Mesopotamia

Geography● Mesopotamia = “land between the rivers”● In between Tigris and Euphrates River● Little rain, needed irrigation● Fertile Crescent - area of land where soil was fertile due to flooding

Sumerians● Founded originally by city-states● Government: theocracy - ruled by divine authority● Invented the wheel● Social System: Nobles, Commoners (Merchants/Farmers), Slaves● Polytheistic Religion● Writing: Cuneiform “wedge-shaped”● Epic Poem: Epic of Gilgamesh

Akkadians● World’s first empire by conquering Sumer

○ Led by Sargon of Akkad

● Hammurabi○ Set up first system of coded laws

■ Code of Hammurabi■ Dealt with strict equal justice (as long as you were in same social class)

Babylonians

Assyrians● People covered most of Middle East● Created fast messaging system● Strong military system (societies would surrender)

● Located modern-day Palestine● Focused on trade● Known for their ships, their alphabet (moves into Greek), & indigo

Phoenicians

Israelites● Known for religious contribution

○ Judaism■ First organized monotheistic■ Abrahamic religion■ Everything was God’s■ Ten Commandments - Law system

● Military leader, Cyrus● Son, Darius, takes over - great political leader, not great military leader

○ Fails at Battle of Marathon with the Greeks○ Creates Royal Road - series of road systems for quick messengers and military travel○ Ran a tight bureaucracy

● Religion: Zoroastrianism (similar to Judaism)

Persians