Mesopotamia

Definition of Mesopotamia

• Name origin: Comes from Greek, meaning "Land between two rivers".

Rivers of Mesopotamia

• Tigris River

• Euphrates River

The Fertile Crescent

• Referred to as the "Cradle of Civilization".

• First complex societies formed here due to:

  • Rich soil from river flooding (Tigris and Euphrates).

• Flooding was unpredictable, leading to:

  • Development of advanced irrigation systems to ensure agricultural success.

Sumerian Life

• Writing System: Developed cuneiform, used clay for writing.

Sumerians (3500 BCE - 1800 BCE)

• First civilization, forming city-states in Mesopotamia.

• Built irrigation canals to manage unpredictable flooding.

Sumerian Religion and Architecture

• Polytheism: Worshipped multiple gods.

• Ziggurats: Temples for worship without inner chambers; square-shaped.

• Example: Ziggurat at Choghā Zanbīl in Iran, now diminished in height.

Social Hierarchy in Sumer

• Structure:

  1. Kings and Priests

  2. Merchants

  3. Workers

  4. Slaves

• Social oppression of certain groups and elevation of others.

Patriarchy in Sumer

• Men were dominant in society.

• Women in Sumer could:

  • Work as priests and shopkeepers.

  • Be wives and mothers.

  • Be sold into slavery or prostitution.

• Women in Sumer could not:

  • Receive an education.

  • Choose their marital partners.

Decline of Sumer

• Sumerian civilization lasted until battles between city-states emerged.

• Invasion by the Akkadian Empire led to their takeover; subsequent civilizations also occupied the area.

Definition of an Empire

• An empire is a governmental structure that rules over territories beyond its original borders.

• Important to understand what constitutes an empire.

Akkadian Empire (2340 BCE - 2125 BCE)

• First empire in Mesopotamia.

• Brief duration; laid the groundwork for successive empires.

Babylonian Empire (approx. 2300 BCE - 539 BCE)

• Achieved significant military advancements under Hammurabi.

• Known for the Code of Hammurabi, a set of legal codes.

Phoenicians

• Thrived along the Mediterranean coast during Babylonian rule.

• Established the first alphabet, condensed cuneiform into 22 letters.

Assyrian Empire

• Military strength featured iron weapons.

• Established the first library in Nineveh (modern-day Iraq) containing 25,000 clay tablets.

Chaldean Empire

• Last major empire in Mesopotamia before Persian takeover.

• Innovations include:

  • Development of the Zodiac Calendar.

  • Concept of stars influencing human destiny.

  • Creation of a four-week month based on lunar phases.