Mesopotamian
Key Terms
Key Terms
the belief in a singular god
monotheism
Mesopotamia is a Greek word that translates into what?
The land between two rivers
Who was the first ruler to conquer Sumer?
Sargon of Akkad
Which empire did Hammurabi create in 1787 BC?
The Babylonian Empire
What does Phoenicia mean in Greek?
The land of purple
the purple dye extracted from sea snails
murex
What are the two rivers that Mesopotamia sits between?
Tigris and Euphrates
What is a town or village that also acts as separate, independent nation known as?
A city-state
What is the organized list of laws that Hammurabi created also referred to as?
Hammurabi's Code
What were Phoenicia's two main trade resources?
Purple dye (murex) and cedar wood
a large stone pillar, often bearing an inscription
stele
This was the site of a pyramid-like temple to the main god or goddess of each city-state. Some were more than seven stories high!
A ziggurat
Name 3 empires that reigned in the Mesopotamian region.
Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persians, etc
How many laws were included in Hammurabi's Code?
282
This form of writing was used to successfully conduct trade.
The Phoenician alphabet
regularly traveling by sea
seafaring
What written language did many young boys in Sumer go to school to learn?
Cuneiform
The Assyrians were known as scribes and traders, but they were most known for being what?
Warriors
Many of the punishments in Hammurabi's Code were based on this phrase or idea.
"Eye for an eye"
Murex and cedar wood were in limited supply. What does that mean for each resource when it came to trading.
Because each was in limited supply, these resources were extremely expensive, compared to other trade goods.
the trade or spread of culture and ideas
cultural exchange
What was the purpose of building a ziggurat?
The ziggurats were temples built to honor the gods and have them one day walk among the Sumerians.
The Persians fought many wars with Greek city-states and eventually fell to which army?
Alexander the Great's
Give me an example of how social structures are highlighted in Hammurabi's Code.
Wealthier citizens were treated less harshly than the poorer citizens.
Fathers/husbands punishments did not include physical harm.
How did the Phoenicians keep other civilizations from trading along the Mediterranean?
They told stories of sea monsters destorying ships and killing traveler to scare away any other traders.