The Babylonians

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to the Babylonian civilization.

Nineveh

Ancient Assyrian city and one of the largest cities of its time.

Assur

One of the ancient capitals of Assyria, associated with many temples.

Ashur

The chief god of Assyria, portrayed as a warrior.

Tigris River

One of the major rivers in Mesopotamia, running through modern Iraq.

Euphrates River

The other major river in Mesopotamia, known for supporting life in ancient civilizations.

Babylon

A famous ancient city located in Mesopotamia, known for its cultural and historical significance.

Kish

One of the first cities of ancient Mesopotamia, located south of Babylon.

Zagros Mountains

Mountain range in Iran, significant to the geography of ancient Mesopotamia.

Borsippa

An ancient city in Mesopotamia, closely associated with Babylon.

Nippur

An ancient religious center in Mesopotamia, known for its temples.

Elam

An ancient civilization located southeast of Babylon, known for its interactions with Mesopotamia.

Uruk

An ancient city of Sumer, noted for its massive structures and as a center of writing.

Larsa

An ancient city noted for its contributions to Mesopotamian mathematics and astronomy.

Ur

An important Sumerian city-state famous for its ziggurat and as a place of origin for Abraham.

Persian Gulf

The body of water connected to the Euphrates River and important for trade.

Akkadian Period

A historical era around 2300 BCE when Akkadian speakers dominated in Mesopotamia.

Sumerians

An ancient civilization known for founding one of the earliest urban societies in southern Mesopotamia.

Amorites

A Semitic people who came to prominence in Mesopotamia, known for establishing the Babylonian kingdom.

Hammurabi

The sixth king of Babylon, famous for his code of laws and monumental achievements.

Code of Hammurabi

One of the oldest deciphered writings of significant length, establishing laws and justice.

Ziggurat

A rectangular stepped tower, often with a temple at the top, significant in Babylonian architecture.

Marduk

The chief deity of Babylon, known as the god of justice and order.

Nebuchadnezzar II

The king of Babylon who expanded the empire and constructed significant sites, including the Ishtar Gate.

Akitu Festival

The Babylonian New Year festival celebrating the new year and the god Marduk.

Ishtar Gate

A grand entrance to Babylon decorated with blue glazed tiles and reliefs depicting animals.

Hanging Gardens

One of the Seven Wonders said to be built in Babylon, although its existence is debated.

Processional Way

The main road leading to the temple complex in Babylon, lined with impressive structures.

Cuneiform

An ancient writing system used in Mesopotamia, noted for its wedge-shaped marks.

Celestial bodies

Objects in the sky that the Babylonians studied for astronomical purposes.

Astronomy

The branch of science that deals with celestial objects and the universe, advanced by Babylonian scholars.

Mathematics

The abstract science of numbers, quantity, and space, significantly developed by Babylonians.

Bas-relief

A type of sculpture where the design is slightly raised from a flat background.

Etiology

A narrative explaining the origin or cause of a phenomenon.

Chaos

A state of disorder, often associated with the beginning of creation in Babylonian myths.

Epic of Gilgamesh

An ancient Mesopotamian epic poem, one of the earliest works of literary fiction.

Assyrians

A major ancient civilization known for its military prowess and extensive empire in the Near East.

Chaldeans

A group of people who came to power in Babylon and are often associated with the Neo-Babylonian Empire.

Cyrus the Great

The Persian king who conquered Babylon in 539 BCE and allowed exiled Jews to return to their homeland.

Monolith

A large, upright stone or pillar often used to display laws or commemorate events.

Polytheism

The belief in or worship of multiple deities, significant in Babylonian religion.