Ms. Brownlee’s6 th Grade World History

CHAPTER 3: THE FERTILE CRESCENT

continued Sections 3 & 4

THE ASSYRIANS, PERSIANS AND PHOENICIANS

SECTION 3: THE ASSYRIAN AND PERSIAN EMPIRES

This was the entrance to Ninevah, last capital of the Assyrian Empire.

Assyria was part of both the Akkadian and Babylonian empires.

Assyrians became fierce warriors, because they were in constant conflict with invaders.

Assyrians built a strong army that had the strongest weapons of the time, made of iron. They also fought riding horses, which was a first for their time.

THE ASSYRIAN AND NEO-BABYLONIAN EMPIRES

ASSYRIAN - FIRST MIGHTY MILITARY – USED

HORSES, ARCHERS & IRON

To keep stability in the empire, the Assyrian rulers appointed governors to each province. Each governor reported directly to the Assyrian ruler. The first library was created at Ninevah by the Assyrian ruler Ashurbanipal. It consisted of tablets on mathematics, law, literature, and sciences.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR built the gardens for his wife.

This is a common depiction of theHanging Gardens. Image taken from:scead303.com

Nebuchadnezzar came to power after Ashurbanipal’s death. He is best known for expanding his power as far as Egypt. He captured Jerusalem and exiled the Jewish people. He spent most of his money on building projects. The picture above depicts the Hanging Gardens, which he built for his wife, who missed her homeland.

EXILE = the state of being barred from one's native country, typically for political or punitive reasons

THE HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON

Cyrus the Great, King of Persia was able to conquer land from Iran to Asia Minor.

This great accomplishment was due to the fact that he had a standing army of 10,000 elite soldiers called the “Immortals”. They were called the “Immortals”, because as soon as one died, he was replaced by another soldier immediately.

RISE OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE

CYRUS TREATED CONQUERED PEOPLE WELL.

Cyrus was able to rule such a large empire, because those who he conquered were treated well. He allowed conquered people to practice their own religion and keep their own customs.

TOMB OF CYRUS THE GREAT

Cyrus died in 530 B.C. and his son Cambyses took power. His son failed to continue his father’s quest. After Cambyses died, Darius took power by force and made Persia an even stronger empire.

PERSIA’S GOVERNMENT AND RELIGION

This is the symbol of Zoroastrianism. This image was taken from: kidsfreesouls.com.

instead of forcing the people of Persia to have one culture, he allowed them to follow their own culture and allowed them to have some control over their government.

Like previous rulers, Darius separated the Persian government into satrapies or provinces. Each province was led by a satrap.

allowed each satrapies to continue on with their own rituals and laws.

PERSIA’S GOVERNMENT UNDER DARIUS

improved the finances Created the tribute system,

in which the people paid tribute to show loyalty to a stronger power.

created a common currency built new roads created one of the first

postal service stations.

Achievements under Darius

Zoroastrianism- created by Zoroaster, who taught that there was one supreme God.

The religious text of Zoroastrianism is called Avesta.

They believe that there is a struggle between good and evil. They also believe that people play an important role in the conflict between good and bad, by working for good.

Zoroastrianism also believe in the concept of the afterlife.

Zoroastrianism has affected Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

PERSIA’S RELIGION - ZOROASTRIANISM

ARTS OF MESOPOTAMIA- SAMPLES OF ART

Image taken from: abbeville.comImage taken from: flickriver.com

Mesopotamian art shows the way the Mesopotamian people lived their lives.

Seals- Sumerians used seals to show ownership of a particular item. A seal left the owner’s personal mark on the object signifying that it did not belong to anyone else, but him.

ARTS OF MESOPOTAMIA

Darius I. running over a deceased lion, and Ahura Mazda GodRepresentation of Zoroastrianism looking from above.

Sculptures- Sumerians carved statues that looked like real humans. This form of sculpture is called relief, in which the scene sticks out from the surface of the base material. A relief sculpture is found on a stele or a carved stone slab or pillar that stands on one end.

Babylonians and Assyrians used relief sculptures to add to what their already amazing art work. This was done on the Ishtar Gate and on the sculpture that has Hammurabi and the God Shamash with Hammurabi’s Code of Laws below it.

THE ISHTAR GATE WAS CONSTRUCTED BY THE BABYLONIAN KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR II CIRCA

575 BCE. IT WAS THE EIGHTH GATE OF THE CITY OF BABYLON

THE PHOENICIANS

A Phoenician ship. Image taken from: timetoeatthedogs.com

Fearless sailors who guided ships full of trade goods through ocean waters.

Origins- Developed from earlier Canaanites. Phoenician society was created when Egyptian rule ended. The Phoenician rulers were priest-kings who shared power with leading merchant families and citizen assembly.

Geography- greatly influenced the Phoenician development. The Lebanon Mountain formed the Phoenician border. This heavily forested mountains sloped down and close to the Mediterranean cost.

This left little land for farming.

THE PHOENICIAN PEOPLE

Phoenicians made a purple cloth that was sold for a significant amount of money. They also made pottery and furniture.

Due to their lack of natural resources, the Phoenicians traded with other cultures. Phoenicians imported and exported with other countries to ensure their success.

PHOENICIAN TRADE

The location of the Phoenicians was ideal for trade. People often depended on them to ship their trade goods across the Mediterranean Sea.

PHOENICIANS AND THE SEA

EXPERT SAILORS

Navigation- Phoenicians became experts at navigation. They developed a thorough knowledge of wind patterns and ocean currents. They are believed to be the first people to use the North Star to guide their voyages.

Phoenician sailors often found sheltered harbors along the coast of the Mediterranean. At first these served as trading ports, but they soon became colonies of Phoenicia.

One of the richest city-states of Phoenicia was Carthage, on the North African coast. The Romans eventually defeated the Carthaginians and took over.

Richest trading port is Carthage

THE PHOENICIANS LIVED IN TODAY’S COUNTRY OF LEBANON

Through the process of cultural diff usion, the spreading of cultural traits from one region to another, the Romans and Greeks absorbed the Phoenician culture.

The Phoenicians also created an alphabet. He first writing system was created by the Sumerians, called cuneiform, but it had hundreds of symbols that one had to memorize to write in cuneiform. The Phoenician alphabet only had 22 symbols, in which each stood for a consonant sound.

People who traded with the Phoenicians learned their alphabet in order to communicate with them effi ciently.

Both the Greeks and Romans adopted the Phoenician alphabet.

THE PHOENICIAN’S LEGACY

PHOENICIAN ALPHABET

Phoenician Alphabet. Image taken from: phoenician.org