The Ancient Near East Common themes? Common themes? Differences? Differences? Mesopotamia Mesopotamia Mesopotamia Between the rivers Within Fertile Crescent Accomplished through irrigation, canals agriculture Mesopotamia The Sumerians (ca BC) The Sumerians (ca BC) First great Mesopotamians Settled in Fertile Crescent Sumer 30 city-states Common culture, trade City-states often at war Mesopotamia Accomplishments Accomplishments Inventions: wheel, plow Agriculture Writing: CUNEIFORM Tablets with cuneiform Mesopotamia Government Government MONARCHY, by 2700 BC Almost always kings Functions Representatives of gods Legislators Justice Patrons King Sargon II (r BC) Mesopotamia King Hammurabi (r BC) King Hammurabi (r BC) Ruler of Amorites Conquered all Mesopotamia Capital: Babylon Great legislator Mesopotamia The Code of Hammurabi The Code of Hammurabi 282 legal rulings Violent punishments! Hammurabi and Shamash depicted When the god Marduk commanded me to provide just ways for the people of the land in order to attain appropriate behavior, I established truth and justice as the declaration of the land, I enhanced the well-being of the people. Mesopotamia The Code of Hammurabi The Code of Hammurabi 196. If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out. 197. If he break the other mans bone, his bone shall be broken. 198. If he put out the eye of a freed man, or break the bone of a freed man, he shall pay one gold mina. 199. If he put out the eye of a mans slave, or break the bone of a mans slave, he shall pay one-half of its value. Mesopotamia Religion Religion POLYTHEISTIC The gods ANTHROPOMORPHIC Immortal, powerful Feared Afterlife Hammurabi and Shamash Mesopotamia Statuettes of worshipers from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (ca BC) Mesopotamia Ziggurat Ziggurat Towering structures Temple on top Nucleus of city Mesopotamia Nanna Ziggurat, Ur (Muqaiyir, Iraq), ca ca BC Mesopotamia Literature Literature Epic of Gilgamesh (ca BC) About semi-divine king of Uruk, friend Enkidu Enkidus death Gilgameshs pursuit of immortality Enuma Elish (ca. 11 th -cent. BC) Origins Cosmic battle between gods creation Enkidu and Gilgamesh Mesopotamia Questions? Questions? Egypt Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt The Nile Flowed from Nubia to Delta Flooded annually fertility, prosperity Symbol of life Upper Egypt, Lower Egypt unified state (ca BC) Egypt The Pharaoh The Pharaoh Egypts monarch Divine offspring of sun god Ruled through bureaucracy Worshiped after death Pharaoh Tutankhamun (r BC) Egypt Religion Religion Very spiritual people Polytheistic Egypt The Afterlife The Afterlife Ka lives on after death Judgment before divine tribunal Mummification Egypt Mummies, British Museum, London Egypt Egypt Mummy with amulets, Vatican Museum Egypt Egypt Writing Writing Papyrus HIEROGLYPHICS Egypt The Rosetta Stone at the British Museum Egypt The Pyramids The Pyramids Purpose: pharaohs glory, tombs Great Pyramids, Gizeh (ca BC) Near Cairo Gold once visible Aligned with stars? Great Pyramids, Gizeh, Egypt Tombs of Menkaure, Khafre, Khufu (ca BC) Egypt The Great Sphinx (ca BC) The Great Sphinx (ca BC) Lion, human head Guardian Egypt The Egyptian Empire (ca BC) The Egyptian Empire (ca BC) Borders: Euphrates to Nubia Capital: Thebes Egypt Hatshepsut (r BC) Hatshepsut (r BC) Widow of Thutmose II, regent to Thutmose III Declared herself pharaoh! Peaceful reign Building project Thutmose sought to destroy memory of her Egypt Decline of Egypt (ca BC) Decline of Egypt (ca BC) Pharaohs lost power to priests Empire disintegrated Prominent international role lost Suffered invasions, occupations Egypt Questions? Questions? Israel Israel Israel The Hebrews First recorded national history Founders of Western religious tradition: MONOTHEISM Israel The Patriarchs (ca BC) The Patriarchs (ca BC) Abraham Isaac Jacob Twelve tribes, *Joseph Abraham and Isaac Israel The Exodus (ca BC) The Exodus (ca BC) Israelites oppressed in Egypt Moses led them out Journey through wilderness Promised Land THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Moses and the Ten Commandments Israel Israel Israel Religion Religion Hebrew God: YHWH Creator, redeemer No images! Cult Male priesthood Tabernacle, altars Holy days Sacred text: TORAH Israel Israel Government Government Confederation of tribes, at first United monarchy (ca BC) Hebrew kingship Not divine YHWHs servant, vassal Bound by Law Israel The United Kingdom The United Kingdom KING DAVID (r BC) Origins: shepherd, mercenary Expansion, conquest Capital: Jerusalem KING SOLOMON (r BC) Israel at its zenith Wealth! Temple David Israel Edward Poynter, The Queen of Sheba before Solomon (1890) Israel Solomons Temple, Jerusalem Israel The Divided Kingdom ( BC) The Divided Kingdom ( BC) Had been ruled by kings in Judah Northern tribes broke away Kingdom of Israel Idols Conquered by Assyria (722 BC) Kingdom of Judah Monotheism, idols too Conquered by Babylon ( BC) Israel Questions? Questions? Persia The Persian Empire ( BC) The Persian Empire ( BC) Iran: home of Medes and Persians The Empire Initiated by Cyrus the Great (r BC) Conquered Medes, Babylon, beyond Largest empire yet King Cyrus the Great Persia Persia The Military The Military Ruled by warrior aristocracy 300,000 soldiers! Cavalry First great navy Persia The King The King King of kings Had khvarna Brilliant in appearance! Bound by rule of law, nobility King Darius I (r BC) Persia Ruling the Empire Ruling the Empire Strategy: tolerance, humane rule Divided into 20 satrapies Systems of roads Main language: Aramaic Royal Road Persia Religion Religion Initially polytheism Zoroastrianism Prophet: Zarathustra (ca BC) Ethical, inward-looking Dualistic: Light vs. Darkness Magi Open-air fire altar dedicated to Supreme Creator Persia Questions? Questions? The Ancient Near East Common themes? Common themes? Differences? Differences?