1. Fertile Crescent Empires
Chapter 2 Section 2:
Fertile Crescent Empires

2. Section 2: Fertile Crescent Empires
Main Idea
Indo-European invaders introduced new technologies to the Fertile Crescent while adapting earlier technologies developed by the civilizations they encountered there.
Reading Focus
What military advantages helped the Hittites establish an empire in Asia Minor?
What events led to the rise and fall of the Assyrian and Chaldean empires?
What were the main achievements of the Phoenicians?

3. Summary

4. I. The Hittites
Babylonian Empire declined, nomadic tribes fought over land and wealth

5. I. The Hittites
Invaders included Indo-Europeans from the steppes north of Black Sea

6. I. The Hittites
c BC – Hittites settled in Asia Minor and built an empire

7. I. The Hittites
Used war chariots and new tactics; sacked Babylon in 1595 BC

8. I. The Hittites
Blended their culture with cultures around them; were first to master ironworking

9. II. The Assyrians and the Chaldeans

10. A. The Assyrians Came from northern Mesopotamia
By 900 BC empire included Mesopotamia,
Asia Minor, Egypt

11. Soldiers of Assyria going to battle
A. The Assyrians
Fierce warrior society; used war chariots, foot soldiers, cavalry - armed with iron weapons
Soldiers of Assyria going to battle

12. A. The Assyrians
Mastered siege warfare; used terror to control conquered areas
Assyrians blinding prisoners. Captives were skinned alive, blinded, impaled, and had limbs, ears, noses, etc. cut off

13. A. The Assyrians
Created efficient government using local leaders; system of roads connected the empire

14. A. The Assyrians Greatest cultural achievement - library at Nineveh
Assyrian capital city, Nineveh
Library constructed during the reign of King Ashurbanipal (c )

15. B. The Chaldeans
Assyria declined, Chaldeans took power and made Babylon their capital

16. Hanging Gardens of Babylon
B. The Chaldeans
Most famous king was Nebuchadnezzar II
Hanging Gardens of Babylon

17. Babylonian Captivity or Babylonian Exile
B. The Chaldeans
Fought Egyptians and Jews, captured Jerusalem, brought Jews to Babylon as slaves
Babylonian Captivity or Babylonian Exile

18. III. The Phoenicians
Phoenician Cargo Ship

19. A. Phoenician Trading Society
Phoenicia - western end of Fertile Crescent; farming difficult, turned to trading and the sea

20. A. Phoenician Trading Society
Greatest traders of ancient world; established colonies in Italy, Spain, North Africa

21. Phoenician glass bead necklace
A. Phoenician Trading Society
Invented glassblowing; traded glass items, cedar wood, purple dye from a shellfish
Phoenician glass bead necklace
The murex

22. B. Phoenician Alphabet
Greatest achievement was world’s first alphabet