3.2 Later Mesopotamian Empires
1. Sumer – 2400BC power declines
- many different invaders 2.Akkad – emerges under the
leadership of Sargon I - 2300BC
- conquer city-states of Sumer
- 1st empire-all of Mesopotamia - Akkadian language - Sumerian religion - adopted cuneiform - repaired and extended flood
control and irrigation systems - armies protected trade caravans - after death of Sargon, empire
collapses
3. Amorites – built cities along Tigris- Euphrates
- Babylon - Hammurabi
4. Hammurabi – conquered Akkad and Sumer
- empire as far as Mediterranean Sea
- adopted culture of conquered people
- language - gods
- made several changes - built and repaired canals for irrigation - reorganized tax system - government housing
- religion - Marduk now chief god - united people by
allowing worship of own gods as well as
chief god - trade center - India & China - gold and silver
5. Hammurabi’s code – took best laws from each city- states code and made one set of
laws - 282 laws about daily life - fair and just - appointed judges - innocent until proven guilty
- fines-death
- Golden Age of Babylon - ruled 40 yrs. - death, decline of empire
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