Exploring Four Empires of Mesopotamia

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Exploring Four Empires of Mesopotamia

• History Alive! Ch. 6, pp. 51-59

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6.1 Introduction

• City-states of Sumer were like independent
  countries
• Often fought over land and water rights
• Never united into one group
• Lack of unity left them open to attacks by
  stronger groups
• 2300 B.C.E, Akkadians conquered Sumer
• Made Sumerian city-states a part of an empire
• Empire builders first conquer other lands, then
  use their power to keep these lands under their
  control
• Between 2300 and 539 B.C.E, four empires rose up
  in Mesopotamia

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6.2 The Akkadian Empire

• 2300 B.C.E., the Akkadians conquered Sumer
• Came from northern Mesopotamia
• Led by a great king named Sargon
• Sargon became the first ruler of the Akkadian
  Empire
• Strong king and skilled general
• Created empire through powerful military
  strategies
• Assembled a large army
• Taught his soldiers to fight in tight formations
• Used smart political strategies
• Destroyed walls of cities to make it harder for
  people to rebel
• Made sure governors of city-states were loyal to
  him
• Became first king to demand that his sons rule
  after his death
• Sargon and the Akkadians created the worlds
  first empirethis was their greatest achievement

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6.3 Life Under Akkadian Rule

• Sargon rules for 56 years
• Agadeempires capital
• Became cultural center with many beautiful
  temples and palaces
• One of the richest and most powerful cities in
  the world
• Built up city with tribute
• Sumerian culture lived on
• Used Sumerian irrigation techniques to farm
• Used Sumerian system of cuneiform writing
• Worshipped the same gods and goddesses
• Cultural achievements of Akkadians
• Language gradually replaced Sumerian language
• Beautiful three-dimensional sculptures
• Relief sculpturessteles
• Victory Stele celebrated King Naram-Sins
  military victory
• After 200 years, the Akkadian Empire fell to new
  invaders from the north

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6.4 Hammurabi and the Babylonian Empire

• Hammurabi was king of Babylon, a city-state in
  central Mesopotamia
• He conquered Mesopotamiabecame known as Babylon
• Best known for his Code of laws, written from
  1792 to 1750 B.C.E.
• Claimed gods told him to create laws that applied
  to everyone
• Written on a stele and placed in temple for
  everyone to see
• Code was very detailed
• Covered situations such as trade, payment for
  work, marriage, and divorce
• Spelled out punishments for stealing, causing
  injury, and other crimes
• Hammurabis code was an important achievement
• First code of laws and punishments that applied
  to everyone

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6.5 Life in the Babylonian Empire

• Babylonia thrived under Hammurabi
• Worked to unite people of his empire
• Made Babylonian god, Marduk, supreme over other
  gods
• Built roads and created postal service
• Agriculture and trade flourished
• Kept irrigation systems working properly
• Land remained fertile provided plenty of food
• Babylon became important center of trade
• Traded with people all along Persian Gulf
• Traded grain and woven cloth for wood, gold,
  silver, precious gems, and livestock
• Trade helped empires economy
• Babylonian society was unusually fair for its
  time
• Slaves had rights
• Could work elsewhere and keep their wages
• Could own property
• Could buy their freedom
• Women had rights
• Could own property
• Could keep money of their own

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6.6 The Assyrian Empire

• Assyria was north of Babylon
• Assyrians rose to power in 900 B.C.E.
• Series of rulers began training them for war
• With trained army, Assyrians began to expand
  their territory
• Assyrians were feared for their military might
  cruelty
• Greatest achievements were their new weapons
  war strategies
• Perfected use of horses and iron weapons in
  battle
• Became extremely good at siege warfare
• Assyrians developed new ways of attacking cities
• First to use battering rams
• Built moveable towers for soldiers to climb over
  walls
• Assyrians were often ruthless
• Made entire populations leave conquered areas
• Spread tales of their cruelty and widepart of
  their military strategy

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6.7 Life Under the Assyrians

• Built beautiful palaces for their kings
• Built on tall mounds with huge sculptures of
  winged and human-headed bulls or lions stood at
  entrances
• Ordinary people farmed the land
• Dug canals to irrigate land and keep it fertile
• Built some of the earliest aqueducts
• Assyrian craftspeople were known for
  two-dimensional sculptures called bas-reliefs
• Most famous were on palace walls
• Often showed king hunting, fighting in battle, or
  enjoying life
• Assyrian empire lasted about 300 years
• Stretched from Egypt to Persian Gulf
• Became too big to control
• Fell in 612 B.C.E.

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6.8 The Neo-Babylonian Empire

• Babylonians regained control over Mesopotamia
• Established new empire, the Neo-Babylonian Empire
• Most famous king was Nebuchadezzar II
• Ruthless leaderreigned from 605 to 562 B.C.E.
• Expanded empire whenever he could
• As military leader, Nebuchadezzar knew it was
  important to keep his capital city, Babylon, safe
• Built an inner wall and outer wall around city
• Towers were placed on walls for archers to stand
  on
• Moat was dug around outer wall and filled with
  water
• Bridges were used to cross moat and enter city

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6.9 Life in the Neo-Babylonian Empire

• 605 to 562 B.C.E, citys ziggurat was rebuilt
• Called House of the Platform Between Heaven and
  Earth
• Nebuchadezzar decorated his palace with the
  Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• Planted on rooftops and tall terraces
• Watering system kept gardens fresh and green
• One of great wonders of ancient world
• Skilled in mathematics astronomy
• Created first sundial
• Made discoveries that led to 60-minute hour and
  7-day week
• Lasted only 75 years
• Conquered by Cyrus of the Persian Empire
• Persians rules most powerful empire in the world
  for 200 years