Intro to Humanities
Lecture 1b
Civilization before the Greeks:
Persia & Egypt
By David Kelsey
The beginning of the
Persian Empire
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The Persians and the
Medes:
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The Persians lived to the
southeast of the Medes.
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About 700 B.C. Medes becomes
unified under a monarchy
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The Persians were made subject
to the Medes
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Medes joins the Babylonians in
attacking the Assyrians
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King Cyaxares of Medes
establishes the first Median
empire
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Source: yahoo.com
The Persian Empire
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539-331 B.C.
Cyrus the Great (559-530 B.C.)
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Under Cyrus the Great the Persians absorbed Medes then the Lydian kingdom ruled by
Croesus.
By 550 B.C. Cyrus had established Persian control over the Media
In 547 B.C. Cyrus defeats the Lydian kingdom in western Asia minor
• the story goes that Croesus consulted the Delphic Oracle who predicted that a
Lydian attack would destroy a great army. Unknowingly it was Croesus’ army that
was destroyed…
Cyrus then conquers the Greek city states of the Ionian coast of western Asia minor
Conquers Babylon in 539 B.C.
From 538 to 530 B.C. fortified his empire.
In 530 B.C. was killed in battle
Persia: the greatest empire
the world had ever seen
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Cyrus’ son Cambyses II conquered Egypt in 525 B.C.
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Egypt was the only kingdom in the near East not yet under Persian control
Defeated the Egyptian army and captured the Pharaoh
Egypt was made a province with Memphis its capital
Cambyses II was made Pharaoh of Egypt in 525 B.C.
The greatest empire the world had ever seen
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The Persian Empire: from Greece to the Himalayas and from southern Russia to the
Indian Ocean
At its height it consisted of 20 different provinces, each ruled by a governor
The Persians allowed subjugated people to retain their own customs, laws and religion.
Conquered by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C.
Cyrus the Great
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Cyrus:
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600-530 B.C., Ruled 559-530 B.C.
Conquered Media in 549 B.C.
Conquered Lydia and then the Neo
Babylonian empire in 539 B.C.
Conquered the Greek inhabited region of
Ionia in 547 B.C.
The Achaemenid Empire…
Allowed the peoples he conquered to
manage themselves and maintain their
culture/customs so long as they paid taxes
Persians called him ‘father’; a ruler who was
gentle
Was killed in battle before he could conquer
Egypt
Source: islam-watch.org
Darius the Great
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Darius I, also known as Darius the Great
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Lived 550-486 B.C.
Ruled from 521-486
Codified Egyptian law & built a canal linking the
Red Sea to the Mediterranean
Led invasions into Egypt, the Indus Valley and
Greece
Began a conflict with Greece that lasted 150
years.
Wanted to Punish Athens for helping the
Ionians revolt. In 498 B.C. the Athenians and
Ionians burned the regional Persian capital
Sardis to the ground
Invaded Greece in 492 B.C.
Defeated by Greece in the famous battle of
Marathon in 490 B.C.
Source: civilization.wikia.com
Xerxes
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Xerxes:
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Lived 519-465 B.C. & ruled 486-465 B.C.
Son of Darius the Great
In 480 B.C. invaded Greece in which the
Persians captured Athens and burned
the Acropolis.
– The battle of Thermopylae:
• a small force of Greek warriors led
by King Leonidas of Sparta resisted
the much larger Persian forces, but
were ultimately defeated…
– The Persian naval fleet was crushed
though at the battle of Salamis.
– In 479 BC the Greeks won a decisive
battle at Plataea, which assured Greek
independence.
– Xerxes was assassinated in 465 B.C.
Source: picsbox.biz
The Expansion of the Persian Empire
from 559 B.C. to 525 B.C.
Source: pinterest.com
The Expansion of the Persian Empire from Cyrus (530 B.C.) to
Darius (500 B.C.)
Source:
mapcollection.wordpress.com
The Persian and Greek empires (560-490 B.C.)
Source: etc.usf.edu
Map of the Persian Empire
at the time of Xerxes (486-465 B.C.)
Source: edsitement.neh.gov
The Royal Road
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The Royal Road:
– a major Persian achievement was an elaborate network of imperial roads.
