Date post: | 24-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | florence-ford |
View: | 224 times |
Download: | 0 times |
The meaning of empire
Empire: the extension of political rule by one people over other, different people
Tasks of empire: Communication and administration Awareness of place of conquered peoples in
empire, unified monetary system Hegemony- promotion of benefits of empire
that make it acceptable to subject peoples Dominance- the exercise of sheer force by
military power
Why do empires decline?
Failure of leadership
Overextension of administration
Collapse of the economy
Doubt over ideology
Military defeat
Mesopotamia and the Akkadians
Sargon of Akkad (r. 2334-2279 BCE) Akkadians from Arabia led by Sargon
Conquered widely, wrote in Akkadian, standardized weights and measures, ideology based on Sargon’s image
Lasted 100 years
Babylonians and Hittites
Babylonian Amorites invaded from south around 1900 BCE Hammurabi- legal code, military leader Empire lasted 250 years
Hittites from north (Indo-European) War chariot Ironworking Dominant from 1400-1200 BCE
Assyrians
Present in region from 20th century BCE Rise to dominance began 900 BCE
Ruled by terror and forced migration
Esarhaddon (r. 680-669 BCE) conquest of Egypt made Assyria greatest power of the time
Egyptians
Egypt power based on unified state Invaders- Semitic Hyksos (introduced bronze, horses and
chariots) Expelled c. 1550 BCE
Egyptian power in the Middle East during New Kingdom extended to Euphrates River
Pharaohs gain power and wealth in New Kingdom
Resistance high to Egyptian rule Military defeat caused Egypt to abandon empire outside of
Nile Valley Maintained control of Nubia to 1050 BCE Assyrians, Persians, and Alexander the Great controlled
Egypt in turn
Persian EMpire
Persian expansion led to empire in Middle East Cyrus II (r. 558-529 BCE)
Merciful towards defeated enemies Used bureaucracies of conquered administration Supported Babylonian gods Allowed exiles to return home
Cambyses II (r. 529-522 BCE) Did not practice restraint in conquest Launched invasions in Carthage and Nubia; failed
Persian Empire
Darius I (r. 522-486 BCE) Local loyalty through army Written Persian language Legal codes Road system for military 4 regional capitals
Symbols of power Architecture Reliefs reflect imperial power Zoroastrianism Moderate policies
Greek City States
Greek history in 2 periods Hellenic (internal
development) and Hellenistic (expansionist)
Minoans settled Crete
Mycenaeans dominated Crete after 1450 BCE Power fell to Greek “dark
ages” by 1200 BCE
Reemergence of Greek culture in 850 BCE
Greek Polis
Small, locally organized
Size restricted by geography
Built for defense Poorest at lower levels Agora (open space) on
higher ground Acropolis (temple) on
highest ground
Athenian democracy
Reforms of Solon (600-560 BCE) All free men participate
Reforms of Cleisthenes (560-508 BCE) Rotated political units based on deme, not clan Open meeting every 10 days Council of 500 selected by lottery
Athens now a more open society Intellect and learning valued highly Citizenship restricted to native born males
War with Persia
Revolt of Greek colonists in Asia Minor prompted Persian attack on Athens 10,000 Greeks defeated 48,000 Persians at
Marathon in 490 BCE Greeks had hoplite soldiers in tight phalanxes
Xerxes I launched a counter-attack and defeated the Spartans at Thermopylae
Athenians defeated Persians at Salamis Channel
Greeks develop Delian League (controlled by Athens) to drive out the Persians Persians overextended their empire
Daily Life
Athenian golden age under Pericles “Modern history” Philosophy
Socrates, Plato, Aristotle Science Drama
Slavery
Religion No sacred books, individualistic Many temples, many gods Mystery religions (cults, rituals, societies) Festivals
Limits of City-States
Peloponnesian War Between Sparta and Athens (432-404 BCE
Athens Built a mini-empire Controlled the Delian League
Sparta All citizens (men) equal Oligarchy (five elected men) Spartan women more rights Militaristic
War ends in 404 BCE with Persian-funded Spartan victory
Constant warfare follows
Empire of Macedon
Philip Consolidated Macedonian power
Wanted to unify Greece and liberate Greeks in Asia Minor from Persian control
United Greek states under Macedonian control Extended empire
Assassinated
Alexander the Great Created largest empire to this point
Defeated Persia Conquests spread to North Africa and India
Did not last much after his death in 323 BCE