Chapter 4First Age of Empires1570 B.C. – 200 B.C.

By:Anton IvashovEdward PinkhasikDavid Evinshteyn

Egypt

Egypt had a mix of a monarchy and a theocracy. It did not have much of an economy because it conquered nearby lands instead of being nice to them. Egypt had bronze spears and two wheeled chariots. It was polytheistic and believed that its king was a god. Egypt’s land was fertile around the Nile river and desert everywhere else. Later they were overrun by Nubians.

Assyria Assyria was a military nation who loved to conquer and came up with many great invasion strategies and state-of-the art weaponry such as iron tipped weapons and sappers (guys who dug and undermined walls.) They had no major economic system beyond trade and easily organized conquered places into one large empire. King Ashurbanipal built a huge library of many scrolls from many different places; he himself could read in many languages. This library helped architects better understand Mesopotamian writing. It occupied land in Egypt and along the eastern Mediterranean all the way to the Persian gulf. The capital, Nineveh, was the largest city in its time.

Persia

Persia’s religion was Zoroastrian. Zoroastrian religion Zoroastrian religion came from Zoroaster who believed that two armies came from Zoroaster who believed that two armies fought for a person’s soul. One was good, the other evil. fought for a person’s soul. One was good, the other evil. If you were good, you were sent to paradise instead of If you were good, you were sent to paradise instead of hell.hell. Cyrus was Persia’s king who was a brilliant military Cyrus was Persia’s king who was a brilliant military leader. Unlike others, Cyrus was kind to his conquered leader. Unlike others, Cyrus was kind to his conquered people and honored them and gave them freedom. people and honored them and gave them freedom. Cyrus died in battle. Cambyses, Cyrus’s aggressive son, Cyrus died in battle. Cambyses, Cyrus’s aggressive son, took over and made Persia fragile. After Cambyses died, took over and made Persia fragile. After Cambyses died, Darius took over and once again made Persia strong Darius took over and once again made Persia strong and wealthy. He was good at administering it. Zoroaster and wealthy. He was good at administering it. Zoroaster was also important because he introduced the religion in was also important because he introduced the religion in Persia.Persia.

Persia (continued)

A Royal Road was built to connect the whole Persian empire and was used to communicate quickly between different parts of the empire. Persian empire reached Persian empire reached from Macedonia to Egypt as N to S, and from Egypt to from Macedonia to Egypt as N to S, and from Egypt to Bactria as W to E. Persia was a mountainous area. This Bactria as W to E. Persia was a mountainous area. This area had good farmland and lots of minerals.area had good farmland and lots of minerals. Darius Darius borrowed an idea of coins from Lydians and used coins borrowed an idea of coins from Lydians and used coins in the whole empire.in the whole empire. Cyrus kept a peaceful relationship kept a peaceful relationship with his conquered empires and traded with everyone with his conquered empires and traded with everyone around him.around him. Persia had a self government run by Darius. Persia had a self government run by Darius. Persia was divided into 20 provinces, and each province Persia was divided into 20 provinces, and each province had a satrap to govern it.had a satrap to govern it.

China

The Chinese had a dynasties that were all-powerful. Later this changed due to a bunch of philosophers such as Confucious and Laozi. The Chinese invented paper and silk. They traded these materials on a grand scale. China was mountainous with several rivers. The people believed in oracles.