Ancient Near East and Egypt Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, people, places, and concepts from Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Hebrew world, and early Persia as described in the notes.

Fertile Crescent

Arc of rich farmland from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf where early farming and civilizations arose; characterized by fertile soils and river systems.

Mesopotamia

Region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; cradle of Sumerian and Akkadian civilizations.

Tigris

One of the two great rivers of Mesopotamia; originates in Asia Minor and flows southeast.

Euphrates

The other major Mesopotamian river; floods irregularly and supports Mesopotamian civilizations.

Sumerians

Early Mesopotamian culture known for city-states, mud-brick buildings, ziggurats, and advances in labor specialization.

City-states

Independent political units consisting of a city and its surrounding countryside.

Lagash

One of the Sumerian city-states cited as an example of early urban centers.

Ur

Ancient Sumerian city-state with a famous ziggurat and rich urban culture.

Uruk

Sumerian city-state associated with the Epic of Gilgamesh and early writing developments.

Mud bricks

Common building material in Mesopotamia, made from sun-dried or baked clay.

Ziggurat

Temple-tower with a flat top; central religious structure in Mesopotamian cities.

Step-pyramids

Early pyramid-like structures made of mud bricks that preceded true pyramids.

Polytheism

Belief in many gods; Mesopotamian religion connected gods to natural events.

Step-pyramids

Early pyramid-like structures built in Mesopotamia, precursors to true pyramids.

Abraham

Patriarch who, according to biblical tradition, left Ur around 1800 BC for Canaan.

Akkadians

First empire in Mesopotamia; north of Sumer; Semitic-speaking rulers led by Sargon.

Sargon

Akkadian ruler who founded the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia.

Amorites

Nomadic group that established the Old Babylonian period with Babylon as a capital.

Hammurabi

Babylonian king famed for codifying a comprehensive set of laws.

Hammurabi's Code

Code of 282 laws inscribed on a tall basalt pillar; detailed daily life and justice.

Cuneiform

Wedge-shaped writing system used on clay tablets, one of the earliest writing forms.

Epic of Gilgamesh

Ancient Mesopotamian epic from Uruk, one of the oldest known literary works.

Babylon

Major Mesopotamian city and later empire center; capital under the Amorites and Babylonians.

Old Kingdom (Egypt)

Early period (c. 2700–2200 BC) famous for pyramid building and centralized power.

Nile River

Egypt’s central life-giving river; flows north for about 3,000 miles and floods predictably.

Hieroglyphs

Ancient Egyptian sacred writing; later deciphered with the Rosetta Stone.

Rosetta Stone

_incised stone with the same text in Greek, Demotic, and hieroglyphic scripts; key to deciphering hieroglyphs.

Champollion

French linguist who deciphered hieroglyphs using the Rosetta Stone (early 19th century).

Menes (Narmer)

Traditionally the first pharaoh who united Upper and Lower Egypt around 3100 BC.

Memphis

Ancient Egyptian capital city near the Nile delta region.

Great Pyramid (Khufu/Cheops)

Largest pyramid at Giza built for Khufu, about 481 feet tall with millions of blocks.

Sphinx

Monumental statue near the pyramids at Giza, with a lion’s body and a human head.

Imhotep

Architect of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara; later revered as a genius in Egyptian culture.

Mastaba

Early rectangular tomb precursor to pyramids, made of mud bricks.

Middle Kingdom

Egyptian period (c. 2050–1652 BC) marked by reunification and stability under Thebes.

New Kingdom

Egypt’s imperial era (c. 1567–1085 BC) with vast wealth, monumental builds, and extensive trade.

Hyksos

Semitic rulers who invaded and ruled parts of Egypt before the New Kingdom’s rise.

Valley of the Kings

Royal tombs carved into cliffs on the west bank of the Nile, near Thebes.

Hatshepsut

Female pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty; expanded trade and reigned ~1500 BC.

Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten

Pharaoh who promoted monotheism toward Aten; moved capital to Amarna.

Tutankhamun

Pharaoh known for his intact tomb discovered in 1922; son of Akhenaten.

Ramses II

Long-reigning pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty; fought the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh.

Battle of Kadesh

Major conflict between Egyptians and Hittites near the Orontes/Asia Minor region.

Phoenicians

Semitic traders along the Mediterranean; built Tyre, Sidon, Byblos and spread the alphabet.

Tyre

A key Phoenician city famous for purple dye and trade networks.

Byblos

Phoenician city that played a major role in trade and the spread of writing (alphabet).

Byblos and Alphabet

Phoenician city linked to the development of a phonetic writing system later adapted by others.

Carthage

Phoenician colony in North Africa; a major center of trade and later conflicts.

Exodus

Biblical departure of the Hebrews from Egypt under Moses’ leadership.

Yahweh (YHWH/Jehovah)

The singular God of Hebrew monotheism developed during the Exodus and Torah.

Torah

The first five books of the Hebrew Bible; core laws and narratives for Judaism.

Solomon

King who built the Temple in Jerusalem and governed a powerful Hebrew state.

Jerusalem

Capital of ancient Israel/Judah; central religious and political center.

Babylonian Captivity

587/586–539 BC period of exile when Hebrews were held in Babylon and the First Temple was destroyed.

Cyrus the Great

Founder of the Persian Empire; conquered Babylon and allowed Hebrews to return to Judah.