New Centers of Civilization

Chapter 2 Section 3

The Roles of Nomadic Peoples

• Although civilizations are abundant, some people remain pastoral nomads– Viewed as hostile

outsiders, barbaric– Often helped

transportation of technology with trade

Indo-Europeans

• a particular group of people who used a language derived from a single parent tongue.

• Around 2000 B.C. travel Asia Minor (Turkey)

• 1750 B.C. form Hittite kingdom– Capital Hattusha

Hittite Kingdom• Challenge Egypt for power• First to use iron• Destroyed by the “sea peoples”

The Phoenicians • Came to power after fall of Egyptians

and Hittites.• Located in Palestine (a region) along

Mediterranean Sea– Traders of purple dye, glass, and lumber

Phoenicians Legacy

• Phoenician Alphabet– Passed on to Greeks, eventually

becoming Roman alphabet that we use today

– 22 characters or letters

The Israelites

• Founders of Judaism – Later influences

Christianity and Islam

– Hebrew Bible, known to Christians as the Old Testament

The Israelites • Biblical accounts not proven• Is known that they emerge as a

distinct group between 1200 and 1000 B.C.– Form a united kingdom known as Israel

King Solomon• Ruled from 970 – 930 B.C.• Control over all of Palestine

– Jerusalem is capital• Best known for his temple • Eventually overrun

by the Assyrians

Spiritual Dimensions of Israel

• One God = Yahweh – This is known as

monotheistic• Jews must obey

law of God, known as the Ten Commandments

The Rise of New Empires

Chapter 2 Section 4

The Assyrian Empire • Empire by 700 B.C. in Mesopotamia• Great communication established

– A question answered by king within 1 week (HAHA)

The Assyrians

• Ashurbanipal• Considered the

greatest Assyrian King.

• He collected the writings of Mesopotamia and est. the great library of Nineveh

Nineveh

The Assyrians • Very brutal• Short lived empire,

ends by 612 B.C.

The Persian Empire• Lived in what is now southwest Iran• Cyrus captured Babylon, allowed

Jews to return to Jerusalem. – Was known for mercy

The Persian Empire

• Split into 20 provinces called satrapies

• Had Royal Road • Advanced and large military

– The Immortals, elite force of 10,000

The Persian Fall• High taxes lower loyalty • Persian Kings promiscuous

– Example King Artaxerxes II had 115 sons • Conquered by Alexander the Great in

330s B.C.

King Xerxes of the Persians in “300”

Persian Religion• Zoroastrianism• Original Religion of the Persian

Empire

• Zoroaster• Founder and Prophet of the

Religion. Also known as Zarathustra.

• Book: Zend Avesta, the recorded teachings of Zoroaster.

• Monotheistic• Taught belief in one universal, all-

powerful god.

• Ahura Mazda• The god of Zoroastrianism