– This was the best highway system prior to the Roman empire.
– The Royal road extended 1600 miles from the Persian Gulf to Asia Minor
– Connected Susa to Sardis
– the king’s messengers could travel the entire Royal Road in a week.
The Royal Road
Zoroastrianism
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Zoroastrianism:
– the Persian religion
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An ethical monotheistic religion which was originally a personal religion
– No place for rituals, priests or temples
– Emphasis on practical moral living
– Dedicated to the realization of a just society
– Looked forward to the coming of a savior who would resurrect the dead for
judgment.
– The righteous would pass to the House of Song and the wicked to the
House of Lie
Zoraster
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Zoraster:
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Ahuramazda:
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Born around 660 B.C.
The prophet, is said to have experienced revelations
The Zend Avesta is the sacred book
In it Zoraster declares Ahuramazda the creator and holy spirit
Creator of all life
Existed before the world was born
Gave humans free will and the power to choose between right and wrong
The good person chooses the right way of Ahuramazda
Possessed qualities that Persians should aspire to: good thought, rightness and piety
Ahriman the Evil One
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An evil twin of the holy spirit
All life is a contest between good and evil, truth and error, light and darkness
But the conflict between good and evil will end with Ahuramazda overcoming Ahriman
Judgment comes at the end of the world: the soul of a good person would achieve
paradise & the soul of a bad person an abyss of torment
Zoroastrianism changes
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Over time Zoroastrianism changed.
– Emphasis was placed on sacrifice, ritual and meditation.
– Ishtar, the Mesopotamian fertility goddess returned to the pantheon where
she joined Mithra, Persian god of light.
– Became Polytheistic with Ahuramazda the chief of a number of Gods
– Practiced still today in India…
Ahuramazda
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The investiture relief of Ardashir I (226242 B.C.)
Found in an ancient temple near the
ancient Persian city of Persepolis
Image of the founder of the Sassanid
empire being handed the ring of kingship
by Ahuramazda:
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Image of Ahuramazda:
Source: en.wikipedia.org
•
Source: images1.wikia.nocookie.net
Art from ancient Persia
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Persian Art:
– The largest collection of
metalwork is known as the
Oxus treasure
– 180 surviving pieces
– Originally more than 1500 coins
were found
– Found by the Oxus river in
1877
– The metalwork dates between
the 6th and 4th centuries B.C.
– The British museum in London
has nearly all the surviving
metalwork
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Images: bracelet and gold metal chariot from
the Oxus treasure
Source of images: en.wikipedia.org
Egypt
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Satellite image of Egypt today
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Source: mrbrunken.happykidsschool.com.tw
Egypt
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Egypt was the first
national state
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One people and one
language
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In about 3100 under
King Menes, the 2
kingdom’s of lower and
upper Egypt were
united…
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Source: en.wikipedia.org
Egypt’s climate
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The climate of Egypt:
– dry and
consistently sunny
with little
likelihood of
natural disasters
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Source: flickr.com
Map of Egypt
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Here you can see the Delta
of the Nile, the deserts to the
East and West, the
Mediterranean Sea, the Red
Sea, and the major cities of
Egypt such as Cairo and
Alexandria
Note also the Pyramids…
•
Source: dillonqginthers.blogspot.com
The gift of the Nile
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The gift of the Nile
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Begins in the heart of Africa,
The longest river in the world
Thousands of miles long
Annual flooding: the river rises in summer and early fall. It leaves a deposit of silt that
enriches the soil.
The flooding was consistent and predictable
Thus, Egyptian civilization congregated in narrow bands on both sides of the Nile
The Nile and the Delta
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The impact of the Nile on
Egypt
This map shows the flow
of the river Nile
The current runs North and
the winds run south which
aided in travel by boat
Source:
mrbrunken.happykidsschool.com.tw
The Delta of the Nile
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Here you can clearly see the
Delta of the Nile
About 100 miles before it
empties into the
Mediterranean, it splits into 2
branches, forming a fertile
triangular shaped territory
called Lower Egypt
Source: factsanddetails.com
The Delta of the Nile
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Here you can see how
Egyptian civilization was
centralized in and around
the Delta
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Source: pinterest.com
The Delta
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Egypt and the
impact of the
Delta:
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Note how civilization
focuses near the Delta
and the banks of the
Nile
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Source: santeesd.net
Map of Egypt
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Note how Egypt is
protected by natural
barriers protecting it from
invasion
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Deserts to the East and
West
The Cataracts (or rapids)
on the southern part of
the Nile
The Mediterranean sea
to the north
Source: ancient-egypt-book.com
Egypt as a theocracy
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Egypt was a theocracy:
– The king of Egypt is “a god by whose dealings one lives, the father and
mother of all men, alone by himself, without an equal.”
