Mesopotamia - The Land between Rivers
Eugene Weber: The Western Tradition : Mesopotamia
Weber, E.
1989. The WESTERN tradition. program 3:
Mesopotamia
Settlements in the Fertile Crescent gave rise to the great river civilizations of the Middle East. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emm4ZC951gY
4 Rivers Genesis 2:10-14 names the garden of Eden as the source of four rivers,
the Tigris and Euphrates, great waterways of Mesopotamia, and the
Pishon and Gihon (Garden of Eden:2011)
the Tigris and Euphrates, great waterways of Mesopotamia, and the
Pishon and Gihon (Garden of Eden:2011)
Floods through rain. Because of the geographical position
(open) à development of armies /soldiers and traders. Their gods
are to be feared.
1.
Sumer
Periodisation (dates are
approximate)
§ Ubaid period: 5300–4100
BC (Pottery Neolithic to Calcolithic [use of copper])
§ Uruk period: 4100–2900 BC (Late Chalcolithic to Early
Bronze Age I)
§ Uruk XIV-V: 4100–3300
§ Uruk IV period: 3300–3000 BC
§ Uruk III = Jemdet Nasr period:
3100–2900 BC
§ Early Dynastic period (Early Bronze Age II)
§ Early Dynastic I period: 2900–2800 BC
§ Early Dynastic II period: 2800–2600 BC (Gilgamesh)
§ Early Dynastic IIIa period: 2600–2500 BC (Early Bronze Age
III)
§ Early Dynastic IIIb period: ca. 2500–2334 BC
§ Akkadian Empire period: ca. 2334–2218 BC (Sargon)
§ Gutian period: ca. 2218–2047 BC (Early Bronze Age IV)
§ Ur III period: ca. 2047–1940 BC
Ref.: (History of Sumer: 2011)
Ref.: (History of Sumer: 2011)
4000 BC (earliest) Invention
of the wheel (first the potter’s wheel)
Irrigation (to artificially apply water to the soil & disposal of waste water)
Irrigation (to artificially apply water to the soil & disposal of waste water)
3000 BC Beginning
of writing (cuneiform)
2000 BC Spokes
on wheels & the chariot are invented
Religion
Domination/Leaders: Priests and Temples
Cuneiform = used by priests; the Egypt hieroglyphics are pictograms (images) whereas the Semites developed abstract signs (Sumer was conquered by the Semitic-speaking kings of the Akkadian Empire around 2400 BC)
Cuneiform = used by priests; the Egypt hieroglyphics are pictograms (images) whereas the Semites developed abstract signs (Sumer was conquered by the Semitic-speaking kings of the Akkadian Empire around 2400 BC)
Comparison between the religion of Egypt and Mesopotamia
Egypt = Religion is a replication of society, just
grander and finer; works through ‘enlarging’
Mesopotamia = Sacred ‘surrealism’ à gods are given non-human attributes: essence, mystery, fantasy, the
peculiar, hypnotic eyes, à they create and structure
abstraction
Trade
Merchants,
free craftsmen (accompanied by slaves and priests) are part of armed caravans
travelling to other cities in order to buy and sell their goods. They use and
pay accommodation in those cities and also have temples of their own faith à multicultural cities
 |
| socket head axe (first from stone, then metal) (Hafting a stone axe: 2011) |
 |
Copper axe from Ur, southern Iraq about 2600-2400 BC (2011) |
2500 BC Glass making
|
Metal as material
4000 BC Copper
3000 BC Bronze
2000 BC Iron
WAR
Any surplus in
goods creates riches
The poor are not
part of the surplus of trade à they have to find NEW land à which means often to
STEAL if from someone even poorer of weaker, often from another city
Imperialism develops: kill all the
others or take them as slaves à take their land
The
development of cities and agriculture is directly related to the development of
a
dense
population
2400
BC Sumerian à Cities Ur and Lagash à first Ziggurats
Semites à Akkad ( 2334 BC–2154 BC)
Amorites
àBabylon (founded in 1867 BC by an
Amorite dynasty)
1800 BC Hammurabi
Code : Contracts, Interests, Criminal Cases….
