Reference no: EM133757585 , Length: Words Count:1800
Assignment:
1,200 to 1,800 ......words, and citations are not necessary:
How was Ancient Mesopotamia characteristic of civilization in general? Why is it the first society in which detailed historical study is wrirpossible? You should make references from the Uruk Period down to the Old Babylonian Period under Hammurabi (4300-1750 BC). There are lots of topics to write about: politics, religion, society, economy, art, etc. Simply stated, this part of the essay is asking you to engage with the history of Mesopotamia and to write a summary of your understanding of it's civilization/history through an approach that is best for you. Example--mention the earliest cities, cuneiform, the Epic of Gilgamesh, ziggurats, law codes, chronology, etc. Afterwards, discuss the significance of the Assyrian Empire or Persian Empire.
The Assyrians relied on fear and awe to rule over a vast empire. Address the militarism of the Assyrians and its artistic/monumental legacy of the excavated palaces (i.e. in Nineveh). It is acknowledged that the Persians created history's first "world empire" composed of many different cultures and languages under the single rule of the "king of kings". Discuss its form of imperial government and the religion of Zoroastrianism.
In the event that your essay is too short, then here's an additional topic--let me know how Ancient Israel and the rise of Monotheism fits into the study of the Ancient Near East [this would be optional].
In the final part of your essay, please do the following: Read the excerpts from the Analyzing Primary Sources.
A. "The Code of Hammurabi". What does this law code tell us about the complexities of ancient Mesopotamian society.
B. "The Diplomacy of Mycenaeans and the Hittites". What does this letter reveal about Late Bronze Age (ca. 1200 BCE) diplomacy.