Invaders, Traders, and Empire Builders

Invaders, Traders, and Empire BuildersChapter 2 Section 4Ruling an EmpireIn 2300 BC, Sargon the ruler of Akkad conquers SumerThis begins the first Empire known to historyDoes not last long, and city states revive, but starts a pattern of conquest

HammurabiIn 1790 BC Hammurabi, the King of Babylon Conquered most of the Fertile CrescentCreates the Code of Hammurabi to unite the Empire under its law

Code of HammurabiThe Code of HammurabiWanted people to know the legal principals his government would follow Carved the 300 laws on a stone pillar for all to see The Code listed criminal laws and civil laws An eye for and eyeMuch more orderly than past lawsOnly applied to people of equal status

Laws for WomenThe Code tries to protect the powerlessIncluding women and slavesSet out divorce lawsWomen had MUCH less freedom and status than in Egypt or SumerHammurabis AchievementsImproved Irrigation SystemsOrganized a well-trained Army

Warfare and Spread of IdeasThe Fertile Crescent is invaded and conquered many timesSome conquerors like the Hittites brought important new skills that advanced society

The Secret of IronworkingThe Hittites were less advanced than other peoples but learned to extract iron oreHeat Iron Ore and pound out imperfectionsPut hot iron ore in cold water creates a very hard substanceMany weapons and tools made with this technology

The Assyrian EmpireOne of the most warlike people in HistoryPleased their God AssurAssyrian SocietyWell-ordered society even though it was warlikeHuge palaces were paid for through trade and warKing Assurbanipal started the first library in NinevehDeath of Assurbanipal leads to revival of Babylon Assyrian PalaceAssyrian Palace

Babylon RevivedLed by NebuchadnezzarEmpire stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean SeaRebuilt much of what the Assyrians had destroyedBuilt the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, on of the 8 wonders of the Ancient World

The Persian EmpireConquerors of the Babylonian EmpireThe Persians were tolerant with people they conquered

23DariusBrought much of the Persian Empire togetherDivided the Persian Empire into provinces headed by a Satrap a governer who paid taxes to DariusDariusAdapted laws from people that he conqueredBuilt hundreds of miles of roadEnabled communication and controlMoved from one royal capitol to the other, celebrating traditions in eachEconomics under DariusSet up common set of weights and measuresIntroduced coins as currency, but mostly used a barter economyReligion under DariusZoroaster set the standard for beliefs in PersiaDismissed many of the old Persian GodsBelieved in Ahura Mazda who was always battling Ahriman (prince of lies and evil)Each person had to choose sides in the fight27The PhoeniciansBrave Sea TradersSet up coloniesSpread the Eastern Civilization around the Mediterranean SeaMade the first real alphabet