WARM-UP

Which laws or punishments in Hammurabi’s Code seem unusual today?• Macklin and Ian’s group may not

mention the law about punching a pregnant woman in the stomach.

What difference does that suggest to you about ancient Babylon compared to modern society?

PHOENICIANS

• Seafaring society• Cultural exchange• Take the cuneiform system of writing from

Mesopotamia and created a simplified alphabet• Forerunner to Greek and Latin alphabet

What can this artwork tell us about the Akkadian state (a Mesopotamian empire)?

The Stele of Naram-Sin,Akkadian King, ca. 2200 BCE

EPIC OF GILGAMESH

We will popcorn read this story together and discuss!

The actors –• Gilgamesh – king of Uruk• Enkidu – a wild man, and G’s best friend• Shamhat – a harlot• Humbaba – a demon• Enil – a God, ruler of earth and men• Ishtar – Goddess of sexual love• Taurus – Bull of Heaven• Shamash – Sun God• Shiduri – a wise old tavern keeper• Uta- Napishti – lone survivor of the Flood

CONCLUSION

Answer the following question:

Which of the documents we have seen—Hammurabi’s Code, the Stele of Naram-Sin, or the Epic of Gilgamesh—is most useful to the historian writing about Mesopotamian society?