the rise of babylon sumerians and akkadians established patterns for next 1500 years cities and...
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CHAPTER 3CULTURES OF THE ANCIENT
NEAR EAST
The Rise of Babylon
Sumerians and Akkadians established patterns for next 1500 years
Cities and empires rose and fell over time
Culture remained stable through various empires
Babylonian Empire 2000 BC to 1600 BC
Hammurabi’s Code
Hammurabi died in 1750 BC and gets credit for 1st law codes
Laws were vital to have large cities Elders typically handled small
community disputes Large urban centers have a large
number of strangers and conflicts would inevitably arise
Conflict needed to be mediated or people will kill each other
Hammurabi’s Code
Death was a prescribed punishment Different groups were treated
differently under 1st laws Law was retaliatory in nature “an eye
for an eye” People were burned and their limbs
were removed Our Constitution and Arab law
comparisons today
Hammurabi’s Code
Man who divorced wife had to repay dowry and support children
Laws allowed large numbers of people to live together
Laws put on a large column with over 300 total laws
Hammurabi’s Code
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Epic of Gilgamesh is the 1st piece of literature.
Debate as to whether or not he actually existed.
Story that he was buried under the river which was diverted.
Germans claim to have discovered his tomb?
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Fights Enkidu, then they become friends and go on manly adventures.
Hunt, drink and camp Gilgamesh offends the gods and they
kill Enkidu slowly Gilgamesh is upset and goes on a
quest for immortality. In the end his quest is a failure as
humans are mortal and doomed to die.
The Epic of Gilgamesh
He realizes how wonderful civilization is.
We all die but are immortal through culture and civilization.
The Hittites and the Minor Kingdoms
Invaders from outside come in and take over Mesopotamia.
Hittite Empire from the north (Turkey) conquer Mesopotamia
They use horses and chariots for warfare.
1500 BC to 1200 BC
The Hittites and the Minor Kingdoms
The Hittites and the Minor Kingdoms
The Hittites and the Minor Kingdoms
Hittites copy, adopt, and then spread Mesopotamian culture.
They do not develop much that is new.
Goods were traded across the Mediterranean.
Hittite Empire fragments and minor kingdoms arise and make contributions.
The Hittites and the Minor Kingdoms
Phoenicians create a coastal empire. They were great merchants and
sailors. Established colonies in Spain and N.
Africa including Carthage. Ideas spread to Europe and then
throughout the world. Greeks expand on Phoenician
alphabet which our alphabet is based on.
The Hittites and the Minor Kingdoms
The Hittites and the Minor Kingdoms
The Hittites and the Minor Kingdoms
The Hittites and the Minor Kingdoms
Hebrews establish Israel and Judah which do not last long.
Judaism is established with belief in one god.
This led to Christianity and Buddhism.
The Assyrian Empire
Established around 900 BC Assyrians were all about wars and
fighting Conquered the entire empire Army had varying troops
Archers Chariots Infantry Cavalry
The Assyrian Empire
The Assyrian Empire
Practiced terror and fear with their enemies Flayed skins Entombed alive Put on stakes
Kings hunted lions to show their power and lions became extinct in that area
Over time there were internal rebellions
12 groups joined and overthrew the Assyrian Empire in 600 BC (300 years)
Babylon Reborn
Babylonian Empire rose again Also called Chaldean Babylon was large and architecturally
stunning Hanging Gardens Walls that were 2 chariots wide Tower of Babel Glazed and colored fired bricks Ishtar Gate survives today with bright blue
bricks and animals. It was taken from Iraq to Germany.
Babylon Reborn
Babylon Reborn
Babylon Reborn
Babylon Reborn
http://www.ancient.eu.com/Ishtar_Gate/
http://www.ancient.eu.com/article/129/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Babel
Babylon Reborn
Mathematics and astronomy were developed to try to predict the future.
Examined internal organs and sacrificed animals to predict the future.
Studied the stars and planets and developed astrology which is based in astronomy & math
Horoscopes done by the 5th century BC Intellectual effort developed to predict the
future. Human desire was to find order in chaos.