From Village to Empire, c. 3000-500 BCE Ancient West Asia - Ancient Mediterranean History Midterm

Mesopotamia

“between the rivers”, where the state began in the late 4th millennium BCE (around 3300), Birth of the city, specifically in Sumer (southern Mesopotamia) 

During 2000s BCE city-states proliferated in number and size throughout Sumer

At first were autonomous and politically independent but all shared broad Sumerian culture (language, religious tradition), Highly competitive with one another for control of key resources (water, timber, metals, trade routes)

Last quarter of 2000s BCE (2250-2000 ish) creation of territorially expansive conquest states in Sumer (city-states swallowing others), first was Akkade

Founder of ruling dynasty was Sargon (c. 2340-2284 BCE), Conquests peaked under Saron’s grandson Naram-Sin (c. 2260-2223 BCE), Spread of Akkadian culture throughout region , Conquest achieved primarily through armed force, was first state to create permanent standing army (Established network of garrisons in key locations to exercise unprecedented control over other city-states)

When Akkade collapses region goes back to

being individual city states temporarily

City-state of Ur was next to rise, built an “Empire” 2150-2004 BCE

Larger and more stable structure of control than the Akkadians, Developed elaborate and efficient system of taxation, Built standing army to expand region and to enforce tax collection

Around 2000 dynasty of Ur collapses and region reverts again to multiple independent city-states 

Pattern of region going forth between moments of centralization and fragmentation, with phases of centralization increasing in territory each time

2000-1500 BCE region is mostly multipolar with some exceptions

Old Assyria c. 2000-1800 BCE, located in city-state of Assur, Old Babylonia c. 1800-1750 BCE, roughly period when Hammurabi’s Code was created, Hammurabi was a king of Babylonia

Old Assyria 

Controls territory not through armed conquest but through trade, extensive network stretching through much of Anatolia and the Levant

Old Babylonia

Code inscribed on stele with scene of a Babylonian god handing the laws to Hammurabi, “divine approval” of laws 

Hittite Empire

in modern day Turkey reaches greatest extent in middle of second millennium BCE (middle of 1000s BCE)

Disruptions of the “Sea Peoples” c. 1200-900 BCE

Period of significant disruption of previous pattern

Neo-Assyrian Empire (934-610 BCE)

Reached greatest extent in early 7th century, controlled all of Fertile Crescent, first time region had been fully united

Neo-Babylonian Empire

(626-539 BCE)

Ancient Israelites

Development of monotheism, novelty, Preserved written account of their development (an ethnogenesis), also novel, Hebrew Bible (“Old Testament”), main writing attributed to Moses,

Region controlled by Israelites splits into

Israel and Judah

Achaemenid Empire rises in middle of first millennium BCE, at one point rule entirety of West Asia

Heartland is Persia, Rise under Cyrus II (the great) who launches series of conquests (559-530), Biggest territorial control on planet to date, actually quite stable, Eventually region is conquered by Alexander the Great (356-323)