Lesson 2: Pre-Islamic Civilizations

Question 1

EGYPT - Before Islam

Answer 1

• Alexandria (900 years before)
• Greek: language of culture & administration
• “Pharaonic Egypt” - pyramids built 3500 years before Islam

Question 2

EGYPT After Islam

Answer 2

• Amro Ben Al ‘Ass (639)
• Now:
  —> Biggest Arab country in terms of population
  —> Leading role in many political and cultural fields

Question 3

Iraq/Mesopotamia before Islam

Answer 3

• Center of:
  —> Middle Ages
  —> Older non-Arab civilizations:
  SABA
  Sumerian
  Akkadian
  Babylonian
  Assyrian

Question 4

ARAB WORLD TODAY

Answer 4

• 22 Arab countries
  [Members of Arab League: Arabic as an official language]
• 4 Arab regions
  Maghreb (until Libya in the east)
  Nile Region (Egypt + Sudan)
  Arab Peninsula
  Fertile Crescent (Pal, Leb, Ir, Jo, Sy)

Question 5

10,000-3,500 BC: first movements towards settled and social life

Answer 5

Birth of farming (wheat, barley)
[Mesopotamia, Palestine, Nile Valley]

Question 6

EGYPT 3,000-2,500 BC

Answer 6

~ 3,000 BC: North+South = “Old Kingdom” of Ancient Egypt
~2,500 BC: Giza Pyramids built

Question 7

EGYPT 1,500-1,000 BC

Answer 7

Egypt the “Superpower” (dominates large areas to east and north of Nile - till Northern Syria)
Steep decline + fall under foreign domination (PeGrRoBy) until Islam in 7th century

Question 8

PYRAMIDS (Tombs of Pharaohs)

Answer 8

Oldest buildings still standing today (~4,500 years old)
In Giza, near Cairo and Nile river
6 Pyramids:
- 3 small (Queen’s pyramids)
- 3 big:
1) Great Pyramid/Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops)
2) Pyramid of Khafre (Kephren)
3) Pyramid of Menkaure (Mykerinus)

Question 9

THE SPHINX (mythological figure symbolizing strength of the Pharaoh)

Answer 9

Built on same site/ same time as pyramids
Largest single stone statue in the world
Made from stones on site (less resistant to erosion and climatic factors)

Question 10

THE MUMMIFICATION PROCESS

Answer 10

Preservation of dead bodies for thousands of years
Oldest know mummies: 4,500 years old (same as pyramids)
Best process - still unknown

Question 11

MESOPOTAMIA 2,500-2,000 BC
Literature

Answer 11

Gilgamesh - First epic story/piece of literature in history of first known king (real or fictitious) in history
12 tablets (Nineveh in 1849 AD)
Akkadian language in cuneiform script (signs to express ideas)
Story that influenced later writings

Question 12

MESOPOTAMIA ~1,750 BC
Legislation

Answer 12

Hammurabi Code - First Law in history
Hammurabi (king of Babylon) - claimed it was given to him by sun god (Shamash)
282 articles, especially:
“Eye for eye, tooth for tooth”
Punishment proportionate to crime

Question 13

PETRA (Stone City)
Founded ~500 BC by Nabateans & lasted 500 years

Answer 13

Second most visited touristic site in Arab world (after pyramids)
At crossroads of old commercial routes (AP, Egypt, Mesopotamia and Phoenicia)
Center for cultural encounters and exchanges
Rich kingdom, prosperous agriculture in the middle of the desert
Nabateans adopted and spread Phoenician alphabet to AP