Rule 8 If you
steal you have to pay…30 times the value or die.
Rule 110 If a nun deals or drinks wine….burn her
Rule 196 One eye for an eye, one tooth for a tooth
The writing down
of laws had clear consequences for the business practice
Sumerians also
developed weights and measures ;
measurement of TIME (24 hours per day à Babylonians invented
the 7 day week ) and the Sumerians also invented MONEY
Money = Evaluation of Things
medium of exchange
1800 BC Barley measures
800 BC Metal (becoming coins)
transition from
natural (barter) to money economy. Allows to estimate wealth in an abstract
medium that cannot be consumed but measured generally. The lending of money
became a source of profit.
References:
Copper axe
from Ur, southern Iraq about 2600-2400 BC
[image] 2011. Available at: http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_image.aspx?image=k6198.jpg&retpage=18684
. [Accessed 8.5.2011]
Garden of
Eden.[online] 2011. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_of_Eden.
[Accessed 8.5.2011]
Hafting a Stone Axe. [image].
2011. Available at: http://alexisphoenix.org/imagesromania3/stoneaxe4632.jpg
. [Accessed 8.5.11]
History of Sumer. [online]. 2011. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_
of_Sumer.[Accessed: 8.May 2011]
of_Sumer.[Accessed: 8.May 2011]
Eugene Weber: The Western Tradition : From Bronze to Iron
Art Theory 1 · Mesopotamia
· Handout for
the video:
Weber, E.
1989. The WESTERN tradition. program 4
From bronze to iron Metals revolutionized tools, as well as societies, in the
empires of Assyria, Persia, and Neo-Babylonia.
Money Temples were functioning like banks
Only a small part of the population
benefited from the wealth: traders and priests / rulers
It is war that makes the poor
benefit in terms of goods.
Sumerians à Semitic à
north and west à
looking for timber, metal….
One way to get to goods is trade;
another is stealing through raids, warfare.
Assyrians: Sargon the Great (reign 2270-2215) – (first important) Assyrian king
He brutally conquests the Sumerians and takes over their territory in
the 23rd and 22nd centuries BC; founder
of the Dynasty of Akkad.
Assurbanipal (685 BC –
c. 627 BC) – one of the last Assyrian kings
An example (known through written texts of the time) how
the poorer population benefited from the rich booty of a war (against Nubia?
Thebes?) and how this stimulated production which led to the rise of a new
social group, a middle class, which
consisted mainly of merchants and who could even buy land.
War as a ‘motor’ for culture, as the Akkadians had to keep
up with the technology of their neighbours.
To generate resistance is to generate economic growth à technology and economical growth through war!! à occures already in 2400 BC
2000 BC Babylon
enters into a period of anarchy; by the end of the 2nd millennium
(ca. 1100 BC) officials
have grown substantially in numbers (clerks, jurisprudence,
administrators) , also soldiers, priests and scholars are no longer producing,
but only consuming goods; they buy from peasants and craftsmen
administrators) , also soldiers, priests and scholars are no longer producing,
but only consuming goods; they buy from peasants and craftsmen
1500 BC Iron
is 2 x more expensive than gold
1200 BC The role of carbon (an impurity)
in iron is discovered, which makes iron
much harder (a certain proportion of carbon (between 0.2% and 2.1%)
produces steel). à makes iron production much cheaper
much harder (a certain proportion of carbon (between 0.2% and 2.1%)
produces steel). à makes iron production much cheaper
800BC cheep iron is now economically
liable, it ‘democratises’ wars, because even
less rich and civilized tribes can afford good weapons and become a danger
to those in power.
less rich and civilized tribes can afford good weapons and become a danger
to those in power.
End of the Iron Age à Rise of Persia à first as allies with Assyrians and Neo-
Babylonians
Babylonians
Common language: Syrien –
Aramaic (what Jesus spoke) which had 22 letters (all consonants) . This system
is also used by the Caldians and Persians.
