Ancient Middle East & Egypt
Ch 2.1 | City-States of Ancient
Sumer
Sumer 101
• ~3300 BC = SUMER IS BORN!
• Located: Fertile Crescent in
Middle East
– Known for rich soils/wheat
fields
• Area AKA Mesopotamia “land
between rivers”
– Modern day Turkey, Iraq, to
Persian Gulf
Sumer 101
• Question: Think about why one of
the first complex civilizations was
located here?
• Flooding = Organization among
people
– Dikes, ditches, irrigation
• Ur, Uruk = world’s 1st great cities
– TRADE was important
Main Features
1. At least 12 distinct city-
states/complex
governments
2. Social Hierarchy
3. Religious Practices
4. Writing
City-States/Governments
1. At least 12 different city-states
2. Competition among
groups/wars
3. Rulers responsibilities
• Protect cities/enforce laws
• Chief servant of Gods
Social Hierarchy
1. System of ranking groups
• High class = rulers, high priests
• Middle class = scribes, artisans
• Low class = peasant farmers (a
majority)
2. Lowest = slaves
3. Women’s roles emphasized more
than any other Meso civ.
Religion
1. Polytheistic
2. Believed that Gods behaved
like ordinary people
3. Sumerians strived to please
Gods
• Ziggurat (temples)
4. Believed in afterlife
Sumerian Writing
1. Cuneiform (“wedge”)
2. From pictographs to more
complex thoughts
3. Myths, prayers, laws, contracts
4. Scribes had strict training
Lasting Legacy of Sumer
• By 1900 BC – Sumerian city-
states are conquered
– Ideas/technology passed on
– Development of
Astronomy/Math
MESOPOTAMIAN EMPIRES
Fertile Crescent becomes a
crossroads
of war, peace, and empire
building:
SARGON (2300 BC)
HAMMURABI (1790 BC)
HITTITES (1400 BC)
TIMELINE CONT’D
ASSYRIANS (1100 BC)
Neo-Babylonian (625 BC)
PERSIA (540 BC)
Hammurabi’s Achievements
• Codified laws, including civil and
criminal law
– Hammurabi’s Code
• OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
– Improved irrigation
– Organized armies
– Repaired temples
Hittites / Assyrians
• Hittites known for their iron
extracting
– Weaponry advantage
– Ushered in IRON Age across globe
• Assyrians = reputation of being
feared warriors
– Well-ordered society, splendid
palaces
– @ Ninevah, world’s first library
Neo-Babylon
• Assyrians are crushed, Babylon is
revived by King
NEBUCHADNEZZAR
– Canals, temples, palaces
rebuilt
– Surround by moat/85 ft thick
wall
– Hanging Gardens of Babylon?
Persian Empire
• 539 BC – Babylon falls to Cyrus the
Great and Persia
• Policy of tolerance/acceptance of those
they defeated…contrasted with?
• Darius and governmental reform
– Satrapy (provinces)/Taxes
– Encouraged
communication/accountability
– Barter economy ---> money
economy
Zoroaster
GOOD
(Ahura Mazda)
vs.
EVIL
(Ahriman)
• Emphasis on final judgment day
and a choice. Sound similar to
anything else?
Phoenician Sea Traders
• Not a LARGE empire, but small
states/cities along the Mediterranean
Sea.
• Known for manufacturing and trade b/c
of their location
– Glass and dye
– Set up COLONIES
• Called “carriers of civilization”
– Set up an alphabet of sounds, not
just whole words…
Kingdom of the Nile/
Egyptian Civilization
Geographical Connection
• Egypt, many say was, “gift of the Nile”
– 3600 miles long, world’s longest
• River naturally divided the region in two:
– Upper Egypt/Lower Egypt (delta)
– United under Menes (3100 BC)
• Classic “RISE AND FALL” civilization
– Fall to Assyrians/Persians
Old Middle New
[2575bc- [1938bc- [1539bc-
2130bc] 1630bc] 1075bc]
-turbulent period with -age of
-pharaohs (kings) drought and
ruled with absolute conquest/conflict w/
corruption other groups
power -conquer gold rich -Hatshepsut – 1st
-depended on KUSH (Nubia) area female ruler
bureaucracy and -increased
vizier to keep order -Thutmose –
communication stretched borders
-built necropolises or -Hyksos occupation -Ramses II –
PYRAMIDS and rule conquest minded
-PTAH-hotep, vizier
who wrote book to -1st peace treaty
help young officials signed (w/ Hittites)
Ancient Israelites (Hebrews)
• MONOTHEISTIC, all knowing, ever
present God.
• Torah – Israel’s most sacred text (1st 5
books of Bible)
• ABRAHAM (Canaan) – father of the
Israelites, w/ whom God made a promise
1. relationship/chosen people
2. promised land
• Moses renews covenant with God, leads
Israelites out of slavery in Egypt (40 yrs)
Israel Established ~ 1000 BC
• David unites 12 tribe into one
nation
• Solomon builds Jerusalem
• Israel splits/faces conquest from
Assyrians and Babylon/exiled
• Return to holy land as Jews
(“from Judah”)
Judaism 101
1. Patriarchal
2. LAW was central (in
Torah)
3. Sabbath
4. Prophets are important
5. Diaspora – leaving
Israel