CHAPTER 1 , SECTION 3

THE FIRST EMPIRES

Hanging Gardens Vocabulary 1:3

NebuchadnezzarChaldean king who

rebuilt Babylon into an imperial city

THE FIRST EMPIRES

THE FIRST EMPIRESAssyria’s military power and well-organized government helped it build a vast empire in Mesopotamia by 650 B.C.

Assyria Militaristic empire in Mesopotamia 900- 610 BC

Ninevah Capital city of the Assyrian Empire Provinces Political districts Hanging Gardens An immense staircase of greenery in Babylon

near king’s palace Caravans Groups of traveling merchants Astronomers People who study the heavenly bodies. 

ASSYRIANSWhat present day country takes its name from the Ancient Assyrians?

AssyriansNew empire in Mesopotamia

—the Assyrians

Fertile valleys—attracted invaders. Large army was necessary for protection.

900 BC—begin taking over parts of Mesopotamia

ASSYRIAN ARMYWhy did the Assyrians need such a formidible army presence?

Strength of Assyrian ArmyWell organized armyFoot soldiers with spears

and daggers. Bowmen and chariot riders.

First large army to use iron weapons—learned to smelt iron from Hittites.

Anyone resisting Assyrians were destroyed

ASSYRIAN ARMYWhy did the Assyrians need such a formidible army presence?

Assyrian GovernmentKings had to be strong to rule large empire

Very well organizedEmpire divided into provinces with officials to govern the provinces

Roads were built with soldiers protecting them

ASSYRIAN PROVINCESThe vastness of the Assyrian empire made it necessary to divide it into smaller units called provinces.

Assyrian GovernmentKings had to be strong to rule large empire

Very well organizedEmpire divided into provinces with officials to govern the provinces

Roads were built with soldiers protecting them

LIBRARY OF ASHURBANIPAL

The library at Ninevah inspired Alexander the Great to build libraries throughout his empire.

Life in AssyriaLived much like Babylonians

before themWere skilled buildersProduced and collected

literature One of the world’s earliest

libraries in Ninevah Epic of Gilgamesh-- oldest story

in the history of the world.

CIVIL WARIn history, Civil Wars are usually a catalyst for outside invasions. Why do you think the American Civil War did not lead to such outside interference?

Demise of AsyriaCruel treatment of people led to rebellions

650 BC—Civil wars broke out over who would be king

Chaldeans captured the capital of Ninevah in 612 BC and empire crumbled.

Babylon

Babylon was an empire for 70 years and controlled nearly the entire Middle East during this period.

606 BC-536 BC

NEBUCHADNEZZAR

Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 45 of the 70 years that the Babylonian Empire stood.

The ChaldeansKing Nebuchadnezzar—Chaldean king that led the Chaldeans to greatness in Babylon

Chaldean control 605 BC-562 BC

BABYLONThe city of Babylon was massive with:

• Walls 60 miles around

• 15 miles on each side

• 300 feet high

• 80 feet thick

• Extending some 35 feet below the ground

City of BabylonWorld’s largest and richest city

during Nebuchadnezzar’s reignSurrounded by a massive brick

wall.Large palaces and temples;

massive ziggurat at city centerHanging Gardens of BabylonAlong major trade routes;

citizens acquired great wealth trading with caravans

Babylonian Medicine

Surgery was known and even delicate operations on the eye were performed. The Babylonians had a superb knowledge of human and animal anatomy and physiology and were aware, for example, of the circulation of the blood and the pulse.

City of BabylonMajor center of science

Astronomers studied the moon and stars

One of the first sundials First to make a seven day week

(Chaldeans)

Fall of the Chaldeans539 BC- Persians captured

Babylon

•USING CAVALRY AND FOOT SOLDIERS ARMED WITH IRON WEAPONS, THE ASSYRIANS CREATED A LARGE EMPIRE THAT INCLUDED ALL OF MESOPOTAMIA AND EXTENDED INTO EGYPT.

•THE CHALDEANS BUILT A LARGE EMPIRE THAT INCLUDED BABYLON, THE LARGEST AND RICHEST CITY IN THE WORLD AT THE TIME.

Reviewing the Main Ideas