New Centers of Civilization

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Chapter 2.3

• New Centers of Civilization

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The Role of Nomadic Peoples

• Pastoral nomads
• Lived on fringes of civilizations
• Hunted, gathered, farmed, domesticated animals
• Moved along pasture routes
• Sometimes over-ran civilizations
• Shared new technology

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Indo-Europeans

• Hittite Kingdom
• Empire in western Asia
• First to use iron
• Destroyed by Sea Peoples
• Smaller city-states and kingdoms emerged

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The Phoenicians

• Lived on 120 miles of Mediterranean coastline
• Power based on trade
• ships and seafaring skills
• Set up colonies along trade routes
• Carthage in North Africa
• Created alphabet of 22 letters
• Passed on to Greeks, then to Rome
• We use Roman alphabet

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The Children of Israel

• Emerged as a distinct group called the Israelites
• Established Judaism
• Established kingdom known as Israel

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The United Kingdom

• Israel ruled Palestine
• King Solomon ruled Israel
• First great king
• Known for his wisdom
• Created capitol of Jerusalem
• Built temple in Jerusalem
• symbolic center of Israel and Judaism to this day

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The Divided Kingdom

• Tension after Solomons death
• Kingdom divided into 2 parts
• Kingdom of Israel
• Kingdom of Judah

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Kingdom of Israel

• 10 northern tribes
• conquered by Assyrians
• Scattered
• Lost Hebrew identity

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Kingdom of Judah

• Southern 2 tribes
• Conquered by Chaldeans
• Destroyed Jerusalem
• Captives sent into exile
• Allowed to return when conquered by Persia
• Kingdom rebuilt
• People became known as the Jews

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The Spiritual Dimensions of Israel

• One God Yahweh
• Monotheism
• Yahweh created and rules the world
• God is not in nature
• Natural phenomena are not divine
• All people are Yahwehs servants

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Three most important aspects

• Covenant
• agreement between God and people
• Law
• Law of God Ten Commandments
• Prophets
• Teachers sent by God

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The End