MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATION

3500 B.C – 539 B.C.

• Origin• Government• Society• Religion• Language and Writing• Technology• Mathematics• Astronomy• Hammurabi Code

Origin

• ‘Mesopotamia’ from Greek words, mesos (between) and potamol (rivers).

• The area between the Euphrates and Tigris - known as the “Cradle of Civilization”.

• Now occupied by modern Iraq, eastern Syria and southern Turkey.

• Not a political entity and no definite boundaries.

Origin

• The home of some world’s ancient civilizations; the Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian.

• The first literate societies were Sumerians.• Transformed the land into agricultural land and

then city states.• Sumerians founded the earliest cities in Sumer –

in 3500 B.C.

Origin

• Sumerians – their origin unknown.• ‘Sumerian culture’ – the foundation of

Mesopotamian civilization – adopted by Akkadians, Babylonians, etc.

Government• 12 independent city states.• E.g. Ur, Uruk, Babylon, Akad. • Shared a common language, customs and beliefs

yet, were in constant warfare for water rights, land and power.

• Divine kingship - most kings were thought to be chosen by god, be a son of a god, or be a god himself.

• Famous kings; Gilgamesh, Sargon, Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar.

Sargon

Gilgamesh and Enkidu

Government• Mesopotamian history – divided into 7 periods:

Sumeria 3500 – 2340 B.C.Akkad 2371 – 2006 B.C.Ur 2113 – 2006 B.C.Babylon 2000 – 1530 B.C.Kassites 1530 – 1100 B.C.Assyria 1100 – 626 B.C.Chaldea 626 – 539 B.C.

Society

• Sumerian society – 4 categories:

1. Nobles - (king & family, chief priests and high court officials)

2. Clients - (free men dependent on nobility)3. Commoners - (free citizens)4.Slaves - (prisoners of war, foreigners & criminals)

Society• Women had rights – could own property and, if

they had good reason, get a divorce.• Slavery was a common feature in Mesopotamian

society.• Slaves possessed some privileges; able to hold

property, participate in business, marry free men or women and purchase their freedom.

Religion

• Very important in the people’s life – sought to please gods due to vulnerability to natural disasters – river flooding.

• Polytheism (worship of many gods). E.g: An (Anu), Ki, Enlil, Marduk, Nabu, etc.

• ‘Ziggurat’- huge temples built to worship the gods – run by traditional priesthood.

Ziggurat

Hanging Garden of Babylon

Hanging Garden of Babylon

Language and Writing• The world’s earliest written language –

Sumerian.• Developed through a few stages; from

pictographic (based on pictures) ideogram cuneiform (syllabary writing system).

• Cuneiform written on clay tablets.

Language and Writing• Invented ‘cylinder seals’ – made of stone or ivory

carved with pictures.• Later, Akkadian became the dominant language -

Sumerian was retained for administrative, religious, literary and scientific purposes.

• Then, Aramaic.

Writing and Language

Writing and Language

Writing and Language

Writing and Language

Technology

• Metalworking – among the first Bronze age people in the world.

• Early on used copper, bronze and gold, and later iron.

• Glassmaking and textile weaving.• Water control, storage and irrigation – construction

of dams and aqueducts.• Among the first people to make beer and wine.• Invented wheels – wheeled chariots.

Mathematics

• Devised a sexagesimal numeral system – a number system based on 60.

• The basis of the current 60-minute hour and 24-hour day, also the 360 degree circle.

• Used the process of multiplication and division. • Geometry – utilized e.g. for building projects

and mapmaking.

Astronomy

• Studied the stars and sky, predicted eclipses and solstices - related to religion and omens.

• Sumerian calendar – 7 days a week.• Calender was based on twelve lunar months.• Nisannu, Ajaru, Simanu, Tamuzu, Abu, Ululu,

Tashritu, Arahsamnu, Kissilimu, Tebetu, Shabatu, Addaru.

Astronomy

• Today’s constellations (Leo, Taurus, Scorpius, Gemini, Capricornus and Sagittarius) – picked out by Sumerian and Babylonian astronomers.

• Useful in determining the planting and harvesting of crops.

Hammurabi Code• Enacted by King Hammurabi “the law maker”.• 282 laws; criminal offence, marriage and family,

slavery, land use and irrigation, commercial activity, etc.

• The code reflects a society with a system of strict justice.

• Penalties for criminal offenses – severe and varied; according to the social class of the offenders and victims.

• Written on pillars of stone – erected throughout cities.

Hammurabi Code

• Stern punishment for burglary. • If a robber is caught stealing, he will be killed.• If a person stole goods belonging to the temples

or the state, he was put to death and so was the person receiving the stolen goods.

• If couldn’t afford to compensate the loss of the victim, he was put to death.

Hammurabi Code

• If one accuses another, but cannot prove it, the accuser will be killed.

• If a builder builds a house and the house falls in, killing the owner, the builder will be killed.

• If the son of the owner dies, the son of the builder shall be killed.

• Surgeons – dangerous occupations – severe penalties for failure.