From Civilization to
Empire
Mesopotamia
Akkadian Empire
Sumerian city-states wanted wealth from controlling
land and and water
Often at war with each other
Leader Sargon from enemy army conquered Sumer
(2350 BC)
First empire – vast lands and people under his control
Capital city – Akkad
Sargon of Akkad
aka: Sargon the Great
Stop and think
What do you need to maintain an empire?
Akkadian Empire
First standing army (permanent army of paid soldiers)
Faithful nobles appointed governors of conquered
cities
Conquered cites paid tribute (required payment from
one ruler to more powerful ruler)
Created a wealthy empire
2300 BC went from Iran to Med. Sea
Akkadian Empire
Babylonian Empire
1790 BC Hammurabi king of Babylon conquered and
united most of Mesopotamia
Changed tax system so all paid fair share
Organized laws of his land
Collected each city-state’s laws – sorted and came up
with Code of Hammurabi
282 laws
Carved in stone and placed in public place
Babylonian Empire
Hammurabi
Stele – Code of Hammurabi
in Louvre Museum in Paris
Code of Hammurabi
Assyrian Empire
After fall of Babylonian Empire, others moved in
Hittites 1600s BC – war chariots and iron weapons
Kassites conquered Babylon and adopted laws, religion,
literature so helped preserve it
Assyrians Empire gained control – wanted to control
trade routes
Hittites - War Chariot
Iron Weapons
Assyrian Empire
Powerful weapons helped them conquer
From Hittites – iron weapons and war chariots
1st battering ram (heavy wooden beam to break walls)
1st lance (spear on long handle)
700 BC largest empire in world (all of Mesopotamia,
present-day Turkey, Egypt, and Persian Gulf)
Assyrian War Chariot
Assyrian Empire
Nineveh – oldest and most populous city
1st system of paved roads
1st postal system
1st locks with keys
1st magnifying glass
1st libraries
609 BC fell to New Babylonian Empire
Assyrian Empire
Assyrian Guardian Monument
New Babylonian Empire
Nebuchadnezzar – ruler
Believed to have built Hanging Gardens of Babylon
(terraced gardens – 1 of 7 wonders of ancient world)
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Reported site of Hanging Gardens
of Babylon
Summary
Competition for resources (land, water, trade routes,
etc.) led to early empires.
Strong rulers and armies conquered city-states and
united under 1 ruler
Often empires adopted ideas from others so
information and ideas continued