Ancient Mesopotamian and Near Eastern Civilizations

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key terms, people, dates, and concepts across ancient Mesopotamian and Near Eastern empires from the lecture notes.

Sumerians

The 1st to settle in Mesopatamia in 3500 BCE, known for their Cuneiform writing system, $60^\bullet$ number system, technology (wheel, sail, plow), theocratic gov't, and polytheistic religion where gods controlled nature.

Sumerian Class System

Social hierarchy divided into Upperclass (king, landlords, priests), Upper middle (merchants), Lower middle (farmers, craftsmen), and Lower class (slaves: POW & debt slaves).

Cuneiform

The writing system created by the Sumerians.

Sargon

Akkadian ruler who invaded and conquered the Sumerians in 2300 BCE, established the first empire, and spread Sumerian culture to neighboring people.

Akkadians

Group led by Sargon who invaded and conquered the Sumerians in 2300 BCE, established the first empire, and spread Sumerian culture.

Babylonians

Group that established the capital city of Babylon around 2000 BCE and built a new empire.

Hammuribi's Code

A set of 287 laws written on stone pillars throughout the empire, representing the 1st attempt to unify everyone under the Babylonians.

Hittititess

Group around 1600 BCE known for their military advances involving chariots and iron.

Phoenicianss

Expert shipbuilders and sailors who spread influence throughout trade and created a phonetic writing system that involved Greek + Latin.

King Sennacherib

Assyrian king who around 800 BCE burned down the old capital of Babylon and established a new capital at Nineveh.

Assyrians

Empire around 800 BCE led by King Sennacherib, known for iron weapons, armor, siege technology, showing no mercy, and establishing the world's largest libary at Nineveh.

Nineveh

New capital city established by Assyrian King Sennacherib containing the world's largest libary; later invaded and burned in 612 BCE.

Chaldeanse

Group that invaded and burned Nineveh in 612 BCE, led by king Nebuchadnezzar, and associated with the hanging gardens.

King Nebuchadnezzar

King who led the Chaldeanse in 612 BCE to invade and burn Nineveh and built the hanging gardens.

King Cyrus

Persian ruler around 500 BCE who ruled justly and showed mercy to conquered ppls.

Darius

Persian ruler who seized control, established a provincial gov't administered by satraps (governors), and built the Royal Road.

satraps

Governors who administered the provincial gov't established by Darius in the Persian Empire.

Royal Road

An ancient highway built by Darius to facilitate rapid communication throughout his large Persian empire.