Mesopotamia Civilization

ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA (MODERN IRAQ)

Introduction: Origin & Development • Mesopotamia-Greek word meaning: – The flat land between two rivers (Tigris & Euphrates) – Also means ‘Fertile Crescent’ (traditional Garden of Eden) – Initially inhabited by nomads- Semitic language Family (Hebrew & Arabs) – Late became builders & Farmers in the South – Civilization begun 3500BC in the cities of Sumer, Kish, Ur, Nippur, Uruk & Umma

Geography: • Land: – Steep and difficult with temp raising to 38 in summer and rainfall low- 10inches – Rain unpredictable • Spring- rivers flooded the valley – Rain re news soil fertility – Snow melt, not rain (little vs. lots of snow, fast melt vs. slow melt) –

Economic life: • Crops grown: wheat, barley, vegetablesonions, leeks, & dates • Animals reared: Donkeys, cows, goats, pigs & sheep • Surplus produces allowed Sumerians to result to other activities. Resulting to: • Production of bricks • Invention of potter wheel • Pottery • Use of bronze

Challenges: • Control of flooded rivers • Keeping up a stable irrigation system • Keeping off enemies –

Socio-political system/Government Each Sumerian city was independent of others Characterized warCities emerged same time & overlapped with time Rivalry- land, water & trade, mainly land & water  Leader- Highest priest (priest-king)- theocratic Priests had supreme authoritySumerians believed that the land & city-state was owned by gods and priests ruled on behalf of the gods

Social Structure  Based on level of dependency & freedom enjoyedNobles (Kings, Priests, Palace officials)  Free Clients (Dependent on the Nobility

Commoners (Free Citizens) Protected by law

Slaves (Foreigners, prisoners of wars criminals, debtors)

Social System Cont’d….. Women protected by dowry Men had absolute power  sickness- caused by magic & evil spirits

Education: Only the rich kids went to school particularly the boys Maths, Botany, linguistics & writing

 Religion: Polytheist society- divided among functions tried to control the earth  rain, sun, storms, water, wisdom Ziggurat-

Cont’d…… Desert Feudalism system: Petty-statism: Polarization:

Political Organizations:  Two main political settings:  Confederate city-state Initially organized as city-state  Loose confederate city/states – 100 square  Empire Emerges when people are conquered & are absorbed into a larger political system

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Political Organizations:  Famous Kings: Sumerian Empire – Lugal Zagge Akkadian - Sargon Akkad Guti – Ur- Nammu Old Babylon Empire- Hammurabi Assyrian Persian Empire unit- Satrapy or Province

Genesis of Civilization: Started by Sumerian who settled on the lower Tigris-Euphrates Created a form of writing Cuneiform Development of dykes, canals & irrigation ditches irrigation First to use fertilizer & invent glass Use of silver as a means of exchange Invent the wheel, cart & carriage

Formulated laws- based on ‘tit for tat’ or lex talionis Believed in Heroism- example of Hero storiesGilgameshas- recorded in Epic of Gilgamesh

Akkadian - Sargon (2300-2200):  Overthrew Sumerian govt  Retained social & administrative systems of Sumerian  Characterized by invasion of foreign lands  Authoritarian regime Faced by external attacks & internal revolts

Guti Empire:  Nomad community from Zagros mountains  Destroyed urban set up & imposed militaristic system  Features:  Decline in trade

Anarchy as result of military coups & counter coups Only one successful king- Ur-Nammu (21132000)

 Collapse of the empire attributed to foreign attacks & division of the country by two powers

Amorites (Old-Babylonian)

Hammurabi (1792-1750)

 Systematized law (Hammurabi code)  Composed of 300 laws set in a public place  Royal taxation

 Compulsory military services  Treason & sedition – serious offense  Protected women & children- dowry property of the women 

Amorites (Old-Babylonian)Just society  Economy of willing buyer & seller

 Law of partnership, title deeds, wills & interest  Encouraged working on farms to ensure selfsufficiency

