1. Brief history of the Region

2. CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION

3. AROUND 3500 BC BY THE SUMERIANS... BABYLONIA…

4. Mesopotamia was home to several powerful empires that came to rule almost the entire Middle East RULE TO EARLY 6 TH CENTURY..

5. The Middle East stands at the crossroads of three continents: Africa, Asia and Europe. Since ancient times it has developed major trade routes over land and sea. CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD

6. Many invaders throughout history in a desire to control trade routes and have access to three major continents. CONNECTS THREE CONTINENTS

7. The first major conquering Empire we will discuss in class! PERSIAN EMPIRE-550 B.C….

8. Ruins of Ancient CityNovel we will read in class. PERSEPOLIS, CAPITAL OF PERSIA

9. IRAN IS WHAT REMAINS OF PERSIAN EMPIRE..

10. Persian’s were defeated by the Greek Empire; size and geography of the two empires is almost the same. THE GREEK/MACEDONIA EMPIRE

11. Zeus RELIGION

12. ALEXANDER THE GREAT

13. HELLENISTIC CULTURE

14. ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

15. The Greek culture and language first established in the region by the Macedonian Empire continued to dominate throughout the Roman period. ROMAN /BYZANTINE EMPIRE

16. Jupiter is the Roman counter part to Greek God Zeus! ROMAN GODS

17. Byzantine & Sasanid Empire (Persian) Empires, c. 600 A.D. PERS0-ROMAN DOMINATION

18. Converts the empire to Christianity First Christian Empire in the World EMPEROR CONSTANTINE (HIS MOTHER HELENA)

19. St. Sophia Church built by Constantine, as well development of Constantinople under his reign. NEW CHRISTIAN EMPIRE

20. CONSTANTINOPLE

21. This same capital city will be renamed Istanbul, when centuries later the Ottoman Turks conquer the city from the Byzantine Empire. CONSTANTINOPLE

22. Middle East at this time was no different culturally from Europe! Christian Influence in the Middle East Greek Language spoken in the Middle East Roman and Greek Architecture & Traditions GRECO- ROMAN WORLD

23. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the near present-day Izmir Province, Turkey. EPHESUS IN TURKEY

24. Petra was the impressive capital of the Nabataean kingdom. The kingdom was absorbed into the Roman Empire in AD 106 and the Romans continued to expand the city. PETRA IN JORDAN

25. Christianity rose to become the future of civilization. A conquered city, Jerusalem transformed into the Christian Holy City, where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. JERUSALEM CHRISTIAN QUARTER

26. RISE OF ISLAM & ISLAMIC EMPIRES

27. Early Arab & Islamic conquered most of the Byzantine Empire. GROWTH OF ISLAMIC EMPIRES

28. Ottoman Turks conquer the rest of the Byzantine Empire, Modern day Turkey. Changing capital from Constantinople to Istanbul! OTTOMAN EMPIRE

29. ISTANBUL, CAPITAL OF OTTOMAN EMPIRE

30. Known in the East, as "The Lawgiver" SULEIMAN THE MAGNIFICENT

31. Click on Link for interactive map of the History of the Middle East IMPERIAL HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE EAST