– The king was given the title of Pharaoh which means ‘great house’ or
‘palace’
– The pharaoh was a living god on whom life, safety and prosperity depended
• He was unchanging and eternal while humans were constantly fleeting and
changing
• Animals like the cat were the objects of worship because they were part of the
changeless natural world
The King and absolute power
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Absolute power:
– The pharaoh had absolute power, but ruled according to the law of Ma’at, a
spiritual precept that conveys the ideas of truth, justice, order and harmony
– The pharaoh was the instrument or tool who maintained and yet was
subject to the harmony and order that exists in the universe
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The Pharoah did not rule alone:
– A bureaucracy develops
– Vizier:
• Directly responsible to the king
• In charge of the bureaucracy including police, justice and public works
– Egypt was also divided into 42 provinces, each ruled by a governor
The Ethical way of life
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Ma’at:
– Life and religion were inseparable which lead to a very ethical way of life for
the Egyptians…
• Egyptians were concerned about death because they loved life (life was good:
security, prosperity and a benign climate with Pharoah on his throne and all right
with the world…) and wished it to continue in a similar form after death.
• Right actions were important. You must follow the will of the Gods.
• Ma’at: the will of the gods and the principle of right action. Embraced order, truth,
justice and righteousness.
• An ethical life leads to the good life in the after life. And so Death, Embalming
and the tomb are fundamental concerns.
• Needed no code like Hammurabi’s
The Pharaoh
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Sculpture of the Pharaoh
Tutankhamen, also known
as King Tut
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Source: pictify.com
Pharaoh Psusennes
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Sculpture of the Pharaoh
Psusennes 1 ruler of the
21st dynasty
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Source: thecultureconcept.com
Religion
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Religion in Egypt:
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Egypt was part of a divinely inspired cosmic plan
The Pharaoh was the divine being who preserved Egypt’s place within that cosmic plan
Through rituals, Egyptians worked to maintain the cosmic order by appeasing the Gods
Ritual ceremonies consisted of providing a God with food and items of various sorts
Gods and Goddesses
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Gods and Goddesses:
Ra:
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The sun God, giver of life.
Had the head of a falcon and the body of a human
Worshipped as Atum in human form
The Pharaoh took the title of ‘Son of Ra’, & was the Earthly embodiment of Ra
Others:
– Osiris: God of the Nile
– Isis: God of nature and magic, wife of Osiris
– Horus: son of Osiris and Isis, God of war and the sky
– Anubis: God of the dead
– Ma’at: Goddess of justice, truth and order
Depiction of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
Source: docstoc.com
Egyptian God and Goddesses
Source: imgarcade.com
The story of Osiris
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Osiris:
– Originally God of the Nile and later God of the Underworld
– The story of Osiris:
• Brought civilization to Egypt with his evil brother Set
• Osiris was murdered by his wicked brother Set who chopped his body
into 14 parts
• Isis, his wife, restored him to life by reassembling the bits.
• Osiris then rose but later descended to the nether world as judge of the
dead.
• This lead people to believe in the promise of personal immortality.
• As Osiris did, one could hope to rise again
– So the dead were embalmed and mummified and placed in tombs
– Through a ritual of magic the dead became Osiris with the hope of being
reborn
Tomb of King Tut
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Picture of the tomb of King
Tut…
This picture shows the stone
sarcophagus of
Tutankhamen
His tomb was discovered in
1922 and the collection was
relatively intact.
His coffin was made of gold.
