1. MORE EMPIRES OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST

2.  Covered most of modern day Turkey Military innovations War chariot with shield man  Introduced iron working to the region HITTITE EMPIRE

3.  Masters of siege warfare  Built a road system for trade and communication  Built a large library of over 20,000 cuneiform tablets ASSYRIAN EMPIRE

4.  Rebuilt Babylon as their capital  Architecture Hanging Gardens  Science Astronomy Developed a lunar calendar CHALDEAN EMPIRE

5.  Built a trading network Cedar Purple dye glassblowing  Colonized the Med. Carthage Sicily  Developed an alphabet PHOENICIANS

6.  Based in modern Iran  Conquered Mesopotamia, Asian Minor and Egypt  Permanent professional army The immortals  Road system PERSIAN EMPIRE

7.  Distinctive architecture  Allowed conquered peoples to retain culture  Zoroastrianism Monotheistic Dualistic MORE ABOUT PERSIA