Kingship in the Ancient Near

EastRichard AdamsThomas Maedke

Mark Erste

Timeline in Ancient Near East

All Dates B.C.Writing

Fall ofBegins

Persia3000 1600 900

351______________________________________________________________________________

_City-States Territorial States

Empires

Abraham Moses David Babylonian

Exile

3000 1850 1250 1000 587

_______________________________________________________________________________

721Assyrian

Exile

The Two Rivers

Geographyof the Near East

Mesopotamia Most abundant documentation and so it

dominates the study of the Near East Geographical boundaries somewhat

indeterminate because when states expanded their territories they drew other areas into Near Eastern history

Egypt Has a unique and separate history

What do we know and how do we know it?

Region of fragmented power with relatively short-lived periods of centralization under rulers We know the most about these short-lived

periods because writings and artifacts were left behind

Times of political strength are accentuated Cuneiform writing on clay tablets

Used by all Near Eastern cultures for different languages

Thousands of tablets are well preserved to provide documentation of many aspects of Near Eastern life

Cuneiform Writing

Epic of Gilgamesh Wedges pressed into clay with a reed

The City-State3000 BC to 1600 BC

The city-state provided the basic political structure

Historical record shows initially in southern Mesopotamia but eventually developed elsewhere

In the earliest period an urban center controlled an area with a radius of about 10 miles where people lived in villages As the centuries unfolded, competition

resulted in periods of centralization as the result of war

Religion in the City-State

Religion and cultic worship (certain rites and ceremonies) was central to the culture of Mesopotamia

Each city was considered the dwelling of a particular god or goddess

Wars between city-states described as wars between the gods of the cities

Kingship in the City-State

King received divine power which came down from heaven

The temple or the god’s household was the dominant institution.

In times of war a military leader could be elected king Primitive democracy

Two Sources of Power for Kingship

in the City-State Cultic – focused on a god and religious

rites The temple was the dominant institution

Military Precipitated by competition with other city-

states for agricultural land Successful military leader could seize power

or be elected The palace became a more influential

institution Merging the two

A king could embrace both sources to various degrees.

Warrior and god

Naram-Sin, a City-State King from the third millennium wearing the insignia of royalty – bow, arrow and battle axe. He is also crowned with the symbol of divinity, the horned helmet.

The Role of the King

Cultic position expressed ritually his position between the city-god and people. He was a representative of the god.

Militarily Militarily to protect from aggressors or to expand

territory when agricultural land was needed Shepherd and farmer

Had to be concerned with shepherding and farming to provide for his people (e.g. irrigation projects)

Lawgiver and judge Ensured inner stability

Father to son Passing on of kingship to a son was not presumed. On

occasion a brother would inherit the throne. Dynasties did occur and became more common in the second millennium.

Time of Abraham

Semi-nomads herded millions of sheep and goats in the ancient Near East.

Sedentary in villages near the rivers during the dry summers and nomadic during the winter when vegetation was plentiful.

The kings of the city-states could exercise a measure of control over the semi-nomads depending on their proximity.

Territorial States

The Great States were:

-Kassite Babylonia

-Hittite Anatolia -Mesopotamia

in the North

-Mittani -Assyria -Elam - Syria and

Palestine city-states

- Egypt

Western States of the Late Second Millennium

Some of the unique factors of this time period are:

Three prominent states existed during this time, Mittani, Htittie (New Kingdom) and the Syro-Palestine states.

-The historical information has been derived from many places at the same time.

-Local histories were determined by interaction with others.

-Militarism was a major characteristic of the period.

-Each state was located in a distinctive ecological environment.

-The area was made up of different populations who spoke a multitude of languages.

-Cultures and religions/opinions were very diverse.

Egypt the New Kingdom (1610BC – 1085BC)

This period comprises the Egyptian dynasties 18, 19 and 20. This was the greatest period in ancient Egyptian history.

Many of the most famous examples of Egyptian art come from the 18th and 19th dynasties. The Hebrew tradition of the Exodus from Egypt to Cannan also falls within this time period.

Under Ramses II (1301 -1234) the 19th dynasty, the Egyptian’s attempted to reassert Egyptian control over western Asia

Egypt extended its power under the 18th dynasty up the Nile into Nubia and west to Libya.

This was during the time of Moses

Egypt the New Kingdom (1610BC – 1085BC)

Ramses III (1196-1165) won a great sea and land battle against the Libyans and the sea peoples. This was the last successful effort to Egypt to protect its imperial possessions.

Under the 20th dynasty (1187 -1064) Egypt became an entirely ineffective political force. It was also a period of internal collapse. The king lost control of the nobles resulting in a loss of control over the country.

EmpiresEarly First Millennium to

331 BC

Assyria

Militaristic society Rise to power begins in ninth

century Assurnasirpal II (883-59 and

Shalmaneser III (858-24) Period of decline

Assyria Tig;ath-pileser III (744-27)

and Sargon II initiate internal structural change

Expanded and extended Assyrian control throughout the Near East (even into Egypt)

640 BC – Assyria was at the height of its power – controlled from western Iran into Egypt

Soon after 610 Assyria no longer existed

Medes and Babylonians In 612, the Medes and

Babylonians sacked Nineveh

The Medes controlled territory to the east and north of Babylonia

Nabopolassar (626-05) – united all of Babylon area by 616

Collapse of Assyria created a power vacuum – Babylonia vs. Egypt

Nebuchadnezzer II (604-562) – great military leader

Nabonidus (555-39)

Persia

553BC - 550BC? – Medes were defeated539BC – Babylonia defeatedIts strength came from two sources:

1) Size of its military2) Respect for the different cultures it governed

Greatest challenges:1) Swift expansion and vast size – local rebellions2) Competition for power in the royal house

331 BC – Alexander of Macedon defeated the Persians

Persian Empire

Kingship in the Near East

Different approaches in different locales1) Egypt2) Mesopotamia3) Israel

Bibliography

 

A History of the Ancient Near East, Marc Van De Mieroop, Blackwell Publishing, 2004

Reading the Old Testament, Lawrence Baodt, Paulist Press, New York, 1984

Dictionary of the Bible, John L. McKenzie, SJ, MacMillan Publishing, Co., Inc. New York, 1965

The Face of the Orient, Sabatino Moscati, Quadrangle Books, Chicago, 1963

http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/History/madha/medes.htm http://www.science.co.il/Maps-Near-East-Empires.asp