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Written Reports in Introduction to Western Civilization (MESOPOTAMIAN EMPIRES)

Babylonian Empire Assyrian Empire Persian Empire

Reported by:

Dominic P Hernandez A.B.Broadcasting III-A

THE BABYLONIAN EMPIRE

From the old Persian word Babirush- Gate of GOD. BABYLON- capital city Toward the end of 2000 B.C., the Amorites invaded Mesopotamia and conquered the land. Their leader, SUMUABUM became the first king of Babylonia. One of his descendants proved to be a mighty conqueror and that is HAMMURABI, he is more than a great conqueror but he is also an able statesman. During his term Babylonia attained the peak of splendour His government was a model of efficiency and honesty. His greatest achievement was the promulgation of a written law code which is the HAMMURABI CODE.

HAMMURABI CODE (c.1750BC)

* It was inscribed on a black stone eight feet high. * Consists of 285 laws pertaining to family relations, property rights, divorce, adoption of children, labor commerce and crimes. * Originated the law of an eye for an eye, life for a life etc. the rights of women to own and inherit property and to work or do business.

Society and Social Classes

Stratified into 3 classes: A. Nobles (king, aristocrats,priets and rich landlords) B. The free-men( farmers, merchants, soldiers and artisans) C. The slaves * Women occupied high position in Babylonian society.

Economic Life
* * * Farming was the chief industry of babylonia. They raise wheat, barley, oats and vegetable. They increased their production by irrigating their fields. They also engage in business and trade and professional money lenders, who lent money to merchant at usurious rates.

Religion
* * * POLYTHEISM- The belief of many gods. They worshipped as many as 65,000 gods. The principals ones were: * * * * Shamash-god of sun Marduk-god of war Ishatar- goddess of war Bel-god of earth Nergal- god of death

Temples are erected in their honour. They believed in the power of magic formulas t drive evil spirits. They believed in life after death but they did not believe in heaven, hell and purgatory. They use amulets and charms- luck in love, gambling etc.

Writing and Literature

* * * * They had a system of writing called cuneiform. They wrote on soft clay tablets with a sharp stylus as pen. These clay tablets were baked in ovens to make them hard like bricks. Rich in tales, fables and poems.

Behistun Rock
* Key to Babylonian writing. * Recovered by a British scholar in 1847 by HENRY RAWLINSON. * Inscribed the accounts of victories of King Darius of Persia in three languages: Babylonian, Assyrian. Persian. * Found in 91.4 cliff near the mountain village of Behistun, Iran

Arts and Sciences

* * * * * The ziggurat was the greatest architectural achievement of Babylonia. It was surrounded by courtyards, school rooms and storerooms. In Sciences, Babylonian excelled in mathematics. They invented the sexagesimal system of calculation by sixties. Astronomy and astrology made them famous. They were the first people in the world to devise signs of the zodiac.

The Assyrian Empire

* About 2900 BC, Assyrians(Semitic people) settled the region north of Babylonia. * They establish their capital on the bank of the Tigris River and named it Assur after of their war god.(Ashur) * They were war like and cruel people and they have an engineering corps established to manage the battle machine. * * They revolutionized the art of warfare. They made iron weapons, mobile cavalry units, and fighting tactics of the armored archers and pike men. They became the best warriors in Asia during their time.

The Rise of Assyria

* In 1115 BC, shortly after conquering Babylonia, Phoenicia, and Syria.

* Tiglath-Pileser I (1115-1077 B.C.) founded the Assyrian Empire. During his time, he ordered his chief archer to dip his arrow in the waters of Mediterranean Sea as a symbol that the sea belonged to them. * The height of Assyrian power was reached during the reign of Tiglath-Pileser III.

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He was greatest emperor, never lost battle, and conquered lands. The diverse kingdoms of the Middle East were welded into an empire. After the death of Tiglath-Pileser III, his successor Sennacherib transferred Assyrias capital to Nineveh.

NINEVEH
* * * The capital and greatest city of Assyria. Its city walls was fifty feet thick and one hundred feet high and seven miles around with fifteen decorated gates. The fresh water came from 18 mountain streams.

But despite of the mighty hand of Assyrians, it become to decline during the reign of Ashurbanipal(668-627B.C.) He tried to promote education. The remarkable and famous library was opened to people. There were 22,000 clay tablets One interesting tablets tells the story of Creation and the Great Flood similar to the events told by the Hebrew in the Old Testament. In 612 B.C. Nineveh fell before the attack of the combined Chaldean-Medes armies. The downfall of Assyrian elicited great jubilation to the Middle East people.

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The Persians (1500-330B.C.)

* About 1500 B.C. twoAryan peoples from the Caspian Sea region settled in the Iranian Plateau, they were the Persians who occupied the southern part.

Cyrus the Great

Founded the Persian Empire after he conquered Mesopotamia and Egypt. He is a wise statesmen and a noble king. His policy toward conquered people was kindness rather than oppressions. He also founded a dynasty called Achaemenid. Because of his military exploits, he came to be known Cyrus the Great. After his death in a battle, his able successors carried on his conquer.

Darius I(521-485 B.C.)

The greatest ruler of Achaemenid dynasty. Persia attained her Golden Age. he assumed the title of King of Kings Established an excellent administrative system: Satrapies. Divided the empire into 20 provinces, each governed by a local governor or Satrap. He granted political economy to his subject(Phoenicians, Egyptians, Armenians, Asians, Greeks) and respected their religions, languages, and customs. He is the richest monarchs. He fostered domestic and foreign trade He introduces the coinage system to facilitate business. The standard gold coin was called daric

After his death, he was succeeded by weak monarchs so the glory and power declined. The last ruler, Darius III, failed to check Alexander the Greats invasion of Persia. Thus, the Persia vanished in 331 B.C.

Persians Contribution
* ZOROASTRIANISM- a religion based on the belief that life is a constant struggle between good and evil. i. ii. iii. Zoroaster- the founder of this religion Zend- Avesta- the bible Magi- priets/ wise men.

-After the death of Zoroaster, the belief was corrupted.

The system of provincial administration i. ii. iii. The local system of taxation, The first postal service and Provincial executives. (Later adopted by Alexander the Great)

The elaborate system of court etiquette followed by the royal courts of the present day. i. The ceremonial practices in the Royal Courts.