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 |  Subject: Ancient World / Mesopotamia  Tue 1 Jun - 15:51 | |
| A region in the Middle =East which is defined as the land lying between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris in what is Iraq today. This region was
the birthplace of the first civilizations, and among the leading regions
in the world for about 3,000 years. A wider definition of Mesopotamia
is the land that that lies between the Zagros and Anti-Taurus
Mountains in the northern end, and the Arabian plateau and Persian Gulf to the south,
corresponding to modern Iraq, eastern Syria and southeastern Turkey.[/size]
The name 'Mesopotamia' comes from Greek, and means 'between
rivers'.
The most important ancient civilizations in the region were
first the Sumerian (3500
BCE- 2000 BCE), the Babylonian
(18th century BCE- 539 BCE) and Assyrian (1350 BCE- 612
BCE). During the last two millenniums the Muslim Abbasids must be
considered as the strongest rulers of Mesopotamia, both in might and in
cultural achievements.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]It was the two rivers that became the basis upon which the
wealth of the region was based. Through relatively easy irrigation the
agriculture could yield heavy crops. There were fish in the rivers, the
area had a diversified agriculture and wildfowl was available out near
the coast.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]There was never a regular supply of water in Mesopotamia, and
therefore irrigation was central to controlling the crops in southern
Mesopotamia. In northern Mesopotamia, agriculture proved successful at
an earlier date, dating back to 10th millennium BCE.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]The result was an easy surplus of food products — a
prerequisite for urbanization (since the city did not produce basic
products, only refined) so cities developed. The cities were centres of
trade, as well as production of handicrafts, state administration and
military defence. Mesopotamia also had other important raw materials
available, even if stone and wood was rare, which had to be imported.
The most important local raw material was clay, which was used for
building houses, and which was used to create tablets to write on.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]The richness of Mesopotamia made it attractive for
neighbouring peoples, and its lack of mountains made it fairly difficult
to protect against invaders. The result was numerous invasions through
the history, and many times did foreign warlords replace the existing
rulers. Few dynasties lasted more than a few hundred years. The threat
from the neighbours, was another reason for establishing the cities: The
cities could be fortified and defended.
Cultural achievements
Much mathematical and astronomical science owes its beginnings to the
Mesopotamians. They developed the sexagesimal system, which was used for
all types of calculations, but which is still used for the clock all
around the world.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Architecture and art are often impressive seen relative to
its epoch, but cannot be compared to what is found in Egypt. But one
achievement is among the greatest found in antiquity: The ziggurat, a temple
structure of impressive size and high aesthetical values.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Science was at a relatively early stage, and there are no
known attempts to create laws and little use of analogy.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]It was in Mesopotamia cuneiform writing was developed, and
with this much literature of high value was produced. Enuma Elish and Gilgamesh are examples of
great religious literature, while the Code of Hammurabi is
one of the greatest early examples of juridical literature. Still, much
of the available literature still remain untranslated.
History
People have been living in Mesopotamia for many thousands of years, the
region probably belong to the longest inhabited regions of the world.
10th millennium BCE: Agriculture is starting to be developed in
northern Mesopotamia.
7th millennium: Tiny settlements start to grow into villages.
4th millennium: Irrigation agriculture of southern Mesopotamia is
starting to be developed, and proves to be more effective than the
agriculture in the northern regions.
— Some of the villages started to grow into cities, where Eridu and Uruk were among the very
first.
Around 3500: City-states in southern Mesopotamia develop, and
form the culture we call Sumer.
Around 3100: The cuneiform
writing system is starting to be used.
Around 2330: Mesopotamia is conquered by the Akkadians.
Ca. 2218: The tribesmen Gutians defeat the Akkadians.
22nd century: The 3rd dynasty of Ur gets control over large parts
of Mesopotamia, and the region is revived.
Around 1760: Most of Mesopotamia comes under the control of Hammurabi and Babylonia.
Around 1600: Babylon
is first sacked by the Hittites,
then by the Kassites,
who take control over the city.
Around 1350: The Assyrians
become an important power in northern Mesopotamia, and can at times
threaten Babylonia. In the centuries that followed, the Assyrian
politics of deporting rebellious subjects made races mix in Mesopotamia.
11th century: Decline in strength and importance of Babylonia.
Political chaos would last for about 200 years.
9th century: The Chaldeans get control over Babylonia, and makes
it one of the strongest states in Mesopotamia.
612: Assyria collapses.
539: Babylon is conquered by the Persians. The Persians
divided Mesopotamia into 2 satrapies; Babylon and Ashur, where Babylon was the
most important in politics and administration. The following period was
one of slow economic decline for the region.
312: Seleucus conquers Babylon, and a period of Hellenistic
culture and economic growth comes to Mesopotamia.
Approx. 250: Mesopotamia is conquered by the Parthians.
226 CE: Mesopotamia is conquered by the Sassanids. Under their
rule, prosperity continued and irrigation was improved.
635: Mesopotamia is conquered by the Muslim Arabs.
763: Baghdad is
started to be built, as part of moving he centre of the Muslim world from Damascus to the
Mesopotamian region. This involves the start of one the most impressive
periods of the region, where Mesopotamia in many fields is the centre of
the world.
1258: Following a sack of the Mongols, many state structures of
Mesopotamia and the Muslim deteriorates. Both culture and economy
suffer.
16th century: Ottoman
Turks and Safavid
Persians start battling over Mesopotamia.
17th century: The Ottomans get control over Mesopotamia.
1840: The first archaeological excavations start.
1932: The eastern and largest parts of Mesopotamia becomes part
of Iraq with its
independence.
1945: Syria becomes
independent, with a territory that covers the western parts of
Mesopotamia.
TOPIC : Ancient World / Mesopotamia SOURCE : Linguistic Studies ** http://languages.forumactif.org/ |
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