Western Civilization I HIS-101

1. Western Civilization IHIS-101 UNIT 2 - Gods And Empires In The Ancient Near East (1700-500 BCE)

3. Rising Powers of the Near East • The first half of the 2nd millennium BCE was a time of transition and constant warfare • This was due to numerous Indo-European tribes moving into the Near East as well as Semitic tribes • By the beginning of the late Bronze Age (1500-1200 BCE), there were a number of major powers in the Near East • Anatolia was a region that was full of natural resources • Previous civilizations had not take advantage of this • The area had been ruled by Cappadocians but were not organized like other civilizations

4. Rise of Anatolia • Assyrians moved into Anatolia around1900 BCE • Created a vast trade network into region and take advantage of the resources available • Did not seek military gains • Had a profound impact: • The became advisors to the Cappadocian kings • They also married into Cappadocian families • They brought Mesopotamian civilization and urbanization with them • The Hittites moved into central Anatolia c. 2000 BCE • Their city-states remained independent until 1700 BCE

5. Rise of Anatolia • Hittite Old Kingdom (c. 1700-c.1500 BCE) • It was a very militaristic styled culture • Hattusilis I (c.1650–c.1620 BCE) • Expanded the frontiers throughout the Anatolian Plateau • Controlled trade routes as a way to expand the kingdom’s economic capabilities • “Kingdom of a Thousand Gods” • Mursilis I (c. 1620–c. 1590 BCE) continued on the success • Expanded the kingdom further into Syria and even into Mesopotamia • Sacked the city of Babylon c.1595 BCE, leaving it in ruins

6. Hittites were one of the first civilizations to use war chariots on a widespread basis

7. Kassites • Kassites moved into southern Mesopotamia in c. 2000 BCE • Historians believe they had migrated from the Zagros Mountains in modern Iran • Created the Middle Babylonian Kingdom (c.1531-c.1155 BCE) • This was after the city of Babylon had been sacked by Hittites • Lack of Kassite records from the time period • They did trade extensively with the Assyrians, Hittites, and Egyptians • They brought peace and prosperity into the region

8. Mitanni • Mitanni set up their kingdom in northern Mesopotamia (c. 1500-1360 BCE) • They were master horse trainers • Used horses as new innovation in warfare • This included light, horse-drawn chariots that would carry archers into battle • They also developed excellent cavalry tactics • Kingdom went into a decline after a renewed attack by the Hittites • The Hittites left the Mitanni Kingdom in tact to serve as a buffer between them and the Assyrians

9. Coffin cover of King Intef VIII Sekhemreherhermaat • 17th Dynasty • (??? – 1566 BCE)

10. Second Intermediate Period • Second Intermediate Period (c. 1783-1550 BCE) • Due to the weak control of 13th and 14th Dynasties rulers • Military became disorganized • Hyksos invaded the delta region (c. 1750 BCE) • Unknown origins • Might be of western Asiatic descent • “Hyksos” was derived from heka khasewet, meaning “foreign rulers” • This led to more instability in the region • The nomes in Upper Egypt declared independence • The Nubians to the south also broke free from Egyptian control

11. Second Intermediate Period • Upper Egypt remained under Egyptian control • Hyksos took full control of Lower Egypt in 1663 BCE • Adopted Egyptian traditions to legitimatize their rule • Made some significant cultural improvements • Introduced bronze as a new and improved metal for making weapons and tools • Made improved weapons such as a heavier sword and a compound bow • Introduced horse-drawn war chariots • Egyptians used new technologies to overthrow the Hyksos • Led by Ahmose I, who started the 18th Dynasty c.1550

12. Ahmose I Battling the Hyksos

13. New Kingdom Egypt (1550-1075 BCE) • New Kingdom Egypt was composed of the 18th through 20th Dynasties • There were significant changes to the Egyptian style of government • There was a new militaristic attitude • It was characterized by constant invasions and war campaigns (“defense through offense”) • Pharaohs themselves were trained as military leaders and spent time on campaigns • Rise of a new group: warrior aristocracy • Made up of war commanders who grew accustomed to working independently • Wealth acquired through war

