Ch. 2: Early Middle Eastern and Northeast African Civilization

Amarna Period

A short period in ancient Egypt when Pharaoh Akhenaten changed Egypt's religion to focus on one god, Aten, instead of many gods.

Assyrian Empire

A large empire that used well-equipped soldiers, iron weapons, and siege warfare to extend its control through Mesopotamia, Syria, Anatolia, Palestine, and Egypt.

Aten

The Egyptian creator god associated with sunlight and the foundation of all life, who Akhenaten made the sole god during the Amarna Period.

Cataract

A shallow, rocky, rapid part of a river that is generally impassible by boat.

City-states

Independent cities that controlled the surrounding territories and became the basic organizational structure of Sumerian civilization.

Civilization

Complex societies that tended to have food surpluses, high population, social stratification, taxation, specialized labor, trade, and accumulated knowledge.

Covenant

A pact or agreement between two parties

Cuneiform

A written script of wedge-shaped marks

Desiccation

The drying out of an area

Divine kingships

A system where rules claimed a special connection to the gods to justify their power and have access to more resources.

Exodus

The journey of the Israelites out of Egypt to freedom, led by Moses.

Hammurabi's Code

Set of laws created by the king of the time, carved into a stone pillar and placed in a public temple so citizens could see them. Enforced strict legal hierarchy based on social class, gender, and economy.

Hieroglyphics

An Egyptian writing system that combined pictograms and phonograms.

Kerma

The people lived in smaller villages, they grew crops like barley and kept goats, sheep, and cattle. It is the capital of Kush and still exists today.

Kush

A kingdom created by the Nubians in the eighth century BCE, the capital was Napata.

Levant

The area along the eastern Mediterranean, stretching from southern Anatolia toward the Egyptian delta.

Meroe

The capital of the Kingdom of Kush, located along the Nile River in Nubia, located in a region with well-watered farmland.

Mesopotamia

A region known as the "land between the rivers" located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers where early agriculture and civilizations developed.

Middle Kingdom

the period of Egyptian history from about 2050 to 1750 BC and marked by order and stability

Monotheism

belief in one god

Nebuchadnezzar II

Ruled from 605 to 562 BCE, ruthless leader. He gained notoriety for destroying the city of Jerusalem and deporting many of the city's Jews to Babylon.

New Kingdom

Reunified Egypt that began in 1530 BCE saw an era of Egyptian imperialism, changes in the burial practices of pharaohs, and the emergence of a brief period of state-sponsored monotheism under Pharaoh Akhenaten.

Nile River

Flows south to north, fed by two main river systems: the White Nile and the Blue Nile. The White Nile flows steadily throughout the year and has its origins in the Great Lakes region of East Africa.

Nubia

Notable for its long-term, dynamic relationship with ancient Egypt and was also the site of an early civilization. Both Kerma and Kush were in this location.

Old Kingdom

Major period in Ancient Egyptian history, pharaohs harnessed their influence by building pyramids to emphasize their relationship to the divine and facilitate their ascent to the gods after their earthly deaths.

Palette of Narmer

used to date the unification of Egypt, shows signs that King Narmer legitimized his rule, in part, by claiming a special relationship with the gods.

Polytheistic

Worshipping multiple gods and goddesses

Prophets

Also known as teachers, who spoke on behalf of God and set moral and ethical standards for the whole community.

Pyramids

With their distinctive shape it contained tombs for the pharaohs and their wives.

Sargon of Akkad

A ruler who founded the first empire in Mesopotamia and rose from humble origins to become a powerful king.

Ten Commandments

Laws given by God to the Israelites at Mount Sinai that taught them how to worship God and live. (i.e. do not commit adultery, do not steal, etc.)

Valley of the Kings

A hidden burial site where powerful New Kingdom pharaohs and Egyptian elites were buried to help protect their tombs from robbers.

Ziggurat

A solid rectangular tower made of sun-dried mud bricks