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Reading Check

Reading Check. What does Mesopotamia literally mean? Where is it located geographically? What Mesopotamian civilization did you read about last week? (Hint—S.) Tell me one thing you learned about that civilization. Name two of the other three empires you read about. (Hint—A, B, P).

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Reading Check

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  1. Reading Check • What does Mesopotamia literally mean? • Where is it located geographically? • What Mesopotamian civilization did you read about last week? (Hint—S.) • Tell me one thing you learned about that civilization. • Name two of the other three empires you read about. (Hint—A, B, P)

  2. Fertile Crescent Empires • Babylon, Assyria, & Persia

  3. Babylonian Empire • Started as city by the Euphrates River in 1900 BCE • Babylon--capital of Babylonian Empire • Under King Hammurabi conquered all of the surrounding cities (including Sumer) to make it the Fertile Crescent’s 1st united empire in 1787 BCE. • Empire-- an area of many territories and peoples that is controlled by one government

  4. Babylonian Culture • Very similar to Sumerian culture • Adopted their religion, literature, inventions, & practices • Became wealthy via trade & agriculture • Trade required them to build roads & bazaars • bazaar--outdoor market place for trading goods • caravan--a group of travelers (Why travel together?)

  5. Babylonian Accomplishments • Hammurabi’s Code--first known, written set of laws, created by King of Babylon during his reign (1792-1750) • Created a useful system of mathematics & astronomy • Math based on numbers from 1-60 • Does this sound familiar? • Allowed them to calculate areas of geometric shapes • Why would this be important for building an empire?

  6. The End of Babylon • All their wealth couldn’t save them from conquest… • They fell to another, growing empire in 1500 BCE.

  7. The Assyrian Empire • Civilization on upper Tigris River in an open plain • Capital—Nineveh • Frequently attacked by invaders • Developed standing army (soldiers who serve in military as their primary job) • By 1365 BCE decided that best defense was a good offense! • They started creating their own empire!

  8. The Assyrian Army • Fierce & cruel warriors • Weapons made of iron (rather than copper or bronze) • Created forts & government to administer conquered cities • First mail service to communicate between cities in empire • Other Advancements: • Trained Horses & Chariots • Archers & Stone Slings • Battering Rams

  9. The Softer Side of the Assyrians • They created a great library with clay tablets from Sumer & Babylon.

  10. Biggest=Best? • By 650 BCE, Empire stretched from The Nile River to the Persian Gulf! (See map on p. 39 in textbook.) • Captured enemies (murdering or enslaving them), plundered & looted cities, & demanded taxes (tributes) from the vanquished. • The Assyrians were widely hated. • Several revolt attempts • Medes & Chaldeans overthrew them in 612 BCE.

  11. Babylon’s Back, Baby! • What city rose out of the ashes of Nineveh? • The Chaldeans made the city of Babylon their new capital. • This time around their most important king was Nebuchadnezzar II • Ruled from 605-562 BCE • Babylon grew strong under him

  12. More Babylonian Accomplishments • Center of Math & Science • Astronomy so accurate could calculate length of year to within minutes of modern methods! • Started domesticating honey bees (Why?)

  13. Reasons to Remember Babylon: • Huge wall surrounding the city • Beautifully decorated • Towers for guards • 4-Horse Chariot-wide • Famous Gate of Ishtar

  14. Reasons to Remember Babylon: • Hanging Gardens of Babylon • Built by Nebuchadnezzar • Beautifully decorated • Roof-top tropical gardens • In the middle of the desert • 1 of 7 Wonders of the Ancient World • Why? Let’s find out...

  15. This Time Babylon Falls & Stays Down • Nebuchadnezzar is succeeded by his son in 562 BCE, but he’s assassinated just three years later. • Within a few years, new empire invades

  16. The Persian Empire • (539-330 BCE)

  17. The Persian Empire • Located east of Fertile Crescent (modern-day Iran & Afghanistan) • People were Indo-Europeans called Aryans (source of Iran’s name) • Started in 550 BCE by Persian province ruler named Cyrus the Great (550-330 BCE) • United Medes & Persians into a strong army and later a kingdom

  18. The Persian Empire • Army of archers & cavalrymen conquered most of ancient world (See map on p. 39) • Turkey • India • Egypt • Unlike Assyrians, they were benevolent: • Freed Jews • Treated conquered fairly & kindly (did force tributes) • Allowed them to maintain culture

  19. Ruling the Biggest Empire • Emperor Darius I (522-486 BCE) set up system to organize the empire: • Divided into 20 provinces • Each managed by governors • Judges & Tax Collectors appointed • Surprise inspectors • Well paved roads which led to international trade

  20. Bureaucracy • complex structure of government offices needed to govern a vast empire or nation (negative connotation)

  21. Zoroastrianism • the official religion of the Persian Empire • had one supreme god who made world, sun, moon & stars • What is this kind of religion called?

  22. The Persian Empire Lasted • until Alexander the Great conquered it in 330 BCE

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