Project Time!

The Akkadians made elaborate carvings called Steles → Used to keep track of important events! The Akkadians used steles to record important events with three dimensional sculptures

Led by Sargon the Great Strong military general Used military skills to conquer & unify the city- states of Sumer Superior military technology Chariot warfare Led constant conquest What kind of leader was he? King Sargon the Great

Sargon’s sons and grandsons tried to hold it together... King Sargon the Great ruled for approx. 50 years until his death → His empire started to fall apart Sargon’s sons and grandsons tried to hold it together... but they sort of sucked at ruling (and getting along) They focussed more on individual power than the empire 2154 bc the empire collapsed Barbarians from the Zagros Mountains took advantage of instability Terrible rulers who set the animals free and seemed to just want anarchy and destruction 9

Established the city of Babylon approx. 1894 bc Mesopotamia was characterized by: anarchy, war, famine and drought for hundreds of years the Amorite Dynasties began and started the long road to recover- what is a dynasty? Established the city of Babylon approx. 1894 bc 10

Euphrates River in present day Iraq Babylon was located on the banks of the Euphrates river most important center of trade in Mesopotamia Traded grain and woven cloth for wood gold, silver, precious gems and livestock. Became very wealthy Known as a magical city of wealth and excess

Tower of Babel

Hammurabi united Mesopotamia (1754bc) Developed the world’s first system of written laws Rule of justice → Unlike Sargon’s rule of the sword and tribunes

His own authority + the word of the gods Apparently the gods “handed” the laws to Hammurabi First set of laws to apply to everyone Kings and rich men all the way down to slaves Code of Hammurabi

The Assyrians took over dominance of Mesopotamia After the Hammurabi died, Mesopotamia again fell to conflict, anarchy and chaos Babylonian Empire was still present, but their neighbors were gaining power The Assyrians took over dominance of Mesopotamia Some seriously BA dudes!

Strong-Arm Rule → Military might and cruelty Sheer power and intimidation established their dominance war strategies. siege techniques Battering Rams Moveable towers Assyrian Weapons

They used iron Armed cavalry Reinforced bows & iron tip arrows Iron swords Iron plated steel shields

The Assyrians believed that their kings were special beings and to honor them they built “The great Palace” in the capital city of Nineveh.

Like other societies in Mesopotamia the Assyrians had a system of canals to irrigate their land, but they also built the first Aqueducts. Aqueducts were pipes or channels used to carry water throughout the city of Nineveh and up to 30 miles away. Aqueducts in Assyria