The document summarizes the early civilizations that arose in Mesopotamia between 4000 BC and 350 BC, including the Sumerian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian Empires. It discusses the key features of these societies such as their agricultural economies, social hierarchies, legal systems, religious beliefs, and architectural achievements like ziggurats. The document also examines important cultural developments like the Code of Hammurabi and the Epic of Gilgamesh.

1. Birth of Civilization:
Mesopotamia
Humanities I
Dr. Whitney Vandiver
Redlands Community College

3. Ancient Societies
 Sumer
 ~ 4,000-2,000 BC
 Assyrian Empire
 Regional settlements united ~ 2,300 BC with Sumerian settlements
 Babylonian Empire
 ~ 2,000 BC with the combination of Sumer and Babylonian
settlements
 Persian Empire (First)
 ~ 550-350 BC
 Hebrews
 Nomadic society

4. Sumer
 A network of city-states with individual rulers
 Greatly agriculturally-based
 Bronze-age brought about greater agricultural tools
 Nomadic tribes were the greatest threat because of small
“cities” and no unified force.
 Sargon I united the city-states ~ 2350 BC and ruled as
theocratic monarch for 56 years
 first multi-ethnic empire
 fell to nomadic tribes who improved systems and tools
 Polytheism, theocratic monarchy, and systems of bartering
continued through changes in societies and rule.

5. Class & Social Order
 Division among society is recorded as early as 2700 BC
 Religious servants, military, royal staff, and the educated served separate
purposes, which offered a social stature.
 “Standard of Ur” panel depicts division among class
 War, trade, and social expectations continued through the goal of
societal success.

6. Babylon
 ~ 2000 BC, Babylonian and remaining Sumerian city-
states were combined for the First Babylonian Empire.
 Hammurabi (6th Babylonian monarch)
 Code of Hammurabi
 combination of statutes from city-states
 282 laws engraved on a 7-foot tall stele
 most specific and comprehensive law of ancient society
 resembles story of Moses on Mount Sinai
 punishment and application differed based on social class

7. Changes in Gender Views
 The Babylonian Creation
 earliest cosmological myth, ~ 2,000 BC
 similar to a big bang story with a simultaneous creation of
the universe and gods
 The Great Mother, Tiamat, is destroyed by hero-god
Marduk
 offers shift from matriarchal society to patriarchal gods
 Code of Hammurabi labeled woman as property of men
despite having commercial abilities and protection
because of child-bearing status.

8. Gilgamesh
 First recorded epic poem, long narrative about a hero
 Initially orally spoken, written down ~3000 BC
 Possibly based on an early Sumerian ruler
 2/3 god, 1/3 mortal—a Hercules-type figure who rejects the
goddess Ishtar and loses his companion
 Only recourse is to search for eternal life, which he discovers in
the form of a plant to restore youth
 Symbolism resembles some Biblical literature
 mortal who saves humankind from a flood
 serpent who steals the plant

9. Mesopotamian Architecture
 ziggurat—religious buildings for burial and rituals to
rise closer to gods