MesopotamiaMesopotamia

From City-States to GilgameshFrom City-States to Gilgamesh

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

• How did environment affect the early Mesopotamian civilizations, including culture and technology?

• How did the Mesopotamian system of city-states affect technology, culture, and modern Middle East relations ?

MesopotamiaMesopotamia

• Land between the rivers (Tigris and Euphrates)

• “Fertile Crescent”

• Modern day Iraq

• Sumer

The Rise of City-StatesThe Rise of City-States

• Neolithic Rev. led to sedentary farmers• City-state = a city with political and economic control

over the surrounding area• Huh?• In English = small like a city but has own government,

military, economy, and identity (not part of a state or country)

• Kish, Ur, Uruk (Erech), Eridu

Building of city-statesBuilding of city-states

• Walled cities (made of mud brick)– Why mud brick?– Invented (?) arch

• Close to water• Euphrates flooded

– Explanation

• Angry gods• How do you

appease them?

ZigguratsZiggurats

• Physical, economic, political, and spiritual center of city-state

• Top of ziggurat was a temple

• Gods and Goddesses in complete control– Allowed mortals power

(kingship was divine theocracy = gov’t by divine authority)

– Uruk dedicated to Ishtar

Accommodated FarmingAccommodated Farming

• Economy based chiefly on farming until…

• Trade and industry develop…leads to

• Development of technology such as…

• Wheel (Wheeled carts for easier transportation) and…

• Advanced weapons which leads to…

• Warfare and competition

Social StructureSocial Structure

• 4 social classes (nobles, middle class, peasant farmers, slaves)

• Slavery very common in ancient world (agriculture-based societies)

• NOT racially based

MesopotamiaMesopotamia

Part DeuxPart Deux

WritingWriting

• Cuneiform (wedge-shaped writing)

• Why do you need writing?

• Business transactions

• Stories and traditions

The Epic of GilgameshThe Epic of Gilgamesh

• Gilgamesh

• King of Uruk (2800 B.C.)

• Story accomplishes 2 things

• 1) The first epic story

• 2) Sumerian (Mesopotamian) outlook on life– Life is brutal, harsh, and

ultimately depressing

Other MesopotamiansOther Mesopotamians

• Akkadians

• Sargon I (2300 B.C.)

• First Empire (unify all city-states)

• 100 years

• Brief Sumerian resurgence

• Defeated by…

Amorites (Babylonians)Amorites (Babylonians)

• Centered at Babylon• Famous for Hammurabi

- Famous for law code (1800 B.C.) – 282 laws- Laws written in

important cities (2 survive)- Emphasize brutal

nature of Mes. society

OthersOthers

• Hittites

• Iron weapons

• Less brutal law (pay fines)

• Assyrians

• Warriors

• First effective governing of large empire

• King (absolute), priests, governors, army