Chapter 1

The Ancient and Near East: The First Civilizations MESOPOTAMIA

What are the characteristics of “Civilization”?

1. Urban ­Urban Revolution, c. 4000 B.C.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

The Earliest Civilization: Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia “the land between the rivers” • Tigris River and Euphrates River

Area occupied by 5000 B.C. 1 st cities, c. 3500 B.C. Why was the first civilization there? Natural resources

Mud, mud, mud (clay) Reliance on irrigation and seasonal flooding that deposited rich silt

The Land of Sumer

Sumer, 3500­2350 B.C. Southern Mesopotamia Why do we call it Sumer? City­States

Eridu, Ur, Uruk, Umma, Lagash About 30 city­states Population 25,000­50,000

Emergence of military leaders Kings [LUGAL in Sumerian] “Theocracy” The Warka Vase,

c. 3200 B.C.

Sumerian Firsts

Sumerian Worshippers, ca. 2700 BC.; Approx. 2’6”

Sumerian Firsts: Cuneiform Writing

“Invented” about 3100 B.C. Cuneiform (cuneus = “wedge” + form = “shape”) Professional scribes Spielvogel, p. 13

Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia Sumerians (Early Dynastic Age), 3000­ 2340 B.C. Akkadian Empire, c. 2340­2100 B.C. Who were the Akkadians? Semitic language King Sargon of Akkad

Akkadian bronze of Sargon This stern­faced, life­size cast­bronze

head, with its stylized ringleted beard and carefully arranged hair, shows

Mesopotamian craftsmanship at its finest. It is thought to be either King Sargon

(2371­2316 B.C.) or his grandson, King Naram­sin (ca. 2254­2218 B.C.).

Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia Third Dynasty of Ur, c. 2112­2000 B.C.

King Gudea of Lagash

Ziggurat of Ur (restored)

See Spielvogel, p. 11

Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia Sumerians (Early Dynastic Age)

3000­2340 B.C. Akkadian Empire

c. 2340­2100 B.C. Third Dynasty of Ur

c. 2112­2000 B.C. Old Babylonian Period

c. 2000­1600 B.C. Amorites King Hammurabi, • 1792­1750 B.C.

The Law Code of Hammurabi 282 laws Consumer protection Property rights Trade and commerce Marriage and the family Slavery

Stele with Law Code of Hammurabi, Excavated by French archaeologists in 1901 at Susa, Iran, ca. 1780 BC. Basalt,

approx. 7’ 4” high. Louvre, Paris.

How to Read a Primary Source Document

Reading a primary source document is an act of interpretation. We need to recognize our own context and biases. Our goal in using primary sources is to understand the past, not judge it. Whenever possible, use sources other than the document itself to help interpret it.

How to Read a Primary Source Document

Gregory, pp. xi­xiv 1. What is the content of the document? (What

does it say?); Summarize. 2. Who created/wrote it?

• If we can’t tell the author, can we figure out details (e.g., gender, occupation, social class, education level, intentions, political position, religious beliefs, etc.)?

3. Where did it originate? 4. When was the document created/written?

• Can time of creation differ from time of writing down?

5. Why was the source created/written down? What is its purpose?

Mesopotamian Religion Polytheism Anthropomorphic (=human­like in appearance and character) Sumerian gods and their Akkadian equivalents:

AN ­­­ Anu UTU ­­­ Shamash INANNA ­­­ Ishtar NANNA ­­­ Sin

Mesopotamian Creation Myth: Atrahasis (Spielvogel, p. 12) What does this excerpt reveal about the religion of Mesopotamia, including the various gods and the relation of the gods to humanity?

Ritual Priests and priestesses The care and feeding of the gods

No immortality nor rewards and punishments after death

Mesopotamian Religion Epic of Gilgamesh Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, c. 2700 B.C. Enkidu Utnapishtim and The Great Flood (Spielvogel, p. 15) • Compare to the biblical Flood Story (Genesis Chapter 6)

Mesopotamian Science and Math Base­60 system (sexigesimal) Response to the needs in cultivation, irrigation and commerce “Pythagorean Theorem”

Basic arithmetic – multiplication, division, square and cube root Calendar – 12 months Astronomy Divination Zodiac

Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia Old Babylonian Period

c. 2000­1600 B.C. Amorites King Hammurabi • 1792­1750 B.C.

Babylon invaded and sacked by Hittites, c. 1595 B.C. Kassite Dynasty, c. 1550­1200 B.C. Neo­Assyrian Dynasty (Chapter 2) Neo­Babylonian Dynasty (Chapter 2)