Ancient Mesopotamia

Notes on Mesopotamia

Location and Main Rivers

• Located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (modern-day Iraq).

Time

• Flourished around 3500-500 BCE.

Economy

• Three Main Elements: Agriculture, trade, and craftsmanship.

Ziggurat

• Purpose: Religious and administrative center.

• Appearance: Step-like structure, often with multiple tiers.

Religion

• Polytheistic: Yes, worshipped multiple gods.

Writing Method

• Called: Cuneiform.

• Material: Clay tablets.

Major Leaders

• Sargon I: Established the first empire.

• Hammurabi: Known for the Code of Hammurabi, a legal code.

Social Organization

• Levels: Kings, priests, merchants, farmers, slaves.

• Treatment: Different rights and roles for men and women.

Achievements/Innovations

• Writing, mathematics, astronomy, and irrigation.

Trade

• Traded: Textiles, grains, and crafts.

• Received: Timber, stone, and metals.