Vocab
Cuneiform
“Wedge shaped”
Ziggurat
"Mountain of god;” a tiered, pyramid-shaped structure that formed part of a Sumerian temple
Babylon
Founded in 2300 BCE (before Sargon)
Name comes from Akkadian “bav-il” or “bav-ilim” meaning “Gate of God” or “Gate of the Gods”
Unknown what the importance of the city is in the ancient world
Relief
A sculpture that has figures standing out from a flat background
Epic
A long heroic poem that tells the story of a historical or legendary figure
Polytheism
The belief in more than one god
Which two rivers are significant for this region?
Tigris and Euphrates
Who is Sargon the Great?
Founder and King of Akkadian Empire of Mesopotamia (First multi-national empire in history)
What is the Assyrian Deportation Policy?
Moved former occupants of land and replace them with Assyrians (assimilation)
Who is Gilgamesh?
Main hero(?) of the epic; King of Uruk
Assyria
Acquired large empire through highly advanced military organization and weaponry; became greatest power in Southwest Asia
Who is Inanna and why is she a unique goddess?
Goddess of love, sensuality, fertility, procreation, and war; Depicted as a young woman, sometimes with a lion and sometimes armed with a bow; Not the typical “Mother Goddess”
What are the changes in infrastructure made during the Akkadian Kingdom?
Construction of roads, better irrigation
Expanded trade (Use of weights and measures)
First postal system
Taxation
Restoration of Babylon
Why did the Assyrian Empire become so powerful after the Iron Age?
Civilizations around the declined, but the Assyrians continued (didn't increase but didn't decrease). This made them the most powerful civilization in the area and able to conquer the states around them
Who is Enkidu?
Wild man created by the gods; Gilgamesh's equal
Specialization
Development of skills in a specific kind of work
What are the responsibilities of the king?
Lugal - “big man”; Oversaw cultivation of the land; Bound to ensure the gods’ wills were done on earth; Considered the “head of a household” (entire community)
What is Hammurabi's Code and what is significant about it?
Law code written by King Hammurabi: Includes 282 specific laws; “Eye for an eye”
Best preserved text from the ancient Near East
What is the reputation of the Assyrian Empire?
Ruthlessness and cruelty: Aggressive military campaigns, Most technologically advanced of it’s day, Conquered areas/peoples were assimilated into Assyrian culture
Who is Shamhat?
Priestess who "civilizes" Enkidu by sleeping with him
Nineveh
Assyria’s capital established along Tigris River by King Sennacherib; Largest city of its day
What was the relationship between Sumerian religion and Sumerian government?
Religion informed the government and social structure
Sumerians believed the gods had formed order out of chaos and it was humans responsibility to work with the gods so chaos didn’t return
Who is Enheduanna and what is her significance?
Sargon’s daughter and High Priestess of Inanna at Ur
Recognized as the world’s first writer known by name
What did the Assyrians depict in their art and why?
Most Assyrian art shows sieges, military might and power.
Why is the flood story at the end significant?
It is the oldest flood story in the world