Chapter 2

The Ancient Near East:

Peoples and Empires

Timeline

The Hebrews: “The Children of Israel”

Hebrew Bible – Old Testament Pentateuch

Descendants of Abraham

Migration to EgyptSlaves of Pharaohs

Moses leads them out of Egypt (Exodus)

12 Tribes

Troubles with the Philistines

Origins of United Kingdom (c. 1200 – c. 1000 B.C.)

Pentateuch

Genesis-beginning “covenant”

Exodus-Moses 10 Commandments

Leviticus-Laws

Numbers-God’s forgiveness

Deuteronomy-link Hebrews

Chronology: The Israelites

The United Kingdom

Saul (c. 1020 – 1000 B.C.)David (c. 1000 – 970 B.C.)Solomon (c. 970 – 930 B.C.)

Temple of Jerusalem • Arc of the Covenant

ProverbsTrade and commerceSon-Rehoboam

Map 2.1: Palestine in the First Millennium B.C.

The Divided KingdomKingdom of Israel

10 Northern TribesCapital in Samaria

Kingdom of Judah2 Southern TribesCapital in Jerusalem

Assyria conquers Kingdom of Israel (722 B.C.)Chaldeans conquered Kingdom of Judah (586 B.C.)

Jerusalem DestroyedBabylonian Captivity

Spiritual Dimensions of IsraelYahweh (Monotheism)Covenant, Law and Prophets

Covenant with YahwehLaws

• 10 Commandments• Regulation of economic, social and political life of all

Hebrews

Prophets• Yahweh’s voice to his people• Universalism and Social Justice• Separation between Jews and non-Jews

The Social Structure of the Hebrews

Social PatternsFamily was the central social institution of Hebrew lifeMarriage and Women

Monogamy versus PolygamyDependence of women on menGoal of marriage was the production of children

Hebrew Readings

Cite examples in your answers on a separate sheet of paper in complete sentences: (15 points)

1. Identify laws of the Hebrews that were similar to Hammurabi, and those that pertained primarily to their faith.

2.What does the Book of Job say about God, the Devil, and man’s place in the universe?

3. What can one learn from the Book of Job?

Laws    *Laws can tell you about a society's social hierarchies--e.g., about the differences between elites and non-elites, or the status of women, children, and "outsiders."      *Laws can tell you about the organization of the economy--e.g., about property rights, the existence of various kinds of property (including tools), types of economic activity (such as farming), and types of labor (such as slavery).      *Laws can tell you about the organization of government—e.g., if it had a Kingship, if it was a theocracy, what powers the King claimed as King, what powers rested with other religious authorities (the Temple priest or the gods), what aspects of people's lives the government tried to regulate, what aspects of people's lives other religious authorities tried to regulate (etc.).  

Laws

*Laws might not necessarily tell you exactly how people behaved, but they can tell you how the lawmakers wanted people to behave.  Laws might not tell you what people valued, but they can tell you what lawmakers wanted people to value.  Laws might not tell you exactly how much authority those in power really exercised, but they can tell you what authority those in power claimed to have.

The Book of Job

Why does evil exist?Complicated

Part of human experience

Life can be full of pain and despair

Book of JobShows problem as it really is

Honest record of the sufferer’s doubts

Removes common idea about suffering• Suffering is not a punishment for sins

The Book of JobGod permits the Devil to afflict Job in order to test his faith (Job 1:6-12; Job 2:7-8)

Will Job continue to love God? Remain loyal?In our suffering, we do not know all the facts

(Job 9:1-4), (Job 38-1-7)What have I done to deserve this? (Job 9:15)

Job knows he is innocent. No sin in his life deserves his great suffering

God can use the experience of suffering for good.Continuing when things are hard

The Neighbors of the IsraelitesPhilistines-Conquest of Canaan

Had Iron WeaponsSettled as Farmers

PhoeniciansTrade (Glass, Wine, Lumber, Dyes-rare purple)Colonies throughout the Mediterranean

• Carthage-North Africa

Transmitters of Culture(AKA Carriers of civilizations)• Alphabet-22 different signs to represent the sound of their

speech

Table 2.1: A Comparison of the Phoenician, Greek, and Latin Alphabets

Map 2.2: The Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian Empires

The Assyrian EmpireSemitic Language Iron WeaponsAshurbanipal (669 – 626 B.C.E.)

Built great library at Nineveh

Governing the EmpireAbsolute KingsWell-Organized Empire

MilitarySizeDisciplineWeaponsTactics

• Terror

Ashurbanipal Destroys an Elamite City

Assyrian Society and CultureImported Prisoners of War

Language-commonReligion-God Ashur

Agriculture-Principal basis of Assyrian lifeTrade-2nd to agriculture

Middlemen-built roads

Hybrid CultureGuardians of Sumerian and Babylonian CultureArt

• Relief Sculptures

King Ashurbanipul’s Lion Hunt

The Neo-Babylonian Empire

Rise of the Chaldeans

Reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (625 – 605 B.C.)

Economic Prosperity

The City of Babylon

Fall of Babylon to Persians (539 B.C.)

The Persian EmpireCyrus the Great (559 – 530 B.C.)

Conquered Kingdom of Lydia (c. 547 B.C.)Conquered Greek city-statesConquered Mesopotamia (539 B.C.)

Cambyses (530 – 522 B.C.)Conquered Egypt

Darius the Great (521 – 486)Western IndiaIonian Revolt in Asia MinorInvasion and Defeat in Greece (490 B.C.)

Map 2.3: The Persian Empire at the Time of Darius

Governing the Empire

Satrapies (Provinces)Satraps were of Persian descent

Major satrapies went to princes of the king’s family

Minor satrapies went to Persian nobles

CommunicationsRoyal Road from Sardis to Susa

Panel in glazed brick at the Ishtar Gate

The Great King

Regent of the god Ahuramazda

Palaces

Gap between ruler and ruled

Military Power10,000 Immortals

Persian ReligionZoroastrianism-worship the powers of nature (sun, moon, fire, and winds)

Zoroaster (born c. 660 B.C.) legendary figureMonotheisticZend Avesta-Book of Zoroastrianism

Ahuramazda “Wise Lord”Ahriman (Evil Spirit)Struggle between good and evil

Good person chooses the right way

Last JudgmentEach soul faced a final evaluation of its actions

Ancient ReligionsHistorians believe that Zoroastrianism had an impact on

Christianity. Do you agree?

The Hebrews left a spiritual legacy that influenced much of the later development of Western Civilization. Judaism influenced the development of both Christianity and Islam.

Judeo-Christian heritage: Concept of monotheism, but also the ideas of law, morality and social justice.

Discussion QuestionsHow was ancient Judaism different from other ancient near-eastern religions? What impact did this have on ancient Hebrew history?What legacy did the ancient Hebrews leave to Western Civilization?Why were the Assyrians so successful in subjugating their neighbors?What role did terror play in Assyrian military tactics?How were the Persians able to conquer and maintain their large empire?How did Zoroastrianism influence religions that came later?

Web Links

Internet Jewish History Sourcebook

The Old Testament and the Ancient Near East

ABZU: Internet Guide to the Ancient Near East

Ancient Mesopotamia and the Levant

Hittite Homepage

Cyrus the Great

AVESTA: Zoroastrian Archives