Unit 2 Lesson 3Babylonia and Assyria

The Rise of Hammurabi and BabyloniaThe city-state of Babylon was

under a lot of construction

More people began to settle in Mesopotamia after the fall of Ur

The Rise of Hammurabi and BabyloniaHammurabi became king of

Babylon in 1792 BCHe was very clever and wanted

powerBy 1754 BC (38 years later) he

controlled all of Mesopotamia and other city-states!

His empire was called Babylonia

Babylonia

The Rise of Hammurabi and BabyloniaThe king gave orders to improve

the city of Babylon◦Stronger city walls◦Gateway leading into the city (Ishtar

Gate)◦Raise the top of the ziggurat to

create the “hanging gardens”

The Rise of Hammurabi and BabyloniaHammurabi sent officials

throughout the empire to carry out his orders and collect taxes

Taxes paid on property went to support Hammurabi’s army and pay for construction projects

Quick SummaryHammurabi became king of

Babylon in 1792 BC and built an empire, sending officials to collect taxes and carry out orders

Why did Hammurabi need tax money and how did he collect it?

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HammurabiHammurabi became king of

Babylon when he was a young adult.

Rulers formed partnerships with each other to increase their power (allies)

Hammurabi, with help from his allies, began to conquer neighboring city-states

He wanted control of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers because he wanted control of irrigation systems and the farming economy!

HammurabiHow did Hammurabi increase his

power in Mesopotamia? ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hammurabi

Hammurabi conquered more than 20 cities and controlled all of Mesopotamia!

Created a code of laws, which he engraved on a stone monument (can’t be changed)

Hammurabi wished to be remembered as an able ruler and a just (fair) lawgiver

Hammurabi“Hammurabi is a ruler, who is as

a father to his subjects… who has achieved conquest for the chief god of Babylon over the north and south… and has established order in the land.”

Babylonian CivilizationLife didn’t change much under

Hammurabi:◦Babylonians relied on irrigation for

farming and on trade◦Had a class system◦Similar religious beliefs

However, Babylonians spoke their own version of the Akkadian language

Babylonian CivilizationCapital city of Babylon grew

◦Became the center of culture and learning

◦Many advancements were made in math, literature, and law

Babylonian Civilization

Hammurabi is best known for the laws he established to govern his empire in a new way

282 laws known as the Code of Hammurabi◦Many laws dealt with business practices◦Others related to property ownership,

medical practice, marriage, and childcare

Babylonian CivilizationThe Code of Hammurabi is the

most complete law code to survive

Hammurabi explained the purpose of the law code:◦“…to give good to the people, to

make justice shine in the land, to destroy the evil and wicked, that the strong do not oppress (mistreat) the weak.”

Babylonian CivilizationHammurabi’s Code called for

different punishments based on the social class of the lawbreaker and the victim of the crime

Punishments often fit the crime ◦“eye for an eye”◦“tooth for a tooth”

Quick Summary The Code of Hammurabi is a set of

laws in which the punishment fits the crime as well as the social class of the offender and the victim

What was the purpose of the Code of Hammurabi?

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The AssyriansWhile the Babylonian Empire

flourished under Hammurabi, the Assyrians began to gain power in northern Mesopotamia

Assyria expanded its territory from about 1900 BC to 600 BC

Assyrians placed higher value on war and conquest (defeat) of another group

The AssyriansUnder King Ashurbanipal, the

Assyrian Empire was at its largest and most powerful

Assyrians controlled nearly all of the Fertile Crescent

Ashurbanipal could read and write ancient Sumerian and Akkadian

He built a great library at Ninevah, the capital

The AssyriansKing Ashurbanipal collected

Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian writings◦Literature◦History◦Math

Quick Summary The Assyrians were aggressive and

conquered and controlled the Fertile Crescent. Their most powerful king was Ashurbanipal, who created a library to keep literature, history, and math tablets.

What made Ashurbanipal an unusual king? ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Babylonia GrowsAfter 627 BC, Babylon began to

expand its influence and wealthNebuchadnezzar II was crowned king

of BabylonHe took over much of the Assyrian

Empire and ordered building projects to make Babylon great again

He built walls to protect the temples and finished building the great ziggurat

Babylonia GrowsHistorians believe:

◦the ziggurat at Babylon might be the inspiration for the Tower of Babel, which is mentioned in the Bible

◦Nebuchadnezzar built the hanging gardens (or was it Queen Sammuramat, who reigned [ruled] 200 years earlier? No one knows…)

Babylon GrowsBabylon was a wealthy trading city

and an important center of learningMade great advancements in math:

◦Determined place value refers to the position of numbers

Babylonian astronomers (scientists who study the sun, moon, stars, and planets) made important advancements◦Predicted when the eclipses of the sun

and moon would occur

Babylon GrowsWhen Nebuchadnezzar II died

about 562 BC, the new Babylonian Empire declined

Persians invaded and conquered Babylon in 539 BC

Quick SummaryUnder the leadership of

Nebuchadnezzar II, Babylon grew in influence and power. When he died, Babylon was conquered by the Persians.

List some of the achievements of the Babylonian culture: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

STUDY FOR YOUR QUIZ!!Put these events in order:_____Nebuchadnezzar II starts a

series of building projects in Babylon

_____Hammurabi establishes his code of law

_____Ashurbanipal builds his library at Nineveh

STUDY FOR YOUR QUIZ!!Who was Hammurabi?

What was the Code of Hammurabi?

How was the Assyrian culture different from the Babylonian culture?