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Ancient Mesopotamia: Cradle of Civilization

Explore the historical significance of Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, known as the Fertile Crescent. Discover the politics, economics, religion, society, intellect, and arts of this ancient civilization, with influences on modern systems.

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Ancient Mesopotamia: Cradle of Civilization

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  1. Mesopotamia

  2. Geography • Tigres and Euphrates, Fertile Crescent • Land between two rivers, trade on water • Asia Minor/Middle East • Surrounded by desert one side, mountains • Mediterranean Sea to Persian Gulf • Floods and deposits of silt, sporadic=irrigation systems • Roads influence geography barriers • Migration of Indo-Europeans from steppes

  3. Politics • Develop city-states, independent: Sumer, Ur, Babylon, Uruk, Akkad • Compete for resources, fighting • Ziggurat center of city, walled • Military leaders-war heroes, become kings, dynasties • Big government projects, keep government documents • Sargon- first Empire, standing army • Hammurabi- Code 282 laws, first written set of laws, posted=consistency, tax collection, roads-trade • Strict governments formed to deter rebellion, Assyrians: use terrorism as policy tool, seige warfare • Some empires develop almost feudal system: Persians have satraps-local governors

  4. Politics • Chaldeans: Nebuchadnezzar II, captures Jerusalem • Persians: Cyrus, Darius (Ten Thousand Immortals), Xerxes

  5. Economics • Farming-irrigation, bronze plowing tools • Textile trades • Regional trading, use waterways • Sewer • Roads lead to permanent trading routes, shipping by water develops also: Royal Road, move trade, messages, 1500 miles • Barley, cattle • Phoenicians first coins

  6. Religion • Polytheistic-many gods • Have patron gods for each city-states • Priests/priestess powerful • Human qualities • Good v evil-dualism-Zoroastrianism, founder Zoroaster, Ahura Mazda v. Ahriman • Book: Avesta • Ziggurats temples, pyramid structure • Gods explain nature

  7. Society • Woman status as priestess, some scribes, some are educated • Hierarchy: king, priests, agents • Landowners, wealthy merchants • Artisans, farmers, laborers • Slaves: Chaldeans use Jewish pop as slaves • Assyrians fierce warfare society

  8. Intellect • Cuneiform- writing using sharp tools on clay tablets • Permanent records, post laws, written culture- literature • Cylinder seals • Role scribe • Epic of Gilgamesh- story legendary king • Math based on 60, time 60 minutes, 360 degrees • Basic surgery • Assyrian library:Nineveh • Astronomy-calendar based on phases of the moon • Phoenician alphabet

  9. Arts • EPIC, songs, poems • Textiles • Sculpture • Architecture • Ivory, bronze • Pottery • Phoenicians glass blowing • Babylon Hanging Gardens • Persians: Persepolis, arches, lots of animals • Purple dye • Hittites ironworking developments

  10. Decline • Sargon, Akkadian Empire, last 140 years • Babylon, Amorite, Hammurabi, about 200 years • Hittites • Kassites • Assyrians • Chaldeans • Phoenicians • Persians • Alexander the Great of Greece

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