14. New Kingdom Egypt (1550-1075 BCE) • Pharaoh lost power to three strong institutions: • War Nobility • Royal Bureaucracy • Priesthood • 18th Dynasty (1550-1292 BCE) • Characterized by military expansion, imperialism and prosperity • Included some of the most powerful pharaohs in history • Ahmose I (1550-1525 BCE) • He conquered the Hyksos and reunified Egypt • Also brought Nubia back under Egyptian control

15. New Kingdom Egypt (1550-1075 BCE) • Thutmose I (c.1504-1492 BCE) • Major military leader • Mastered the strategy of defense through offense • Learned tactics from the Hyksos • Nubian Rebellion • Thutmose led a campaign to defeat them • During the battle, the King of Nubia was killed • Thutmose supposedly hung the body from the prow of his ship • Led campaigns down south to the Fourth Cataract • Drove to the Euphrates and into Syria and Palestine • He held more territory than any other pharaoh before him

16. New Kingdom Egypt

17. Hatshepsut and Thutmose III

18. Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BCE) • Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BCE) • She had been Thutmose II’s Great Royal Wife • Was regent for her stepson Thutmose III • She become the first female pharaoh • Technically co-ruled with Thutmose III • She embraced all aspects of being pharaoh: • Adopted a Horus name • Dressed in pharaonic regalia (including a false beard) • Was addressed as “His Majesty” • She had a very prosperous reign • Her reign witnessed extensive building projects • Including her temple at Deir el Bahri

19. Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BCE) • Hatshepsut died in 1458 BCE • Her cause of her death was unknown until recently • There had been no record of it • Historians had proposed both natural causes and murder • In 2007, her mummy was positively identified by DNA • Her death was caused by an abscessed tooth • Damnatiomemoriae (“Erasing from history”) • After her death, many of her monuments were either defaced or destroyed • Historians are mixed as to who and why someone did this • Many suspect it was either Thutmose III or his son Amenhotep II • They speculate that Thutmose did it either as revenge or was used as a way for either of them to legitimize their reigns

20. Hatshepsut’s family tree

21. Thutmose III and Amenhotep II • Thutmose III (1479-1425 BCE) • Considered one of the greatest pharaohs in Egyptian history • Over the course of his life, he conducted 17 military campaigns • He captured over 350 cities • He conquered Syria and defeated the Mitanni • He also expanded Egypt south as far as the Fourth Cataract in Nubia • Amenhotep II (1427-c.1400 BCE) • In his military campaigns, his priority was to maintain his father’s conquests • He did not push for the same sort of expansion Egypt had during his father’s reign

22. Akhenaten (1352-1336 BCE)

23. Rise of Amun-Ra • Religious changes during the 18th Dynasty • Main deity was Amun-Ra • Amun gained in popularity after the expulsion of the Hyksos • Patron deity of the city of Thebes which was home to the pharaohs • Was viewed as the protector of the rights of the poor • Eventually, he was identified with the chief deity, Ra-Herakhty (combination of Ra and Horus) • This led to the transformation of Amun into Amun-Ra • This also led to his representation of Amun into the hidden aspect of the solar deity (night) while Ra was the visible one (day) • The priesthood of Amun-Ra was incredibly powerful

24. Akhenaten (1352-1336 BCE) • Akhenaten (1352-1336 BCE) • His original name was Amenhotep IV (“Amun is Pleased”) • Attempted to bring monotheism to Egypt • Akhenaten followed Aten as his main deity • Aten was the sun disc itself • It was always drawn as light or sun rays and not in human form • Changed his name to Akhenaten (“the effective spirit of Aten”) • As part of his religious changes: • Built a new capital Akhetaten (“the horizon of the Aten”) • Recognized Aten as the only true god (monotheism) • Closed down the temples of other gods

25. Akhenaten (1352-1336 BCE) • Why did he switch away from Amun to Aten? • He may have been a revolutionary intellectual • He broke the bounds of tradition (worshiping Amun-Ra) by using insight and imagination to create a new cult of Aten • He may have been reactionary, upset by the blending of two gods, Amun and Ra, into one god • He may have just been a typical politician • He wanted to weaken the strength and influence of Amun’s priests by bringing in a new religious regime • His attempt at religious change was a failure • Most Egyptians were unwilling to change their beliefs • The priesthood of Amun put up strong resistance as well

