Middle East: Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia means: “land between two rivers”. The civilization developed between the Euphrates and the Tigris Rivers

The area is often called the “Fertile Crescent”

By 3200 B.C. a number of cities are established by the Sumerians

Major Contribution: The Invention of Writing

Origins of writing probably go back to the 9000 B.C.

4000 BC - realized that drawing tokens

was easier than making tokensDeveloped of cuneiform:

“wedge-shaped”pictographic system

Sumeria: 3200 BC

Sumeria

Developed advanced city-states

Specialized workers, social classes

Advanced Math: Number system based on 60 (60 seconds = 1 min.)

Polytheistic

Sumerian Inventions

Wagon wheel Potter’s wheel

(shape containers)

Number system 12 month

calendar

• Sail

• Some of the earliest known maps

• New architecture

• Metal plow

Akkadians

Sumeria fell to foreign invaders The Akkadians:

Nomadic people f/ Arabian Peninsula that migrated to Mesopotamia

Sargon (2300-2200 BC) unites all Mesopotamian cities (creates first empire)

The Akkadians did not rule for long …

Babylonia

Located in modern day Syria

Hammurabi--created a system of civil law (a code with harsh punishments)

Borrowed heavily f/ Sumerian cultureAfter Hammurabi’s death Babylon

declined

Hittites: 1400 BC

Hittites

Conquered Babylon in 1400 BC

A strong army with chariots

Knew how to make iron which was plentiful and cheap

Borrowed from Mesopotamian and Egyptian culture

Assyrians: 1100 BC

Assyrians

Powerful army / warfare was central to their culture

Treated conquered people cruelly

Large empire with good roads

Collapsed about 612 BC

Babylon Revived: 612 BC

Babylon Revived:

Descendents from Hammurabi’s Babylonians

At its height during the rule of Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC)Spent a lot of money on BabylonBuilt Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Empire collapsed after being defeated by the Persians

Persians: 539 BC

Persians

Cyrus conquered in 539BC, & eventually conquered from Nile to Indus

Darius I – the skilled organizerUsed satraps (governors)Tolerant to those who were conquered Increased trade and built roadsMoney economy using coinsBelieved in a Single GodLost to the Greeks in 480 BC

Meanwhile, those Phoenicians ...

Phoenicians

A small state with own contributions:Sailors around present day Mediterra-

nean, including Lebanon and SyriaManufacturing and trade gurus who set

up coloniesCreated the basis for the alphabet we

use today!Spread middle east civilization around

Mediterranean