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Source: msnbcmedia.msn.com
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Differences between Egypt
and Mesopotamia
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The Egyptians believed in reincarnation while the Mesopotamians believed that
the soul died with the body
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Mesopotamia’s polytheism was pragmatic and self serving
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Since the Gods could be mad or happy at my behavior it was in my best interest to
please them.
I needed to look out to best please the Gods not anyone else.
Hence, ethical conduct becomes secondary and self interest primary.
With the Egyptians, living a happy life here and after death was the focus which
lead to an essential Ethical life…
Egyptian dynasties
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The basic framework for Egyptian history comes from Manetho, an
Egyptian priest and historian who lived in the early 3rd century B.C.
– Egyptian history is divided into 31 dynasties of Kings
– Egypt’s history is divided into the old, middle and new kingdom
– The three kingdoms were periods of stability, characterized by great
leadership, freedom from invasion, construction of temples and
considerable cultural and intellectual activity.
– Between each kingdom is an intermediate period of instability…
The Old Kingdom
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In about 3100 under King Menes, the 2 kingdom’s of lower and upper Egypt
were united…
The king would then be called ‘King of Upper and Lower Egypt’
The Old Kingdom: (2575-2125 B.C.)
– Kings of the 4th through 8th dynasties
– The Pyramid age
• The 4th dynasty
• Lasted 4 centuries
• Construction of the greatest and largest pyramids
– The capital of the old kingdom was Memphis
– Egyptian writing develops during the old and middle kingdoms
• Later called Hieroglyphics by the Greeks
The Old Kingdom:
administratively centered at Memphis
Source: tigtail.org
Hieroglyphics
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Hieroglyphics:
– Means ‘priest carvings’ or
‘sacred writings’
– Signs that depicted objects
– No alphabet
– Initially carved on stone and
later on papyrus
– The hieroglyphics in the upper
picture are painted on the tomb
of Ramesses VI
– The hieroglyphics in the lower
picture are written on papyrus
•
Source: seoklee.wordpress.com
The Pyramids
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The Pyramids:
– Visual symbols of the wealth of the pharaohs and the power of the gods
– Were usually built on the flat banks of the Nile River
– Were designed as a succession of spaces of increasing holiness with the
inner sanctuaries reserved only for the priesthood
– Built as complexes dedicated to the dead
• A large pyramid for the pharaoh
• Smaller pyramids for his family
The pyramids of Saqqara, Snefru and Khufu
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The first pyramid was a step pyramid built at Saqqara in the 3rd dynasty for King
Djoser
– About 2600 B.C. the first full pyramid was completed for King Snefru
– The largest pyramid was built for Snefru’s son Khufu.
• This is the famous pyramid at Giza and was built about 2500 B.C.
• Khufu’s pyramid measures 756 feet on each side and stands 481 feet
tall
• Its four sides are almost perfectly oriented to the compass
• Made of limestone and granite blocks from upper Egypt
• Reported to have taken 100,000 Egyptians 20 years to complete
The pyramid of Saqqara
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The pyramid of Saqqara:
Located 19 miles south of
current day Cairo
Built in the 3rd dynasty, in the
27th century B.C., for Pharaoh
Djoser by Imhotep his vizier
203 feet tall
Sides measure 410 ft x 358 ft
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Source: images.yahoo.com
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The Sphinx
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The great Sphinx of Giza:
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Built around 2500 BC for the
Pharaoh Khafra
241 feet long, 63 feet wide
and 66 feet high
Combines the body of a lion
with the head of the Pharoah
Khafra
Carved out of the bedrock.
A solar temple was built
under its paws for worship of
the sun god Amon Re.
Source: familyholiday.net
Great pyramids at Giza
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The great pyramid area
consists of Khufu’s pyramid,
Khafre’s pyramid,
Menkaure’s pyramid, the
Great Sphinx and Mastaba
Cemetery…
Built about 2500 BC
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Source: world-placez.blogspot.com
The Pyramid of Khufu
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The Pyramid of Khufu:
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Built sometime around 2500 BC
Largest of the Egyptian pyramids
with a height of 481 feet, sides of
756 feet and an angle of 51.5
degrees. It is the only surviving of
the classic Seven Wonders of the
world.
There are 3 satelite Pyramids for
members of Khufu's familly.
