Reference no: EM133569064

Case Study: Historians believe that the earliest urban society emerged in Mesopotamia. It was here that everything that makes up a civilization seems to show up first. Among the many important innovations of the Sumerians was writing that was phonetic. While it would start as a pictographic form of writing, it would evolve into symbols that represented words and then, most important, a system that represented sounds. This "alphabet" would later be more simplified by the Phoenicians traders in a manner that more closely approaches out modern form of writing. The great importance of this system is that it offers use a look into the Ancient's minds and thoughts. Theyt become more human too us.The culture of Mesopotamia stressed the importance of a religion that was polytheist. The Ziggurat was the city center and religious temple of the city god. The evolution of a caste of priests who knew the words and ceremonies necessary to receive a favorable response from the gods. This was critical because for the first time man could express feelings and concepts. Civilization throughout a region known as the Fertile Crescent would rapidly expand into other areas. The emergence of this civilization spread as the many cities shared innovations through trade and social contact beyond their borders.

Egyptian Civilization, "The Gift of the Nile", would emerge around 3500 B.C. The Importance of the geography for Egypt was critical. The Nile River provided sustenance, security and protection. It was not only the reason for the abundance of food but also the emergence of a religion based on the belief of an afterlife and gods who were concerned about the well being of men. The Course of Egyptian History would fall into three great periods: The Old, Middle, New Kingdom.

New Centers of Civilization would emerge at this time as well, and the role of nomadic peoples such as the Kassites, Hyksos, Hebrews and others would be a important ingredient of this entire region of civilization known as The Fertile Crescent. The Phoenicians were the great traders ( some think the survivors of the Minoan Civilization, others a Semitic peoples known as Caananites) would made major innovations to the Sumerian alphabet that would simplify. Their role as traders who brought there form of writing and civilization to distant parts of the Mediterranean world cannot be underestimated. The "Children of Israel" and the period of a united, then divided kingdom of Israel is a rich history. The spiritual dimensions of Israel and unique nature of Jewish religion would lay the foundation of all Western religions till this very day.

The Rise of the New Empires around 900 B.C. ushered in a period of "world empires". It should be noted that there are essentially two types of empires, empire by hegemony( common ideas, i.e. United States) and empire by Dominance(Assyria). As you will note in your readings, different civilizations would emerge over time and empires in Ancient Mesopotamia would follow one upon the other. The first great empire was that of Sargon the Great and the Akkadian Empire. Sargon is of great importance as he created the first empire with a bureaucracy, standard weights and measures, a system of law, etc. His dynasty would last for a century. After Sargon, empire in Mesopotamia became the norm. Competing empires would build around great centers of powers such as Babylon, Asyria, Elamites and the Hittites. This period in history is known as the Bronze Age. It was a highly inter connected period where trade and contacts throughout the Fertile Crescent led to a highly competitive and connected world. Around 1100B.C.E. the entire region mysteriously collapsed into a dark age. It was probably brought on by sever climate change, invasions and chaos.

Around 950A.D. we here of repopulation and the rise of great powers again. The the Assyrian Empire, the New Babylonian Empire (Chaldeons) famous for the great king, Nebuchadnezzar and the greatest of them all, the Persian Empire, great administrators and the home of the religious prophet Zoroaster would be the dominant forces of this period.

Read Chapter 2 in the book and answer the briefly answer the following questions.

Questions:

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of empires by dominance vrs empires by hegemony?
• What are the contributions the Hebrews made to Western civilization?
• Why were religion and society in the Fertile Crescent and Egypt so different?