in Greece, Persia, RomeEmpires in Greece, Persia, Rome

Definition of Empire:Definition of Empire:

The political control of one people over other, The political control of one people over other, different peoplesdifferent peoples

But how to control?But how to control?

-hegemony-foreign rule that governs with the -hegemony-foreign rule that governs with the consent of the governedconsent of the governed

-dominance-exercise of military power, with -dominance-exercise of military power, with frequent resistance.frequent resistance.

PersiaPersia

Present-day IranPresent-day Iran

Iran derived from Iran derived from “Aryan”“Aryan”

Indo-Europeans Indo-Europeans [Medes and Persians] [Medes and Persians] moved into regions of moved into regions of later Mesopotamian later Mesopotamian empires [c. 1000 BCE]empires [c. 1000 BCE]

Stone relief of Medes

Chronology of Early PersiaChronology of Early Persia

1000 BCE1000 BCE Indo-European migrations into Indo-European migrations into Central Central PersiaPersia

600 BCE600 BCE Achaemenids united Persian Achaemenids united Persian tribestribes

521-486 BCE521-486 BCE Reign of DariusReign of Darius

500-479 BCE500-479 BCE Wars with GreeceWars with Greece 334-330 BCE334-330 BCE Conquest by Alexander of Conquest by Alexander of

MacedonMacedon

Persia

Key AchievementsKey Achievements

unifiers of the Middle East.unifiers of the Middle East. ruled diverse peoples. ruled diverse peoples. hegemony through tolerance of local hegemony through tolerance of local

traditions and granting of local control.traditions and granting of local control. uniform standards.uniform standards. trade from India to Egypt.trade from India to Egypt. skillful leadership (bureaucracy) and skillful leadership (bureaucracy) and

diplomacydiplomacy

The Persian Royal RoadThe Persian Royal Road

2575 kilometers 2575 kilometers longlong

Took 90 days to Took 90 days to travel from one travel from one end to the otherend to the other

Post stations, inns, Post stations, inns, courier servicecourier service

““Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers gloom of night stays these couriers from swift completion of appointed from swift completion of appointed rounds” rounds” Herodotus Herodotus

PersepolisPersepolis

The “Axial Age”The “Axial Age”500BCE – 100CE500BCE – 100CE

IndiaBuddha

Hinduism

PalestineJesus

PersiaZaruthustra

GreeceSocrates

PlatoAristotle

ChinaConfucius

Laozi

TheAxialAge

Revolutionary monotheisms:Revolutionary monotheisms:Jews, Christians, and Muslims (Abrahamic Jews, Christians, and Muslims (Abrahamic

faiths)faiths)

(J-C-I Tradition) believe:(J-C-I Tradition) believe:

There is ONE God (monotheism)There is ONE God (monotheism)

God is above nature and human weakness God is above nature and human weakness (transcendent)(transcendent)

Sacred books are revealedSacred books are revealed

Judaism, Christianity, IslamJudaism, Christianity, IslamAbrahamic TraditionsAbrahamic Traditions

All three religions All three religions consider Abraham consider Abraham their originating their originating prophetprophet

Islam places Islam places Muhammad in a line of Muhammad in a line of prophets including prophets including Abraham, Moses, and Abraham, Moses, and JesusJesus

Muslims consider Muslims consider Muhammad the “Seal Muhammad the “Seal of the Prophetsof the Prophets

Guercino, “Abraham Casting Out Hager andIshmael,” [1657]

ZoroastrianismZoroastrianism Prophet: Zoroaster / Prophet: Zoroaster /

Zaruthustra [c. 500 BCE?]Zaruthustra [c. 500 BCE?]

One supreme god: Ahura One supreme god: Ahura Mazda Mazda

conflict dualism-struggle conflict dualism-struggle between good and evil between good and evil

personal ethics and salvationpersonal ethics and salvation

Opponent of Ahura MazdaOpponent of Ahura Mazda Angra MainyuAngra Mainyu

There are few adherents of There are few adherents of Zoroastrianism today but it left Zoroastrianism today but it left many important legacies to the many important legacies to the Judeo-Christian traditionJudeo-Christian tradition

Modern image of Zoroaster

“King Darius says: By the grace of Ahuramazda am I king; Ahuramazda has granted me the kingdom.”

