The document summarizes the Assyrian and Chaldean empires. It describes how the Assyrians built a powerful military that allowed them to expand their empire throughout Mesopotamia. They established a well-organized government divided into provinces and connected by roads. However, their cruel treatment of conquered peoples led to rebellions and the fall of their empire to the Chaldeans in 612 BC. The Chaldeans, led by King Nebuchadnezzar, then rebuilt Babylon as the center of a new empire, making it a grand city with famous structures like the Hanging Gardens. Babylon prospered as a center of trade and science until it was conquered by Persia in 539 BC, ending

1. The
First
Empires
Assyrians and Chaldeans

2. the Assyrians
● 1,000 years after
Hammurabi
● from northern
Mesopotamia
● defended their
land and
expanded their
empire with a
large, fierce army

3. the Assyrians
● The army was…
○ well organized
○ well armed
■ spears, daggers,
bows, and arrows
○ mobile
■ chariots,
horseback

4. the Assyrians

5. the Assyrians
● The army was…
○ the first to use iron
weapons.
○ ferocious.
■ tunneled under
walls
■ climbed ladder
over walls
■ battering rams
■ once captured,
they burned a
city down.

6. the Assyrians
● A Well Organized
Government
○ Assyrian kings had to be
strong to rule an empire
that stretched from the
Persian Gulf to Nile
River.
○ The capital of the empire
was Ninevah.

7. the Assyrians

9. the Assyrians
● A Well Organized
Government
○ The empire was divided
into provinces.
○ Each province had its
own royal official who
collected taxes and
enforced the king’s laws.
○ The provinces were
joined by roads that
were guarded by
soldiers.
○ Messengers used the

10. the Assyrians
● Life in Assyria
○ Assyrian writing and
religion was based on
the Babylonians.
○ They built grand temples
and palaces, as well as
one of the world’s first
libraries.
■ > 25,000 tablets of
stories and songs.

11. the Assyrians
● The End
○ Their cruel treatment of
people lead to many
rebellions.
○ In 612 BC, the
Chaldeans rebelled,
captured Ninevah and
defeated the Assyrian
Empire.

12. the Chaldeans
● In 605 BC, King
Nebuchadnezzer lead
the Chaldeans to
control all of
Mesopotamia.
● The Chaldeans were
descendents of the
Babylonians who had
been led by
Hammurabi 1,200
years earlier.

13. the Chaldeans
● Babylon was
rebuilt as the
center of the
Chaldean empire,
and it became the
world’s largest
and richest city.
Ishtar Gate rebuilt in Berlin.

15. the Chaldeans
● The tops of the city walls were wide enough
for two chariots to pass.
● Every 100 yards, soldiers were stationed atop
the walls.
● A large ziggurat called the Tower of Babylon
reached nearly 300 feet into the sky.
● The greatest achievement in Babylon was the
Hanging Gardens.

16. A relief of a garden watered by an
aqueduct.

17. 19th century painting of the Hanging
Gardens.

18. the Chaldeans
● Water from the Euphrates River was brought
to the top of the gardens and then it flowed
down the terraces.
● It was built for Nebuchadnezzar’s wife, who
wanted to remember the mountains and
plants of her homeland.
● It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
● The city was a major avenue of trade.
○ Caravans brought goods from the surrounding region
to trade.
● Babylon was also a center of science.

19. the Chaldeans
● In 539 BC, Cyrus, king of
Persia captured Babylon
and made it a part of his
empire.
○ This was the end of the
Chaldean empire.