Unit 2 Lecture 1

The Assyrian Empire

• Overview: The first large empire of the Iron Age, located further north in the same region as prior Mesopotamian civilizations.

• Growth and Strength: The Assyrian Empire grew significantly stronger and larger than any preceding Bronze Age states, boasting a peak army of nearly 200,000 soldiers.

Military Structure

• Citizen Army: Comprised mainly of citizen farmers who volunteered or were conscripted to fight during summer. Despite being non-professional soldiers, they excelled in military tactics due to constant warfare.

• Pioneering Cavalry: Innovated the use of cavalry for mobility in battle, moving away from chariot warfare, thus enhancing their siege capabilities and efficiency in warfare.

• Siege Warfare: Developed classic forms of siege warfare leading to successful conquests across the Fertile Crescent, uniting Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Governance and Control

• Harsh Rule: The Assyrians were known for extreme measures to maintain control, including harsh tributes and brutal punishments such as impalement and torture, which eventually led to widespread hatred and rebellion.

• Rebellion Issues: Constant rebellions arose due to the poor treatment of conquered peoples, underfunding of local soldiers, and a failure to share spoils of conquest with lower classes.

• Mercenary Forces: As a consequence of diminishing local soldier population, Assyria increasingly relied on hired mercenaries, leading to problems with loyalty and coordination.

Fall of the Assyrian Empire

• Collapse: The empire imploded after the battle of Carchemish (605 BCE), due in part to overextension and the economic strain on soldiers.

The Medes

• Overview: Based in modern-day northern Iran, Ecbatana was their capital, not previously part of the Assyrian Empire but played a significant role in its downfall.

• Conflict with the Persians: The Medes initially dominated over their Indo-European cousins, the Persians, setting the stage for future conflicts.

The Rise of Persia

• Cyrus the Great: Overthrew the Medes and established Persian dominance, launching extensive conquests that resulted in the largest empire known to that time.

• Darius I: Succeeded Cyrus and extended the empire even further, with ambitions to conquer areas, including parts of Europe, although faced logistical challenges.

Persian Governance Style

• Effective Rule: The Persian Empire functioned as a relatively gentle master compared to Assyria. They allowed local autonomy and were seen as accommodating to their subjects.

• Tribute System: Their system required lighter tribute compared to the Assyrians, thus keeping rebellions relatively low.

• Military Structure: Relied on diverse and large armies composed mainly of non-Persian locals, which allowed for massive military forces but complicated logistics due to varied fighting styles.

• Administrative Innovations: Established an advanced administrative system with satraps (governors) overseeing regions and implemented the Royal Road for communication and trade.

The Greek Transition

• Cultural Foundations: Shift of focus from the Bronze Age Greeks (Mycenaean civilization) to the Archaic period.

• Democracy and City-States: Emergence of city-states (polis) that fostered political structures like oligarchy and democracy rooted in local ethnic and tribal identities.

Social Structures

• Oikos: The concept referring to households, where each household or oikos represented a collective identity of families within the larger demos (people).

• Basileus: Kings during the Dark Ages who held symbolic power and conducted community decisions with input from elite councils and assemblies comprised of citizen soldiers.

Greek Political Evolution

• Demos Participation: Emergence of political participation via councils (advisory) and assemblies (lawmaking) that allowed for community input and decisions.

• Community and Identity: Power dynamics shifted towards a broader identity of Greekness (Panhellenism) amidst shared deities and cultural myths.

Greek Culture and Society

• Olympics and Religion: Festivals, including the Olympics, served as important cultural events that fostered unity and competition among the hitherto separate city-states.

• Artistic Legacy: Temples and pottery evolved as representations of wealth and sophistication, reflecting the values of the aristocracy.

Literary Contributions

• Lyric Poetry: Grown from the Archaic period for social gatherings like symposia, depicting themes of beauty, war, and honor within aristocratic culture, showcasing their values and ideals.