2
Mesopotamia
“Between the Rivers”Tigris and Euphrates
Contemporary Iran, Iraq Cultural continuum of
“fertile crescent”
3
The Wealth of the Rivers
Nutrient-rich silt Key: irrigation
Necessity of coordinated effortsPromoted development of local governments City-states
Sumer begins small-scale irrigation 6000 BCE By 5000 BCE, complex irrigation networks
Population reaches 100,000 by 3000 BCE Attracts Semitic migrants, influences culture
4
Sumerian City-States
Cities appear 4000 BCE Dominate region from 3200-2350 BCE
Ur (home of Abraham), Nineveh Ziggurat home of the god Divine mandate to Kings Regulation of Trade
6
Political Decline of Sumer Semitic peoples from northern Mesopotamia
overshadow SumerSargon of Akkad (2370-2315 BCE)○ Destroyed Sumerian city-states one by one, created
empire based in Akkad○ Empire unable to maintain chronic rebellions
Hammurabi of Babylon (1792-1750 BCE)Improved taxation, legislationUsed local governors to maintain control of city-
states Babylonian Empire later destroyed by Hittites from
Anatolia, c. 1595 BCE
7
Legal System
The Code of Hammurabi (18th c. BCE)282 itemslex talionis (item 196: “eye for an eye”)Social status and punishmentwomen as property, but some rights
8
Technological Development in Mesopotamia
Bronze (copper with tin), c. 4000 BCEMilitary, agricultural applications
Iron, c. 1000 BCECheaper than bronze
Wheel, boats, c. 3500 BCE Shipbuilding increases trade networks
9
Later Mesopotamian Empires
Weakening of central rule an invitation to foreign invaders
Assyrians use new iron weaponryBeginning 1300 BCE, by 8th-7th centuries BCE
control Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, most of Egypt
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (r. 605-562) takes advantage of internal dissent to create Chaldean (New Babylonian) Empire
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Social Classes Ruling classes based often on military prowess
Originally elected, later hereditaryPerceived as offspring of gods
Religious classesRole: intervention with gods to ensure fertility, safetyConsiderable landholdings, other economic activities
Free commonersPeasant cultivatorsSome urban professionals
SlavesPrisoners of war, convicted criminals, debtors
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Patriarchal Society
Men as landowners, relationship to status Patriarchy: “rule of the father”
Right to sell wives, children Double standard of sexual morality
Women drowned for adulteryRelaxed sexual mores for men
Yet some possibilities of social mobility for womenCourt advisers, temple priestesses, economic activity
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Development of Writing
Sumerian writing systems form 3500 BCE Cuneiform: “wedge-shaped”
Preservation of documents on clayDeclines from 400 BCE with spread of Greek
alphabetic script
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Uses for Writing
Trade Astronomy Mathematics
Agricultural applications Calculation of time
12-month year24-hour day, 60-minute hour
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Hebrews and Monotheism Moses introduces monotheism, belief in
single godDenies existence of competing parallel deitiesPersonal god: reward and punishment for
conformity with revealed lawThe Torah (“the teaching”)
15
The Phoenicians
City-states along Mediterranean coast after 3000 BCE
Extensive maritime tradeDominated Mediterranean trade, 1200-800 BCE
Development of alphabet symbolsSimpler alternative to cuneiformSpread of literacy
16
Indo-European Migrations Common roots of many languages of
Europe, southwest Asia, India Domestication of horses, use of Sumerian
weaponry allowed them to spread widely
17
Implications of Indo-European Migration Hittites migrate to central Anatolia, c. 1900 BCE, later
dominate Babylonia Influence on trade
Horses, chariots with spoked wheels, use of IronIron Migrations to western China, Greece, Italy also
significant Influence on language and culture
Caste system in India