foundations of civilization

Mesopotamia

The name Mesopotamia literally means “the land between two rivers” (Tigris and Euphrates).

Geography of Mesopotamia

The annual floods deposited silt, creating the rich soil of the Fertile Crescent.

societal shift of Mesopotamia

The food surplus led directly to the specialization of labor (people could be artisans, priests, etc.)

Cuneiform

The Sumerians invented cuneiform, the first writing system, primarily for administrative and economic record-keeping.

Code of Hammurabi

The code of Hammurabi was the first written legal code (“an eye for an eye”), but punishments varied based on social class.

Ziggurat

The ziggurat was a tiered temple dedicated to a patron god, but also served as a center for public ceremonies and storage.

Base-60 number system

Developed the base 60 number system (still used for minutes, hours, and circles).

Sargon the great

Sargon the great was the founder of the Akkadian empire, Sargon of Akkad conquered the Sumerian city-states to create the worlds first true empire.

Stele of Naram-Sin

Was propaganda, the stele of Nathan-Sin was alart used as propaganda to depict the king as god- like and invincible.

The collapse of Akkad

The empire lasted only about 150 years, collapsing due to internal rebellions, invasions, and potentially a severe drought.

Cyrus the great

The founder of The Achaemenid Empire

Religious and cultural tolerance

Cyrus was famous for his policy of religious and cultural tolerance, which gained him loyal subjects.

Satraphy

The empire was divided into 20 provinces called satraphy (run by a governor called a satrap)

Royal road

the royal road was a massive highway that, along with the postal system, ensured rapid communication and trade.

Qanats

Underground water channels for irrigation

Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism was the official religion, teaching a cosmic battle between good and evil, led by the supreme god Ahura Mazda

decline in the Persian empire

The empire declined due to weak rulers and high taxes, finally failing to Alexander the Great.

Fertile Crescent

The rich land fed by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers where these civilizations arose.

Cuneus

The Latin word meaning “wedge” that gives cuneiform its name.

Standing army

A full time professional military force a key Akkadian innovation

Greco-Persian wars

A series of conflict where the Persians invaded Greece but were ultimately repelled with the battle of salamis being a decisive Greek naval victory.

Darius l

The Persian ruler who expanded the empire and introduced standardized coinage (gold daric/silver shekel) to boost trade

Specialization of Labor

the food surplus created by reliable farming along the rivers

Why is the specialization of labor essential?

It allowed people to move beyond farming to develop complex specialized skills as artisans, merchants, and bureaucrats, which is the defining characteristics of a complex civilization.

The satrapy system

Divided the immense empire into smaller, manageable provinces, allowing for effective control and tax collection by local satraps

Royal road/coinage

The royal road provided a unified system for rapid communication and movement, while standardized coinage (introduced by Darius l) created economic unity and boosted trade across the diverse regions