500 BC good system of roads, which
allows the Assyrians and Neo-Babylonians to
relocate their enemies in far away cities à enhances the multicultural
nature of cities.
relocate their enemies in far away cities à enhances the multicultural
nature of cities.
Hebrews (Jews, Semites) from Ur à Caanan
722BC Israel destroyed by the Assyrians
586 BC Jerusalem is defeated by Nebuchadnezzar (Babylonian king) and the Jewish
population is brought to Babylon
population is brought to Babylon
The rise of Persia
600-500BC
The Persians hire Indians, Greek,
Assyrians and Syrians to fight against the
Medes, who had recently conquered the Persians. Soon after, King Cyrus (Persian) defeats the Medes. Then, Cyrus organizes an army to conquer new territory. The army grew until it had hundreds of thousands of men. The officers were Persian, and soldiers were either Persians or conquered people. (Persians:2011)
Medes, who had recently conquered the Persians. Soon after, King Cyrus (Persian) defeats the Medes. Then, Cyrus organizes an army to conquer new territory. The army grew until it had hundreds of thousands of men. The officers were Persian, and soldiers were either Persians or conquered people. (Persians:2011)
Cyrus the Great (576 BC–530
BC) sets up one of the greatest empires of the ancient world; he
conquers Babylon and frees the Jews held captive by the Babylonians. (Persian
Empire : 2011)
According to Herodotus, Darius
(550 — 486 BC) and six other conspirators decided to support the one whose horse
neighed first after sunrise.(Iran (Persia) : 2011) ….Darius the Great, who it is said was made king because
his horse neighed first after the animal had seen a familiar mare, and Darius
beat off his friends to become king because of this method. (Persian Empire :
2011)
During the long rule of Darius I, the conquests of Cyrus and Cambyses are consolidated and the Achaemenid empire reaches its greatest extent - from Macedonia in the west to northern India in the east. Never before has such a large area, including so many people of different cultures and traditions, been controlled under a single system.(History of Iran:2011)
As long as the Persians keep only Persians and Medes in their army, they are save. But the Empire becomes too big and they hire and trust others, who betray them.
New peoples who come into power are the Syrians and Phoenicians.
A new ‘barbarian’ tribe is coming up: The Greek
by 900 BC the Persians have colonized North Africa, Sicily,…
In 333 BC Alexander
the Great defeats the Persians (takes him 3 years)
In Italy, north of Rome, live the Etruscans, who will be
defeated by the Romans
The 22 Consonants (signs) of the Phoenician alphabet (à 7th century BC graffiti) will be completed by the five vowels (y instead of u initially).
Literacy becomes the barrier between the educated and uneducated
Communication à knowledge survived the
death of generations because it was written down. Memory becomes the new
treasure and the beginning of the information age.
The Western culture is actually an Asian culture.
References:
History of Iran. [online].
2011. Available at: http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/Plain
TextHistories.asp?historyid=aa65. [Accessed 8.5.11]
TextHistories.asp?historyid=aa65. [Accessed 8.5.11]
Iran (Persia) [online]. 2011.
Available at: http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/YearToRemember
/00000019.htm. [Accessed 8.5.11]
/00000019.htm. [Accessed 8.5.11]
Persian Empire. [online] 2011.
Available at: http://www.funtrivia.com/en/subtopics/Ancient-Persia-228412.html.
[Accessed 8.5.11]
Persians. [online] 2011.
Available at: http://library.thinkquest.org/J002807/Time%20and%20
Time%20Again/Time%20and%20Time%20Again/mesopers.html.[Accessed 8.5.11]
Time%20Again/Time%20and%20Time%20Again/mesopers.html.[Accessed 8.5.11]
The Persian Empire. [image].
2011. Available at: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kqhGNkeNzaYI5KFVhTBEOBq6YB5XSWfL2Sjvh8ViCRAMDzLvK2aaMIPuhehAGtnacPUQU8ymdSsjky3Qcu_RmlT3mKTBBKqsrvRIPWolK9mGWOTA-v_Gd94SsuMDzv2UBr3-IMi6TC3P/,_490_BC%5B5%5D.png.
[Accessed 8.5.11]
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