Empires in Mesopotamia A time-series map

The region of Southwest Asia

adding mountains

and major rivers

and country borders

It’s about the size of the U.S.

But it is closer to the Equator.

coastal Turkey has a climate much like San Francisco

Israel is like southern California.

The Arabian Desert is like the Mojave Desert in Arizona.

Iraq is dry like West Texas, but lower and hotter.

Coastal Pakistan is like the southern tip of Florida.

But the world’s highest mountains do not have cities like DC and NY!

Because of those mountains, the Caspian Sea is not like Iowa.

It is more like the Great Salt Lake, in a desert surrounded by mountains.

This region has a long history.

Farming began in the hills about 8000 years ago.

Babylon under Hammurabi, about 1750 BCE.

Assyria under Ashurbanipal, about 660 BCE.

Persia under Darius, about 500 BCE.

Parthia about 100 CE. Roman Kushan Parthian

Islam began near Mecca. Mecca.

by 632 CE

by 634 CE

by 645 CE

by 656 CE

by 750 CE

The country of Israel was established in Israel

And today, Iraq is in the news. Iraq