Chapter 2: The Fertile Crescent
Section 2: Babylonia and Assyria
Key Terms:
empire – many territories and people who are controlled by one government
caravan – a group of traders traveling together
bazaar – a market selling different kinds of goods
Section Notes:
I.
Two empires of Mesopotamia – Babylonia and Assyria
Land brought great wealth to the army that could conquer it.
After winning it, each ruler became a target for the next conqueror.
Babylonians and Assyrians had two things in common:
1. Vicious warriors
2. With wealth, built grand cities where culture and learning were highly valued.
A.
Babylonian Empire
1. Babylon – center of the empire
2. Hammurabi – King who created the Babylonian empire by:
Uniting the cities of Sumer
conquered land all the way to Asia Minor (Turkey)
3. Trade made Babylon rich
Caravans to/from cities of Sumer
Bazaars offered items such as cotton cloth from India and spices from Egypt
4. Wealth through conquest
1760 B.C. Hammurabi conquered Mari and seized their war chariots, weapons, and tools
which were the best in the world
1600 B.C. Babylon Empire shrunk and was destroyed
B.
Assyrian Empire
1. North of Babylon
2. Located in open spaces
3. Easy to invade
4. Constantly defending themselves
5. Became great warriors
6. Assyrian achievements in warfare:
Invented battering ram
Expert archers
Armed chariots
7. Nineveh:
Capital city on Tigris River
Great library and city of learning
Defeated by Medes and Chaldeans
II.
Babylonia Rises Again
1. New Babylonian Empire under Chaldean rule
2. King Nebuchadnezzar II ruled
Rebuilt the city of Babylon
Built massive walls for protection
Great palace and gardens
3. Center of science and learning
Studied stars
Measured length of year
4. Farmers raised wild bees
5. Open to attack by powerful neighbors
6. 539 B.C. New Babylonian Empire fell but the city was spared