Civilizations of Civilizations of Mesopotamia Chart Mesopotamia Chart

SumeriansSumerians See Maps/Videos…See Maps/Videos…

LocationLocationLower Mesopotamia Lower Mesopotamia Tigris and Euphrates River ValleyTigris and Euphrates River Valley

CitiesCities Ur and other Independent City-statesUr and other Independent City-states

LeadersLeaders N/AN/A

ReligionReligion PolytheismPolytheism

Cultural Achievements Cultural Achievements Writing (Cuneiform)Writing (Cuneiform) City StatesCity States ZigguratsZiggurats Wheel/CartsWheel/Carts SundialSundial ArchArch GovernmentGovernment CalendarCalendar Bronze ToolsBronze Tools ““Epic of Gilgamesh”Epic of Gilgamesh”

Empire/DynastyEmpire/Dynasty Not ReallyNot Really

Reason for DeclineReason for Decline Warring among the independent City-Warring among the independent City-

states…states… Weakened itselfWeakened itself Then invaded by foreign armies Then invaded by foreign armies

(Amorites)(Amorites)

BabyloniansBabylonians

LocationLocation Mesopotamia—Tigris Euphrates RiverMesopotamia—Tigris Euphrates River

CitiesCities BabylonBabylon

LeadersLeaders King HammurabiKing Hammurabi

ReligionReligion PolytheismPolytheism

Cultural Achievements Cultural Achievements Code of Hammurabi—1Code of Hammurabi—1stst written legal written legal

codecode Astronomy and AstrologyAstronomy and Astrology Babylonian EpicsBabylonian Epics

Based on Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh Based on Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh Similar to stories of the Old TestamentSimilar to stories of the Old Testament

Empire/Dynasty?Empire/Dynasty? YESYES Concept of Monarchy and KingsConcept of Monarchy and Kings

Reason for DeclineReason for Decline About 1700 BC they were invaded by About 1700 BC they were invaded by

foreign armies.foreign armies.

Phoenicians Phoenicians

Location Location Eastern Mediterranean Coast—near Eastern Mediterranean Coast—near

LebanonLebanon

CitiesCities TyreTyre ByblosByblos SidonSidon Carthage—located in northern AfricaCarthage—located in northern Africa

LeadersLeaders King HiramKing Hiram

ReligionReligion Polytheism Polytheism HarshHarsh Child Sacrifice for fertility godsChild Sacrifice for fertility gods No belief in afterlifeNo belief in afterlife

Cultural Achievements Cultural Achievements Trading/Shipping ArchitectsTrading/Shipping Architects Purple Dye (Monopoly)—so rare that only Purple Dye (Monopoly)—so rare that only

royalty could use itroyalty could use it Phonetic Alphabet (22 letters)Phonetic Alphabet (22 letters) Colonies Colonies

Empire/DynastyEmpire/Dynasty Trading Empire Only----confederation of Trading Empire Only----confederation of

city states. city states.

Reasons for DeclineReasons for Decline Competition?Competition? Series of defeats by invaders into Series of defeats by invaders into

Canaan (Israelites) Canaan (Israelites) King David?King David? Alexander the GreatAlexander the Great

HittitesHittites

LocationLocation Northern Asia Minor (Turkey)Northern Asia Minor (Turkey)

Cities, Leaders, ReligionCities, Leaders, Religion N/A?N/A? Polytheistic?Polytheistic?

Religious tolerance?Religious tolerance?

Cultural AchievementsCultural Achievements Earliest Mastery of Iron Working (about Earliest Mastery of Iron Working (about

1500 BC)1500 BC) Cultural Diffusion with other Mid-East Cultural Diffusion with other Mid-East

Civilizations/Egypt (Iron Tools/Weapons)Civilizations/Egypt (Iron Tools/Weapons)

Empire/DynastyEmpire/Dynasty Yes—Anatolia (Asia Minor) and Northern Yes—Anatolia (Asia Minor) and Northern

Mesopotamia and Northern Syria Mesopotamia and Northern Syria Height: c. 1350-1250 BCHeight: c. 1350-1250 BC

Reason for DeclineReason for Decline Invasions by foreign armiesInvasions by foreign armies

AssyriansAssyrians

LocationLocation Northern MesopotamiaNorthern Mesopotamia

Empire expanded into all of Fertile Crescent Empire expanded into all of Fertile Crescent and Egyptand Egypt

`

CitiesCities AsherAsher Nineveh Nineveh

LeadersLeaders King AssurbanipalKing Assurbanipal

ReligionReligion PolytheisticPolytheistic

Cultural AchievementsCultural Achievements Government—had Governors and Government—had Governors and

ProvincesProvinces Military RoadsMilitary Roads Powerful KingsPowerful Kings Great Library at NinevehGreat Library at Nineveh Armies outfitted with Iron weaponsArmies outfitted with Iron weapons

Empire/DynastyEmpire/Dynasty Yes—Cruel and violent peopleYes—Cruel and violent people Ruthless and Brutal EmpireRuthless and Brutal Empire Terrorized their subjectsTerrorized their subjects

Reason for DeclineReason for Decline Invaded by Babylonians (Chaldeans) Invaded by Babylonians (Chaldeans) Nineveh sacked in 612 BCNineveh sacked in 612 BC Fall of the Assyrian EmpireFall of the Assyrian Empire

ChaldeansChaldeans

LocationLocation All of Fertile CrescentAll of Fertile Crescent

CitiesCities BabylonBabylon

LeadersLeaders King Nebuchadnezar King Nebuchadnezar

ReligionReligion PolytheisticPolytheistic

Cultural AchievementsCultural Achievements Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of the

7 wonders of the ancient world)7 wonders of the ancient world) Astrology and Astronomy Astrology and Astronomy Extremely accurate calendarExtremely accurate calendar

Empire/DynastyEmpire/Dynasty YesYes

Reasons for DeclineReasons for Decline Invaded and Crushed by Persian Empire Invaded and Crushed by Persian Empire

(Cyrus the Great) in 539 BC.(Cyrus the Great) in 539 BC.