26. Akhenaten (1352-1336 BCE) • Akhenaten was not interested in military affairs nor foreign policy • Many revolts broke out in Egyptian controlled lands • He fell out of favor with a number of important leaders • All of this led to a loss of support by the military nobility • Ironically, a serious pandemic started in Egypt • It could have been the plague, polio, or influenza • Some saw this as a sign that the cosmic order was “out of whack” and blamed the pharaoh for this • With his death, Aten fell out of favor • Amun-Ra became the primary deity once again

27. Tutankhamun (1333-1324 BCE)

28. Tutankhamun (1333-1324 BCE) • Tutankhamun was 9 years old when he took the throne • He was originally named Tutankhaten (“living image of Aten”) • It was changed it to Tutankhamun (“living image of Amun”) • His main focus was to destroy his father’s work • Akhentaten’s monuments were destroyed • The capital was moved back to Thebes • During his reign, there was a continued decline in Egyptian power • This was especially true in terms of foreign relationships • His death at the age of 19 is still being studied • In 2010, after DNA testing done, it is believed his death was due to a combination of the leg injury and severe malaria

30. International System • From 1500 to 1200 BCE, a complex system of trade and diplomacy developed • During this time, there was a move from military expansionism and war to a more stable, peaceful co-existence • Leaders realized that wars were too costly • It was more favorable for them to be at peace and have trade channels open • As part of his diplomacy, leaders would correspond with one another • A standard set of written etiquette was used • They would also exchange gifts and arrange marriages to secure alliances

31. International System • International trade also flourished during this period • Countries were able to sell their goods in far markets • Any type of import was in high demand • Trade of goods and ideas led to greater understanding between cultures • Increase in trade led to greater dependence on goods from other countries • Countries become mutually dependant on one another economically • This could be disastrous if one country’s economy collapsed • Trade expanded into more unstable regions

32. Minoan Crete

33. Aegean Civilization: Minoan Crete • Earliest civilization in the Aegean was found on Crete • Ancient Greek civilization had its roots in Minoan civilization • Minoan civilization was first discovered by Sir Arthur Evans in 1900 • Uncovered the palace of Knossos • Named the culture “Minoan” after King Minos of Greek myth • The palace at Knossos was built during the Neopalatial Period (1700-1450 BCE) • It was a thalassocracy during the late Bronze Age • It was a sea empire with a powerful navy • Participated in expansive overseas trade throughout the Mediterranean region

34. A fresco inside Knossos

35. Aegean Civilization: Minoan Crete • Developed Linear-A, their written language • Was not similar to any other written language of the time • Prior to 1600 BCE, the Minoans were more sophisticated that the mainland Greeks • They had a strong influence on the area and most likely dominated the Greeks culturally and possibly politically • Around 1450 BCE, Minoan civilization suffered a sudden and catastrophic collapse • Many historians believed that the collapse was due to invasions by the mainland Greeks • However, new evidence is coming about that the eruption of nearby Thera had an impact

37. Mycenaean Greece • Though they had been dominated by the Minoans, the Greeks started to come into their own around 1600 BCE • Mycenaean Greece (1600-1100 BCE) • Bronze Age or “pre-Hellenic” Greece • Individual city-states develop during this time • They were theocracies headed by a king, who was also a war leader • Mycenaean Greece was a warrior society • They prided themselves with their warrior deeds • Artwork of the time included murals of hunting and battle scenes • They expanded their territory through military means • By 1400 BCE, they had invaded Crete and taken the palace at Knossos

38. Mycenaean Greece • They adopted many of the aspects of Minoan civilization • They were a thalassocracy • Transformed the Minoan Linear A alphabet into their own Linear B—the earliest Greek writing • By the 13th century BCE, Mycenaean Greece was on the decline • It started out as internal conflicts between the cities • By 1100 BCE, Mycenaean culture had ended • Historians debate the cause of this collapse • Most believe that it was internal collapse • Earthquakes, drought, famine, and disease could have played a part • More recently, historians believe it was due to the Sea People