Source: megalithic.co.uk
The Middle Kingdom
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The Middle Kingdom (2010-1630 B.C.)
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Decline in centralized authority and a drought brought about the collapse of the Old
Kingdom
A new royal dynasty unites all of Egypt bringing about a new period of stability called
the Middle Kingdom
The Middle Kingdom consists of dynasties 11-14 but most important is the 12th dynasty
The 12th dynasty
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The 12th dynasty:
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Founded by the vizier Amenemhet I
The Provinces are more precisely organized
Called the golden age of Egypt
The Pharaohs now have more of a concern for the people: not God Kings
but the Shepherd of the people
• Responsible for building public works and providing for public welfare
– Resembled a democratic state, a very high standard of living
– Art flourishes
– Egypt embarks on expansion:
• Lower Nubia conquered
• military expeditions into Syria and Canaan.
The Middle Kingdom
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The Middle Kingdom
The key cities and
the locations of the
pyramids are
indicated
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Source: anthrogenica.com
Comparison:
The Old and Middle Kingdoms
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This slide shows the
addition of territory from
the Old to the Middle
Kingdom
Egypt begins to expand in
the Middle Kingdom
Lower Nubia was
conquered
Military expeditions to
Syria and Canaan as well
Source: faculty.catawba.edu
The New Kingdom
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The New Kingdom (1539-1069 B.C.)
– The Hyskos invade the Delta region of Egypt in the 17th century
– The Hyskos introduced:
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the war chariot
The use of bronze to make weapons and tools
a heavier sword
The compound bow
– The Pharaoh Ahmose I overthrew the Hyskos
• He reunited Egypt, founded the 18th dynasty and established the new kingdom
• Took Egypt on a more imperialistic path, one of conquest
The New Kingdom and a new world power
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Military might became right:
– Egypt became the most powerful state in the ancient near east
– King Thutmose I (1493-1481):
• Expanded Egypt’s border to the south by conquering Nubia
– King Thutmose III (1479-1425):
• Led 17 military campaigns into Canaan and Phoenicia
• The locals were permitted to rule, although Egyptians occupied these lands
– King Amenhotep (1426-1400):
• Successor of Thutmose III, campaigned in the near East and solidified the
Egyptian empire
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King Amenhotep III (1390-1353 B.C.)
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The Empire reached its height under Amenhotep III
Concerned more about the Empire he had than expansion
Spent much of his time creating new buildings and temples
Faced a growing military challenge from the Hittites
Amenhotep
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Amenhotep IV (1353-1336 B.C.)
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By his reign Egyptian religion was becoming debased
• its ethical foundation was reduced as superstition and magic grew
• resulted in increased power of the priesthood
Amenhotep drove the priests from their temples
• confiscated their property and ordered the names of the traditional Gods removed
throughout
• Replaced the capital of Thebes with Akhetaten
He then commanded the people to worship a God called Aten (god of the Sun disk)
• He also changed his name to Akhetaton, meaning servant of Aten
• He then ordered all worship be directed to him personally.
– But this attempt at religious reformation failed
– Amenhotep’s preoccupation with religious reformation lead to the loss of
both Syria and Canaan
The Decline of Egypt
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Egypt’s decline
– King Tutankhamun (1332-1322 B.C.):
• Son-in-law of Amenhotep IV
• Returned the capital to Thebes and restored the old Gods
– Ramesses II (1279-1213 B.C.):
• Regained control of Canaan
• Restored Egypt as an Imperial power
• Constructed mammoth new temples and statues of himself
– After the death of Ramesses II, there are struggles for the throne
– The New Kingdom expires in 1069 B.C.
• Egypt fell in succession to the Cushites, Assyria, Persia and finally Alexander the
Great.