Assyrians - King Sennacherib 

Brutal & militaristic people- destroyed rather than built  Methods used to establish govt were ruthlessinstill fear & obedience  Building constructed  Administrative & military center for population

control to minimize rebellion  Propaganda- make people fear the king

Assyrians - King Sennacherib 

Characteristics:  Commerce & industry not promoted- lowered dignity of soldiers  Agriculture main stay  Trade was for non-Assyrians  Intellectual contributions- military & health provision for military  Art

Chaldean/Neo-Babylonian Resurgence 

King Nebuchadnezzar (Medes- Iran)  Astrologers- divided the sky into 12 parts

(Zodiac)  Invented 7 day week  Divided day into 120 minutes  Charted the movements of planets & eclipses of the sun & moon  Invented 360 degree-circle

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King Nebuchadnezzar militarism formation of Hebrew Empire (Judah)  Enslaved them in Neo-Babylon

led

to

Hebrew (Israelites, Jews) 

History contained in the Torah  Trace their origin in Sumerian city- Ur  1950 BC – Abraham made covenant with God- Ur  Ur under attack by the Elemites (Iran)  Migrated to Palestine  12 tribes migrated to Egypt – 1600 BC under Hyksos  After Hyksos were overthrown – Hebrews

were enslaved – Biblical bondage  Moses led them & led them to Canaan arrived in Canaan – Joshua (1200BC)

Hebrew Cont’d……  Moses led them & led them to Canaan arrived in Canaan – Joshua (1200BC)  Followed by the leadership of the judges which ended in 1020 BC- Saul united the two tribes  Followed by David & Solomon built the temple (First Temple)  Solomon was extravagant – caused to cede 20 cities in Galilee in lieu of payment leading to hostility with his subjects  Hostility continued during leadership of Solomon’s son- Rehoboam

Hebrew Cont’d……  The rise of two nations in Israel- Israel & Judah  Israel (North of Palestine) & Judah (South)  Divided Kingdom resulted to idolatry  Division led to attacks by foreigners – Israel (Assyrians) & Judah (Chaldeans)  Attacks scattered the Hebrews all over the world resulting to 10 lost tribes of Israel

 Nebuchadnezzar II & Israel  Hebrews (Judah) were incarcerated in Babylon  Conspired with King Cyrus of Persian overthrew Neb  Mesopotamia became a province of Persia & some Hebrews returned to Israel  Those who remianed in Babylon (Disapora) – refers to Jews living outside Israel

Hebrew Cont’d……

 The return of the Jews:  Jews from Judah tried to rebuild the temple but never succeeded coz of constant attacks  Attacked by Alexander the Great, King Antiochus (Syria), Herod (Roman)  King Herod renamed it Judea & destroyed when the Jews tried to rebel leading to second wave of Jews migration to Europe

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Hebrew Cont’d……  Jews & Discrimination:  1096- Christian crusade persecuted & discriminated non-Christians  Jews required to wear a badge or special clothes that would categorize them as Jews  Lived in separated communities- Ghettos  Jews lost right to own land & became money lenders & peddlers  England & France expel Jews – settled in Poland & Germany

Hebrew Cont’d…… Enlightenment Age (1700s) & Plight of Jews:  Period marked by ideas of liberty & equality- in Europe  Resulted into tolerance of Jews, emancipation and acceptance of Jews as citizens in individual European countries 1800s- Anti-semitism re-emerged when writersGermany tried to proof that Jews were inferior to Aryans  1849 a Jewish French army officer accused of treason 

Hebrew Cont’d…… Enlightenment Age (1700s) & Plight of Jews:  Then Jews decided only solution to antisemitism was a Jewish independent state  Creation of Zionist movement  Zionist movement begun by buying land in Palestine & established farms in Tel-Aviv  During WWII – anti-semitism in parts of Europe lead to the death of 6 million Jews  Israel – created in 1948 (Britain & US)  Jewish religious & national identity could be

developed

PERSIAN EMPIRE  Established by Cyrus the Great  Leader of Southern Persian tribes considered himself leader of Asia Minor

but

 Succeeded by Cambyses- conquered Egypt

 Darius- conquer Greece

 Key Contributions:  Religion – Zoroastrianism (600BC) & Mithraism (400BC)

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