Exploring Four Empires of Mesopotamia

HISTORY ALIVE! CHAPTER 6

PAGES 51 - 61

6.1 INTRODUCTION

 Sumer was conquered by the Akkadians.

 Sumer became part of the Akkadian empire.

 Empire – a large territory where several groups of people are ruled by a single power leader or government.

 Four empires rose up in Mesopotamia.

6.2 THE AKKADIAN EMPIRE

 The Akkadian empire was ruled by the king Sargon.

 Sargon was a strong king and a skilled general.

 He taught his soldiers to fight.

 Sargon replaced governors that were not loyal to him .

 Sargon became the first king to demand that his sons rule after his death.

 Sargon and the Akkadians had created the world’s first empire.

6.3 LIFE UNDER AKKADIAN RULE

 Sargon made the city of Agade the empire’s capital.

 Capital – a city that is the center of government  Sargon used tribute to create a one of the richest and most beautiful cities in the world.

 Tribute – wealth sent from one country or ruler to another as a sign that the other is superior.

 The Akkadian craftspeople carved relief sculptures called

steles

on stones

.

 After 200 years the Akkadian empire fell to invaders from the north.

Steles stones

6.4 HAMMURABI AND THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE  Hammurabi became the next king to unite all of Mesopotamia.

 Hammurabi made Babylon the capital of his empire.

 Hammurabi is best known for his code of laws.

 The codes were used to preserve order and unify the empire.

 He based the laws on the word of the gods.

 The laws were displayed for everyone to read.

 The code of laws did not treat everyone equally.

 It was the first code of laws to apply to everyone.

282 Laws

A SAMPLE OF “THE CODE OF HAMMURABI”  If any one bring an accusation against a man, and the accused go to the river and leap into the river, if he sink in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river prove that the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt, then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death, while he who leaped into the river shall take possession of the house that had belonged to his accuser. If any one bring an accusation of any crime before the elders, and does not prove what he has charged, he shall, if it be a capital offense charged, be put to death. If he satisfy the elders to impose a fine of grain or money, he shall receive the fine that the action produces. If a judge try a case, reach a decision, and present his judgment in writing; if later error shall appear in his decision, and it be through his own fault, then he shall pay twelve times the fine set by him in the case, and he shall be publicly removed from the judge's bench, and never again shall he sit there to render judgement.

A SAMPLE OF “THE CODE OF HAMMURABI”

 If any one steal the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death, and also the one who receives the stolen thing from him shall be put to death. If any one buy from the son or the slave of another man, without witnesses or a contract, silver or gold, a male or female slave, an ox or a sheep, or if he take it in charge, he is considered a thief and shall be put to death. If any one steal cattle or sheep, or a pig or a goat, if it belong to a god or to the court, the thief shall pay thirtyfold; if they belonged to a freed man of the king he shall pay tenfold; if the thief has nothing with which to pay he shall be put to death.

6.5 LIFE IN THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE

 Babylonia thrived under Hammurabi.

 The people were united.

 He built roads and created a postal system.

 Farming remained successful with the irrigation and fertile lands.

 Trade flourished with items from around the region.

 Most important, Babylonian society was unusually fair for its time.

 Slaves could keep their wages and even earn their freedom.

 Woman could own property and keep their money earned.

6.6 THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE

 The Assyrian empire followed Hammurabi’s rule.

 The Assyrians were feared for their military might.

 They used horses and iron weapons in battle.

 They used siege warfare.  Siege – a military blockade and attack on a city to force it to surrender.

 They used the battering ram and towers to scale a cities walls.

 Creating fear amongst their enemies was also part of their military strategy.

6.7 LIFE UNDER THE ASSYRIANS

 The powerful kings ruled and the ordinary people farmed.

 Huge palaces were built for the kings since the people believed they were special beings.

 Assyrians were the first to build aqueducts.

 Aqueducts – a pipe or channel that brings water from distant places.

 Assyrian craftspeople were known for their two dimensional sculptures called bas-reliefs.

 Bas-relief – a sculpture in which the image projects out from a flat surface.

6.8 THE NEO-BABYLONIAN EMPIRE

 After the Assyrians, the Babylonians regained control. They established a new empire called the Neo-Babylonian Empire.

 Neo – “new”  Nebuchadrezzar II was a ruthless leader that ruled the empire.

 He forcefully expanded the empire.

 He built walls and even a moat around Babylon.

6.9 LIFE IN THE NEO-BABYLONIAN EMPIRE

 Nebuchadrezzar decorated his palace with fabulous gardens.

 They became the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon.  They are considered one of the 7 great wonders of the ancient world.

 The Babylonians were skilled in math and astronomy.

 Astronomy – the study of the stars and planets.

 They created the first sundial, a device to tell time using the sun.

 They are credited with the 60 minute hour and the 7 day week.