Ancient Civilizations:

Ancient Civilizations:Mesopotamia

Geography & Environment

“the land between the rivers…”

• On which continent was Mesopotamia located?

• Asia; in what is modern day Iraq, Syria & Turkey

The Geography

• On which river did the ancient Mesopotamians settle?

• Between the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers; in an area known as the Fertile Crescent

The Geography

Early Mesopotamian Kingdoms

Mesopotamian Cultures

• Mesopotamia did NOT represent a unified kingdom, instead it was made up of a series of kingdoms that occupied a specific geographical space

• Sumer • Akkad • Babylonia• Assyria• Neo-Babylonia• Persia

Mesopotamian Cultures

The first civilization

Sumer 3500 – 2300 BCE

• Geography:• Located at the

southern end of Mesopotamia

• Near the mouths of the Tigris & Euphrates

Sumerian Geography

Sumerian Geography

• City-state: • A city + its surrounding lands• Independent political units that

competed for trade & boundaries

• i.e. Uruk, Kish, Ur, Lagash

• Characteristics:• Shared culture• Unique government • Outer walls• A central temple/ziggurat

Sumerian Geography

Sumerian Religion & Government• Polytheism:• The worship of more than one

god• Believed gods were immortal &

all powerful; humans were to serve the gods

• Ziggurat:• Temples where

sacrifices and offerings were made to the gods

• Animals, food, wine, etc.

Sumerian Religion & Government

• City-states were ruled by priest- kings who were viewed as powerful agents of the gods

Sumerian Religion & Government

Sumerian Culture & Knowledge• Despite their religious

practices, Sumerians had little, if any, belief in an afterlife

• Believed that the souls of the dead went to the “land of no return”

Sumerian Culture & Knowledge• Developed a

form of writing language known as cuneiform

Sumerian Culture & Knowledge• Invention of the wheel (3000

BC)• Economy based on farming &

trade• CULTURAL DIFFUSION

Sumerian Culture & Knowledge• Other notable contributions:• Invention of the sail & plow• The usage of bronze• Development of a number

system

Kings

Wealthy merchants

Field laborers

Slaves

Babylonia

The first system of justice

1790 – 1590 BCE

The Babylonian Empire

• In 1792 BC a new empire took control of Mesopotamia

• Babylonia• Reached its

height during the reign of Hammurabi

The Babylonian Empire

• Hammurabi’s Code:• Written code of laws• Stressed responsible

behavior• Capital punishment

• “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”

• Punishments based on SOCIAL CLASS

• Laws focused on ALL aspects of society

The Babylonian Empire

If the "finger is pointed" at a man's wife about another man, but she is not caught sleeping with the other man, she shall jump into the river for the sake of her husband.

If he breaks another man's bone, his bone shall be broken.

If a son strikes his father his hands shall be hewn off.

Hammurabi’s Code