• In 30 B.C. Egypt became an important Roman province
Map of the New Kingdom
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Here is a map of the
territory of the New
Kingdom
Notice the expansion of
territory to the North and
South in particular
Source: kids.britannica.com
Comparing the territory of the
Old, Middle and New Kingdoms
Source: giwersworld.org
Expansion of the Egyptian Empire
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Expansion of the Egyptian
empire
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Source:
mrbrunken.happykidsschool.com.tw
Images of Thutmose III and
Amenhotep IV
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Upper image of Thutmose III and
lower image of Amenhotep IV
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Source of image of Thutmose III:
sodahead.com
Source of image of Amenhotep IV: standfirm.blogspot.com
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Statues of Ramesses II
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These 4 colossal
statues stand at the
entrance to the tomb
of Ramesses II
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Source: egipt.wikia.com
Egyptian Art
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Egyptian Art:
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Dates from 3000 B.C. to 100 A.D.
Symbolism is seen widely
Animals are highly symbolic
Both painting and sculpture
The Pharaoh is usually the largest figure depicted
Tend to depict Gods, human beings, heroic battles and nature
Narmer’s palette
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Narmer’s palette:
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A small dark green schist stone is carved
into a shield-shaped ceremonial palette
•
Depicts pharaoh Narmer’s rise to power.
– Represents the unification of Upper
and Lower Egypt.
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23 inch high palette decorated on both
sides
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One of the oldest known ‘canvases’ of
ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic writing
The worlds oldest historical document.
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It is now housed in the Royal Ontario
Museum in Toronto, Canada.
•
Source: historylists.org
Khufu’s statue
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Khufu’s statue:
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Small ivory statue, 3 inches tall, of
Pharaoh Khufu
The only portrait of Khufu discovered so
far.
Found near the temple of Osiris
Khufu’s Statue is today housed in the
Cairo museum.
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Source: historylists.org
The Book of the Dead
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The Book of the Dead:
– 17 feet long
– It was buried in the tomb of an
Egyptian who died around 1100
B.C.
– Consists of magic spells that
assisted a dead person’s journey
through the underworld and into
the afterlife
– Currently displayed at the British
museum in London
•
Source: historylists.org
Astronomical Ceiling
at the Tomb of Senenmut
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Astronomical Ceiling:
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Dated to the 15th century B.C.
Located in the tomb of Senenmut on the
west bank of the Nile, opposite the city of
Luxor
Senenmut was the architect of the
Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s tomb complex.
Features an astronomical map on the
ceiling which is the world’s oldest map of
its kind.
The map consists of 2 sections: the
northern hemisphere and southern
hemisphere.
The northern section includes the earliest
known twelve month Egyptian calendar
illustration and representations of the
northern constellations.
The southern section of the map lists
stars and planets visible to the naked
eye.
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Source: historylists.org
Thutmose III statue
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Statue of Thutmose III
A basalt statue of Thutmose III
(ruled 1479-1425 B.C.)
Dated to the 15th century B.C.
Currently displayed at the Luxor
Museum.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Nefertiti Bust
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Nefertiti Bust:
•
Created in 1345 B.C. by the famous
sculptor Thutmose
A painted limestone bust of Nefertiti, wife
of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten
Owing to the work, Nefertiti has become
one of the most famous women of the
ancient world and an icon of feminine
beauty
Discovered in 1912 in Thutmose’s tomb
Since 1924, displayed at the Neues
Museum in Berlin although Egyptian
authorities have demanded its return ever
since
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Source: en.wikipedia.org
Tutankhamen's Golden Death Mask
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Tutankhamen's Golden Death
Mask:
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Was discovered with Tutankhamen's
tomb in 1921. He was wearing it…
Is made of gold inlaid with colored glass
and semiprecious stone.
Stands 21 inches high
The emblems on the forehead (vulture
and cobra) and on the shoulders (falcon
heads) were symbols of the Two Lands of
Upper and Lower Egypt and of divine
authority.
•
Source: spiritualegypttours.com
•
Statue of Cleopatra VII Philopator
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Statue of Cleopatra VII Philopator
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Dates to the 1st century B.C.
The black basalt statue is one of the
most pristine images of the last
Egyptian pharaoh, Cleopatra VII
Depicts her as Egyptian goddess
Greek influences
Cleopatra wears a corkscrew wig
the front of her headdress is
adorned with royal snakes, symbolic
of Egyptian royalty.
In her other hand she holds the
ankh, the ancient hieroglyph
meaning life.
Displayed at the Hermitage Museum
in St. Petersburg, Russia
Source: historylists.org