Political Setting

Economic Life

Socio-cultural Status

Contributions to the World

Babylonia (Babylonian Bâbili,"gate of God"; Old Persian

Babirush),Was the ancient country of Mesopotamia,

known originally as Sumer and later as Sumer and Akkad,

lying between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, south of

modern Baghdâd, Iraq.

Babylonia was consisted of many cities, which it was

surrounded by villages. The ruler of Babylonia was

the king, so it was an absolute monarch who

exercised legislative and judicial as well as executive

powers. Under the king were governors and

administrators, there were also city elders that was

in charge of the local administration.

Babylonian Economy was based on Agriculture.

Barter System

They raised cattle and sheep

Main crop was barley

3 Main Classes

Awilu – free person of upper class

Mushkenu – free person of low estate

Wardu - slaves

King

Nobles

Free Men

Military personnel and civil servants

Debt Slaves

the basic units of their society

basis of an individual’s class and station

On marriage…

Babylonian marriages we’re arranged by parents.The ceremony was concluded with a contract inscribedon a tablet.

A Legal contract

On women…

A Babylonian women could hold property, engage inbusiness and qualify as witness.

On children…

In the normal course of events, children were lovedand at the death of their parents, inherited theirproperty. Though in some cases they could be sold intoslavery.

Adopted children were not uncommon.

Babylonian education starts at the age of eight.Education is exclusive for children of wealthyfamilies. They were taught in so called “tablethouse”. There they were trained to exerciseknowledge over scripts, cuneiform and language.

If a student passes final examinations he/she willbecome a scribe.

Polytheistic

Babylonians worshipped many gods. One is Marduk, thechief god, god of the city of Babylon.

Festivals were held throughout the year for each specific godto assure their favor.

The new year festival for Marduk was to assure fertility in thefields.

The interior of the Temple of Marduk was reportedly coveredwith gold.

The first Babylonian empire is best known for the LawCode of King Hammurabi, circa 1750 BC, purportedly handeddown by the god Shamah.

The New Empire of Babylon was noted especially for itswealth and grandeur. This was reported in Old Testamentaccounts from the period of the Hebrew Babylonian Captivityand by the Greek historian Herodotus who visited the city.

The most impressive features of the city were its walls,the Ishtar Gate, the ziggurat and temple to Marduk, theProcessional Way, and the Hanging Gardens.

The Babylon’s used cuneiform. However, they used more than 350 signs in their writing.

The literature of Babylon was very rich. They wrote around 2000 books. They composed books on religion, science, mathematics, and astrology.

One of the books of the Babylonians which was known to the world was “The epic of Gilgamesh”

Code of Hammurabi

The Babylonians also excelled in the field of science. Like theSumerians, they adopted the Lunar Calendar. They dividedone year into 12 months and each month was divided into 30days.

The use of sun dial and water clock to know the time.

The Great Ziggurat which was built by Hammurabi in honor of Marduk

Varieties of Seals

http://www.angelfire.com/empire2/unkemptgoose/Babylonian.html

http://www.mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/eng_babylonian_culture.htm

http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/life-old-babylonia-importance-trade

http://www.historydiscussion.net/essay/contributions-of-the-babylonian-civilization/1897

http://history-world.org/babylonia.htm