39. The Sea People

40. The Sea People • The Sea People • Began invading the Near East in the 12th century BCE • Historians know very little about this group • They were most likely displaced refugees who were fleeing widespread crop failure and famine • Their path of destruction started in the north • Disrupted the trade network of the Aegean region • Kingdoms faced overpopulation from those fleeing Greece • This led to widespread food shortages and warfare • Moved into Anatolia and the eastern Mediterranean bringing total destruction • Hittite kingdom was destroyed

41. The Sea People • They eventually came in contact with Egypt • They attacked during the reign of Ramses III (c.1185 BCE) but were quickly defeated both on land and at sea • Nearly completely destroyed Near East civilization • Destroyed the international system • Destroyed the civilizations of the Mycenaean Greece, Hittites, and the Kassites • Egypt and Assyria went into a long period of economic and political decline • This was mainly due to the loss of their major trading partners • “Bronze Age collapse”

42. Drawing of relief of the Sea People on Medinet Habu temple

43. Early Iron Age States • During the early Iron Age, there are three civilizations that develop in the eastern Mediterranean • The Phoenicians, Philistines, and Hebrews • Phoenicians lived in modern day Lebanon and Syria • Arrived in the area around 3000 BCE • Probably came from the Persian Gulf region • Were best known as traders and colonizers • The name Phoenicia in Greek means “purple people” • This was derived from the valuable purple-red dye, Tyrian purple, which was made from the Murex snail • The high point of Phoenician power and culture was between 1200-800 BCE

44. The Phoenicians • Prior to 1200 BCE, many Phoenician cities had been controlled by Egypt • With the invasion of the Sea Peoples, the Phoenicians were able to wrest free from Egyptian control • Their prosperity was based on an expansion of trade routes and accumulation of wealth • The city of Byblos became the center of papyrus trade • It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world • They also built colonies throughout the Mediterranean • The main impact they had was their writing system • It was created at Byblos and was based on a Semitic alphabet • The Phoenician alphabet was later adapted and modified by the Greeks, Romans, and Hebrews

45. Phoenician alphabet in relation to other alphabets

46. The Philistines • The Philistines dominated the eastern Mediterranean from 1100-1000 BCE • They were descended from one of the tribes of the Sea People • Once settled in this region, they grew olive trees and grapevines • They used their profits to raise armies to secure their power in the region • Quickly took power from their weaker, unorganized neighbors • Established monopolies on the economy and iron-smithing • Left no written records • Our history of them is dependent upon the Hebrew histories

48. The Hebrews • Unlike the Philistines, the Hebrews wrote a history • This later became the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible • Written over the course of many centuries • Many of the works in the first five books of the Bible were retellings of old Near East stories • After that, the information becomes more credible • In the Book of Judges, the Hebrews started out as wandering pastoral tribes • They were organized into 12 tribes, each ruled by a judge • They settled in the Levant permanently by 1200 BCE • Roughly at the same time as the Phillistines

49. The Hebrews • Conflict with the Philistines forced the Hebrews to unite • This led to the crowning of the first king of Israel • Saul (c. 1021-1000 BCE) • He had been appointed by one of the tribal judges, Samuel • The first part of Saul’s reign was successful as he defeated the Philistines and drove them out of Israel • However, Saul lost favor with Samuel • By losing favor, he lost the religious sanctions for his battles and popular support • Samuel decided to put his backing behind David instead • David had been one of Saul’s lieutenants • Saul attempted numerous assassinations against David and finally expelled from court

50. The Hebrews • David became an independent mercenary fighter • He even fought for the Philistines • He used the profits from raids to help the other leaders break free of Saul’s control • Saul and his son were killed in battle in 1000 BCE • David (c. 1000-973 BCE) • He was able to defeat the Philistines and captured Jerusalem • This city was made the political and religious capital of Israel • Solomon - (973-937 BCE) • He continued to strengthen royal power during his reign • Unfortunately he did so through ruthlessness and brutality • He is best known for his building projects • Many of his subjects were required to perform forced labor