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The River Civilizations

The River Civilizations. Mesopotamia, 2800 – 539 BCE. The Importance of Rivers. The most successful (i.e. long-lasting, powerful, wealthy) early cultures were born near major rivers Nile Yellow Indus Tigris / Euphrates

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The River Civilizations

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  1. The River Civilizations Mesopotamia, 2800 – 539 BCE

  2. The Importance of Rivers • The most successful (i.e. long-lasting, powerful, wealthy) early cultures were born near major rivers • Nile • Yellow • Indus • Tigris / Euphrates • Access to water, fertile land, and a good climate provided stability, allowing the people to focus their energies in other directions

  3. Mesopotamia - The First “Civilization” • Rose in the Fertile Crescent, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the same region as the oldest cities • This is not a single, continuous empire, but a series of groups who rose to dominance. • Very influential on concurrent and later cultures.

  4. The Sumerians – 2800-2370 BCE • The region was dominated by a series of city-states, each controlling approximately 100 square miles • Main ones were Uruk, Ur, Lagash, and Eridu • These cities fought over water rights and borders, with stronger ones conquering weaker ones and absorbing their territory • This expansion led to the development of kingdoms

  5. Written with a wedge-shaped stylus into a slab of clay; later inscribed in stone or painted. • First civilization to develop writing • Cuneiform – started as pictographs, then simplified over time • This concept was exported to Egypt, Greece, and other nearby groups • Initially for record-keeping, so only nouns, numbers • Later evolved to abstract thoughts, all features of language as we know it • Also invented the wheel during this period

  6. Why does the invention of writing change everything?

  7. Social Order • The city-states were ruled by Kings, who were believed to be divinely appointed • Chief administrator, law-giver, judge, and soldier • The entire apparatus of government was believed to have been created by the gods • King and nobility owned most of the land • Free clients – men and women who worked for the nobility in exchange for use of land • Commoners – free citizens who owned land • Craftsmen, merchants, traders, administrators of legal and tax system • Slaves

  8. The Akkadians - 2334 or 2270-2193 BCE • Under a series of kings, the city-state of Akkad began to grow in wealth and power • The region conquered completely by King Sargon, in either 2334 or 2270 BCE • He had been cupbearer to the previous king, Ur-Zababa of Kish. He killed the king, usurped the throne, and then conquered all of Mesopotamia • In official versions of the story, his seizure of the throne was divinely ordained • Rule may have been cruel; his dynasty was short-lived.

  9. As Sargon conquered other city-states, he installed Akkadian governors to rule, instead of native Sumerians • Respected religious traditions, even installing himself as head priest of Anu, a sky-god • Language of the empire became Akkadian • First known ruler to keep a standing army

  10. More Turmoil • For the next 200 years, different groups, both from within and without Mesopotamia vied for power • 2125 BCE – Ur rose to dominance, with rulers extending its borders; like the Akkadians, this power was brief • 2004 BCE – Elamites sacked Ur

  11. Amorites – Babylon – 2000-1595 BCE • The Amorites were a people from West of the Euphrates • Overthrew a series of Akkadian kings, eventually establishing power over all of Mesopotamia • Ruled out of the city of Babylon, thus also called the Old Babylonian dynasty • They kept the Sumerian language and writing for religious purposes, but spoke a Semitic dialect in everyday use

  12. Freed citizens from forced labour • Freed up royal land for use by the people • Changed the economy by encouraging merchants and larger trade systems, and lowering or eliminating taxes • Culturally and religiously, the region kept the older traditions • Established a clear code of law

  13. Hammurabi – ruled 1792-1750 BCE • He ascended the throne of Babylon in 1792 BCE and immediately established it as the leading city of the region • Is responsible for the Code of Hammurabi, the one of the oldest known written legal codes. • Code was said to be divinely inspired • Set down consequences for breaking the law, with consequences changing with rank

  14. Assyria – 911-605 BCE • The Assyrian kingdoms, north of Babylon, were ruled by Assyrian monarchs as vassals to Babylon under Hammurabi, but his successors quickly lost power • In the period of turmoil with the conquering of Babylon by the Hittites, the Assyrians managed to remain independent and fairly strong, while most of Mesopotamia experienced turmoil

  15. Beginning in 911 BCE, the Assyrian kings waged a series of campaigns to conquer their neighboring states. • Assurnasirpal II (883-859 BCE)led his army to reunite Mesopotamia, building heavily fortified towns, but also collecting samples of plants for gardens in the capital • His successors would continue the expansion of the empire • Under the Assyrians, the kings were also the chief priests • This period saw a new resurgence of art, culture, and wealth, with vast trade routes

  16. Overextended themselves, and could not control their empire • Babylon regained power briefly in 605, but the entire region fell to the Persians in 539 BCE

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