Jamsheed Choksy, THE SOLAR DIVINITY MITHRA ON LEFT, THE SASANIAN KING ARDASHIR II IN CENTER, AND THE CREATOR GOD AHURA MAZDA ON RIGHT, TAQ-E-BOSTAN, IRAN (300-400)

Greece and RomeGreece and RomeAncient WestAncient West

Mediterranean-centeredMediterranean-centered Cities and tradeCities and trade Self-governmentSelf-government Rise of empireRise of empire Decline and discontinuityDecline and discontinuity Shared culture (Greco-Roman)Shared culture (Greco-Roman)

• Chart: RGH p. 136Chart: RGH p. 136

JudaismJudaism Approximately 3800 years Approximately 3800 years

oldold

Founder of Judaism: Founder of Judaism: AbrahamAbraham

Foundational stories of Foundational stories of Judaism are ones of journey, Judaism are ones of journey, exile, returnexile, return

Descendants of Abraham Descendants of Abraham comprise a divinely chosen comprise a divinely chosen family and ethnic groupfamily and ethnic group

World’s first monotheistic World’s first monotheistic religionreligion

Rembrandt’s Abraham

922 B.C. The Jewish kingdom is established

70 A.D. The Romans conquer the Jewish kingdom – the Temple of Solomon is destroyed.

11-12th Cent. Massacres on Jews in the Rhineland and by the Crusaders.

1215 Jews in Europe are forced to dress in a certain way or carry the Jewish mark.

1290 The Jews are expelled from England.

14th Cent. The Jews are expelled from France.

1492 The Jews are expelled from Spain, unless they are willing to be baptised.

1648 Massacres on Jews in Poland and the Ukraine.

19th Cent. The Jews are gradually emancipated in Germany and in other Westernm European countries.

1819 Pogrom against the Jews of Copenhagen.

1881 Pogroms in Russia following the murder of the Tsar.

1919 Pogroms in Eastern Europe – 60,000 Jews are killed in the Ukraine by Ukrainian nationalists.

Key Historical Events Key Historical Events JudaismJudaism

Moses and the 10 Commandments-Moses and the 10 Commandments-ethical monotheism-the Covenantethical monotheism-the Covenant

Hebrew Kingdoms—David and Hebrew Kingdoms—David and SolomonSolomon

Diaspora – Torah (“Bible”) and Diaspora – Torah (“Bible”) and Talmud (Law)Talmud (Law)

Chosen PeopleChosen People Sacred Geography-Israel, JerusalemSacred Geography-Israel, Jerusalem

Exodus

Moses and his Covenant with God

HANAKKUH

Importance of Ritual

Torah

Basic Beliefs of JudaismBasic Beliefs of JudaismMeaning in God – ethical monotheismMeaning in God – ethical monotheism

““God is righteous and loves man”God is righteous and loves man”

Meaning in CreationMeaning in Creation

““The universe is god-created”The universe is god-created”

Meaning in ManMeaning in Man

““Man is created in God’s image”Man is created in God’s image”

““The Chosen People”The Chosen People”

Meaning in HistoryMeaning in History

““The Promised Land”The Promised Land”

Basic Beliefs of JudaismBasic Beliefs of Judaism

Meaning in Morality – the Covenant with Meaning in Morality – the Covenant with GodGod

““Ten Commandments” and TorahTen Commandments” and Torah

Meaning in JusticeMeaning in Justice

““injustice breeds its own demise”injustice breeds its own demise”

TalmudTalmud

Meaning in Suffering-Last Judgment, Meaning in Suffering-Last Judgment, SalvationSalvation

Holy City of JerusalemHoly City of Jerusalem

Dome of the Rock

Church of the HolySepulcher

The Western Wall

Jews within the Roman EmpireJews within the Roman Empire

During Roman times, During Roman times, there was already a there was already a “Jewish diaspora”“Jewish diaspora”

Jewish communities Jewish communities often came into conflict often came into conflict with Romans when they with Romans when they refused to worship refused to worship Roman deities or Roman deities or emperorsemperors

66-70 CE—Jerusalem 66-70 CE—Jerusalem defeated by Romedefeated by Rome

Oldest Synagogue in US – Newport, RI

DiasporaDiaspora