EGYPT + THE IRON AGE

WORLD CIV

Geography of Egypt

Nile river floods to create fertile land, the Nile is surrounded by desert

Ancient Egyptian writing

Hieroglyphs, commonly on clay tablets but also on papyrus (Potential to become alphabet but never did)

Hieratic

Short informal ancient Egyptian writing, often used on paper

Rosetta stone

Found by Napoleon, has the same message inscribed on it thrice in Hieroglyphics, Demotic, and Greek

Isis

Chief goddess in ancient Egyptian religion

Osiris

God of the dead + Isis mate, seen as green for vegetation

Horus

God of kingship, king of the living

Hathor

Goddess of love

Ra

Sun god, represented with a red circle above his head, head of falcon

Ka

Ancient Egyptian version of the soul

Maat

What your ka was measured against to determine if you passed onto the afterlife, justice, truth

Upper Egypt

Southern part of Egypt, represented by bee or cobra

Lower Egypt

Northern part of Egypt, represented by reed of vulture

Flail and crook

Represents the Pharaoh as both task master and protector

Menes/Narmar

Considered the unifier of Egypt using the Nile river as a linking highway

Croesus

King of Lydia, creates coinage and is extremely wealthy

Nebuchadnezzer II

The Babylonian captivity is under his rule, last great Mesopotamian king, rebuilds Babylon, the gates of Ishtar, and builds a new ziggurat

Cyrus II

Defeats Lydians and Babylonians, seen as a savior, founder of the Persian empire

Diaspora

Movement of peoples of similar heritage away from their homeland

Cambyses II

Conquers Egypt and expands from India to the Mediterranean

Darius I

Considered second founder of the Persian empire, builds much of the empires infrastructure

Zoroastrianism

Religion of the Persians, Ahuramazda is the main god

Satrapies

Provinces within the Persians land

Satraps

Governors of satrapies, collected taxes, recruited soldiers, and administrate justice

Eyes and ears of the king

Undercover military officals sent to check on satraps

Royal road

Connected the satraps, allowed for an early postal system

Zoroaster

Founder of the Persian religion, a prophet for it as well

Arta

Similar to maat, but rulers are also made to follow it’s rules

Ahurmazda

Main God of Zoroastrianism, god of light, good, and arta

Ahriman

Secondary God of Zoroastrianism, god of dark, chaos, and evil

Anahita

Lesser Zoroastrianism deity, a mother goddess

Mithra

Lesser Zoroastrianism deity, a solar deity who helps Ahuramazda