Mesopotamia

Sumerian Civilization

Section 3

Sumerian achievements

• CuneiformCuneiform - writing

• ZigguratsZiggurats – step pyramid temples made of baked brick

• May have been the first to develop the wheelwheel

• Number system based on 60

• Lunar calendar

• Organized into city-statescity-states

Babylon

Hammurabi, the Priest King     Hammurabi (ca. 1792 - 1750 BC) united all of Mesopotamia under 43 year reign of Babylon.  Hammurabi's Code is the best preserved legal document reflecting the

social structure of Babylon during Hammurabi's rule.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/ane/ham/ham05.htm

Hammurabi's CodeThe Louvre, Paris

Babylonian EmpireBabylonian Empire

• Nebuchadnezzar

• Hanging Gardens

• Ishtar Gate

Babylon’s Hanging GardensBabylon’s Hanging Gardens

Assyrians, A Warrior RaceAssyrians, A Warrior Race

The winged creature (right) was found at the palace of Sargon II right at the entrance to his throne-room standing 14 feet tall. Their were four statues on each side and they faced each other. It was believed that the lamassu could frighten off demons. [Oriental Institute, Chicago)

Gold of NimrudGold of Nimrud

The gold of Nimrud is a collection of more than 1,000 pieces of gold jewelry and precious stones from the eighth and ninth centuries B.C.

The Queen’s GoldThe Queen’s GoldWhoever … removes Whoever … removes me from my tomb, me from my tomb, or places anyone or places anyone

else with me, or lays else with me, or lays hand on my jewelry hand on my jewelry with evil intent, or with evil intent, or

breaks open the seal breaks open the seal of this tomb, let his of this tomb, let his

spirit wander in spirit wander in thirst in the open thirst in the open

countryside. countryside.

Below, in the Below, in the Netherworld, let him Netherworld, let him

not receive any not receive any libation of pure libation of pure

water, beer, wine, or water, beer, wine, or flour as an offering! flour as an offering! May the great gods May the great gods of the underworld of the underworld

impose on his impose on his corpse and spirit, corpse and spirit,

restlessness for all restlessness for all eternity. eternity.

PersiaPersia

• Darius, king of Persia

• Ruled with justice and tolerance.

• Adopted a standardized coinage

• Established a road system

• Zoroaster, Persian prophet started a new monotheistic religion, good vs. evil and a final judgement, linked to the Magi

zoroaster

http://www.history.com/videos/persias-royal-road#persias-royal-road

PhoeniciansPhoenicians

Ancient seafarers

Did you know?Did you know?•

Look up the adjective Look up the adjective "purple""purple" in a dictionary, in a dictionary, and one of the first meanings you'll see is a and one of the first meanings you'll see is a distinction of royalty. The association of distinction of royalty. The association of royalty with the color purple stems from the royalty with the color purple stems from the ancient reddish-purple dye made from the ancient reddish-purple dye made from the glands of murex mollusks. The most famous glands of murex mollusks. The most famous example of this dye is so-called Tyrian purple example of this dye is so-called Tyrian purple from the Phoenician homeland along the from the Phoenician homeland along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean.  eastern coast of the Mediterranean.   The expense of producing the dye was so The expense of producing the dye was so great—many thousands of mollusks were great—many thousands of mollusks were needed to produce one ounce of dye—that needed to produce one ounce of dye—that only the very wealthiest could afford it.  It was only the very wealthiest could afford it.  It was said to be worth the price, because the dye, said to be worth the price, because the dye, once set, would not run or fade.once set, would not run or fade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOdmEd0HxnM

The First AlphabetThe First Alphabet

Lydians

First to use gold & silver coins

The Lydian lion, the world’s The Lydian lion, the world’s oldest coinoldest coin

IsraelIsrael

• Monotheistic• Judaism, the

forerunner of Christianity

• 10 Commandments, basis of law

• Torah – set of laws that the Israelites followed.

Describe how smaller civilizations such as Phoenicia and the Lydians could exert their influence on the ancient world.

Smaller civilizations such as Phoenicia and Lydia Smaller civilizations such as Phoenicia and Lydia could exert their influence on the ancient world by could exert their influence on the ancient world by developing ideas and distributing the ideas to the developing ideas and distributing the ideas to the rest of the world. With the Phoenicians, it was their rest of the world. With the Phoenicians, it was their alphabet and with the Lydians, it was their idea of a alphabet and with the Lydians, it was their idea of a money economy. The Phoenicians were great money economy. The Phoenicians were great traders and as they traded from port to port, they traders and as they traded from port to port, they brought their culture to the people they traded with. brought their culture to the people they traded with. This allowed them to influence the rest of the world.This allowed them to influence the rest of the world.