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The Ancient Near East2.4 Core | Cultures and Empires that Defined the Era

The Hittites

Established control of Asia Minor c.1600-1200 B.C.

Use of iron and chariots Absorbed the culture of

the conquered Defeat of Babylon

Its subsequent decline Conflict with Egypt

The Beginning of the Iron Age

c.1200 B.C. The Hittites fell to a mysterious people, lost to

history, known as the “Sea Peoples” The end of the Hittite kingdom typically signifies

the beginning of the Iron Age The secret of iron-making was spread

The Phoenicians

Emergence in light of regional instability c. 1000-700 B.C.

Importance of trade Purple dye Colonies Trading stations

Contributions to language Alphabet

Rise of Navies

Great for long distance, overseas trade Tyre

Colonies act as refueling stations and centers of import and export

Cities emerge at these locations Cultural exchange

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The Spread of Near Eastern Empires

c. 700 B.C.

The Mesopotamian Melting Pot

The Sumerian cultural legacy was strong Alexander the Great observing

Sumerian being studied c. 330 B.C. The Babylonians expanded this

greatly The Kassites followed suit,

building on top of the Babylonians The Mitannians continued this,

expanding the art of war as well – horse riders and charioteers

The Assyrian Empire

Established c.700 B.C. What is an empire?

Use of iron and brutality to subdue enemies Why was this

effective? How can it work

against you?

The Assyrian Empire

Absolute power of ruler Large, organized

armies Effective

communications Internal dispute and

division Collapse c.612 to

future Chaldean empire and subsequent Persian empire

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The Chaldean Empire

The Neo-Babylonian Empire | c. 612 B.C.

The Chaldean Empire

Also known as the Neo-Babylonian Empire

Responsible for the “Babylonian Captivity” Jewish Diaspora

Rose out of the instability after the Assyrian collapse

The Chaldean Empire

Nebuchadnezzar II Made Babylon the dominant

power in the region One of the greatest cities of

the ancient world The supposed location of

the “Hanging Gardens of Babylon”

Considered a golden age of Mesopotamian civilization

The Chaldean Empire would fall to the Persian Empire c.539 B.C.

Patterns of Empires?Rise through instability

Dominate

Become instable

Fall

New empire

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Central Power Its causes and effects

and theHegemonic Stability Theory

State Stability = State over Nobles

State Instability = Nobles over State

State Civil War = Nobles fight for State

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Regional StabilityWhat is happening at the region level

Canaan

Kush

Libya

Hegemonic Stability Theory

Canaan

Kush

Libya

Hegemon Destroyed, Regional instability, Regional power grows to fill power vacuum

LibyaCanaan

Kush

Regional power struggles until a new

Hegemon arises

Canaan

Libya Egypt

Kush

A new Hegemon brings balance to regional

power