Babylonia was an ancient Mesopotamian kingdom located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in modern-day Iraq. It consisted of many cities ruled by a king with a class system divided between nobles, free men, and slaves. The economy was based on agriculture including crops like barley. Socially, families and inheritance were important, and education was available to wealthy children. Religiously, Babylonians were polytheistic and celebrated gods through festivals. Culturally, they made contributions including the Code of Hammurabi, advances in science like the lunar calendar, and impressive architectural structures like ziggurats.

1. Political Setting
Economic Life
Socio-cultural Status
Contributions to the World

4. Babylonia (Babylonian Bâbili,"gate of God"; Old Persian
Babirush),Was the ancient country of Mesopotamia,
known originally as Sumer and later as Sumer and Akkad,
lying between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, south of
modern Baghdâd, Iraq.

6. Babylonia was consisted of many cities, which it was
surrounded by villages. The ruler of Babylonia was
the king, so it was an absolute monarch who
exercised legislative and judicial as well as executive
powers. Under the king were governors and
administrators, there were also city elders that was
in charge of the local administration.

8. Babylonian Economy was based on Agriculture.
Barter System
They raised cattle and sheep
Main crop was barley

10. 3 Main Classes
Awilu – free person of upper class
Mushkenu – free person of low estate
Wardu - slaves

11. King
Nobles
Free Men
Military personnel and civil servants
Debt Slaves

12. the basic units of their society
basis of an individual’s class and station
On marriage…
Babylonian marriages we’re arranged by parents.
The ceremony was concluded with a contract inscribed
on a tablet.
A Legal contract

13. On women…
A Babylonian women could hold property, engage in
business and qualify as witness.
On children…
In the normal course of events, children were loved
and at the death of their parents, inherited their
property. Though in some cases they could be sold into
slavery.
Adopted children were not uncommon.

14. Babylonian education starts at the age of eight.
Education is exclusive for children of wealthy
families. They were taught in so called “tablet
house”. There they were trained to exercise
knowledge over scripts, cuneiform and language.
If a student passes final examinations he/she will
become a scribe.

15. Polytheistic
Babylonians worshipped many gods. One is Marduk, the
chief god, god of the city of Babylon.
Festivals were held throughout the year for each specific god
to assure their favor.
The new year festival for Marduk was to assure fertility in the
fields.
The interior of the Temple of Marduk was reportedly covered
with gold.

16. The first Babylonian empire is best known for the Law
Code of King Hammurabi, circa 1750 BC, purportedly handed
down by the god Shamah.
The New Empire of Babylon was noted especially for its
wealth and grandeur. This was reported in Old Testament
accounts from the period of the Hebrew Babylonian Captivity
and by the Greek historian Herodotus who visited the city.
The most impressive features of the city were its walls,
the Ishtar Gate, the ziggurat and temple to Marduk, the
Processional Way, and the Hanging Gardens.

19. The Babylon’s used cuneiform. However, they used
more than 350 signs in their writing.

20. The literature of Babylon was very rich. They wrote
around 2000 books. They composed books on religion,
science, mathematics, and astrology.
One of the books of the Babylonians which was known to
the world was “The epic of Gilgamesh”

21. Code of Hammurabi

22. The Babylonians also excelled in the field of science. Like the
Sumerians, they adopted the Lunar Calendar. They divided
one year into 12 months and each month was divided into 30
days.
The use of sun dial and water clock to know the time.

23. The Great Ziggurat which was built by Hammurabi in
honor of Marduk
Varieties of Seals

24.  http://www.angelfire.com/empire2/unkemptgoose/Babylonian.html
 http://www.mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/eng_babylonian_culture.ht
m
 http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/life-old-babylonia-importance-trade
 http://www.historydiscussion.net/essay/contributions-of-the-babylonian-
civilization/1897
 http://history-world.org/babylonia.htm