
Empire builders first conquer other lands,
then use their power to keep them under
control

Between 2300 and 539 B.C.E., 4 empires
rose up in Mesopotamia
2300 B.C.E. – conquered Sumer
 Led by a great king named Sargon

› Strong king, created large, powerful military
strategies
› Became first king to demand that his sons
rule after his death
Greatest achievement: created world’s
first empire
 Reigned for 56 years
 The empire fell after 200 years

Hammurabi was king of Babylon (a citystate in Mesopotamia)
 Hammurabi conquered Mesopotamia and
became known as Babylon
 Best known for his Code of Laws:

› Claimed Gods told him to create equal laws
(first set of laws that applied to everyone)
› Written on a stele and placed in the temple
› Laws covered payment for work, trade,
marriages and divorce, punishments for crimes

Babylon thrived under Hammurabi’s rule
› People united
› Agriculture flourished
› Traded goods
› Created postal service

Babylon was unusually fair
› Slaves and women had rights
Rose to power in 900 B.C.E.
 Assyrians were feared for their strong and
cruel army
 Greatest achievements were their new
weapons and war strategies
 First to use battering rams
 Lasted about 300 years, but became too
big to control and fell in 612 B.C.E.

Babylonians regained control over
Mesopotamia and renamed it “The NeoBabylonian Empire”
 Most famous king was Nebuchadezzar II

› Ruthless leader
› Built inner and outer walls
› Built towers and moats around city

The ziggurat was rebuilt and renamed –
“House of the Platform between Heaven
and Earth”
Skilled in astronomy and mathematics
 Created first sundial
 Made discoveries that led to the 60minute hour and 7 day week
 Lasted only 75 years
