midterm 2 Flashcards
Thar
Great Indian desert
syncretism
develops through
cultural contact and assimilation of ideas
= mixed cultures, languages and religions
Monsoons
May to September and December to
March bring rains for agriculture
What was the weather during the Indus Civilization
during Indus
Civilization, the climate was generally wetter and the Indus River floods between June and September
Where is the Indus Valley
modern day Pakistan
Sarasvati River
Ghaggar-Hakra) was
another ancient river that disappeared
anywhere between 4000 and 1600 BCE
Harappan Civilization
was not widely known
until the 20th century
- 1856 British Engineers were building part of
the East India Railroad through the Punjab
and needed ballast (the material that supports
the train tracks)
- Took burnt mudbrick from Harappan sites
to use for ballast (Harappa, Mohenjo-daro)
- First systematic excavations were in the 1920s
by Archaeological Survey of India
archaeologists: Sir John Hubert Marshall, R.D.
Banerji.
Indus Valley crops and animals
People cultivated various crops (wheat, barley,
rice, lentils, peas, sesame, and cotton)
Had domesticated animals (zebu cattle, sheep,
goats, and water buffalo)
Zebu
(humped) cattle were domesticated in South
Asia from local wild aurochs
Wu Wang
hang ruler overthrown by vassal from Wei River valley called Wu Wang
Wu Wang establishes the Zhou dynasty!
Nebuchadnezzar
Reconstructed the Assyrian empire under Neo control
Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem 586 BCE and looted the temple that is believed to have been built by King Solomon (First Temple)
His son Belshazzar later has a feast using the temple vessels – this is when god’s hand appears and creates the ‘writing on the wall’ stating that Belshazzar was found wanting and he is defeated
Cyaxares
Invaded Mesopotamia 614 BCE
Contributed to destruction of Assyrian empire
Extended rule into eastern Anatolia
War with the Lydians was interrupted by a solar eclipse!
Rawlinson and
Edward Hincks
1857 Rawlinson and Edward Hincks decipher Babylonian cuneiform script (Akkadian)
Pliny the
Younger
wrote testimony of from of the eruption of Vesuvius watching from Naples
Meluhhans
king Sargon said Meluhhans were in his capital and there is evidence of trade
Yu the Great
founded Xia State
Xia’ sites cannot be distinguished from Shang based on material culture
Midas
Midas is the legendary king of the Phrygians who could turn whatever he touched into gold
no gold in his tomb tho
- ally to king Sargon
Cyrus the Great
Took title ‘shah’ of Persia
Conquered Babylon after campaign against Nabonidus
His son Cambyses II then takes Egypt and Nubia
Cyrus did not kill rulers of conquered lands, kept them for advice
Governed multicultural empire with the concept of equal responsibilities and rights for all peoples as long as they paid taxes and were peaceful
Plebians
Plebeians were the common people of ancient Rome, distinct from the privileged patrician class. They were artisans, farmers, laborers, and merchants, with fewer rights and political power. Through social and political struggles, they gained more rights and representation over time.
Sir John Hubert
Marshall and
R.D. Banerji
best known for his excavations at Mohenjo-Daro, one of the major urban centers of the Indus Valley Civilization. His work contributed significantly to the understanding of the Harappan Civilization’s architecture, artifacts, and urban life.
Amedeo Maiuri
Italian archaeologist Amedeo Maiuri conducted excavations on a grand scale at Pompeii
He excavated older layers beneath the 79 CE eruption for the first time, and uncovered the majority of city wall and the vast amount of the area south of Via dell’Abbondanza
His work was poorly documented scientifically and his reconstructions were difficult to distinguish from original ruins
Due to the exceptional preservation of Pompeii, portions of the site have been set aside for future generations of archaeologists
Present work confined to areas of past excavation
Cheng Tang
Shang was founded by him in the Zhou dynasty and overthrew king of Xia
Ashurnasirpal II
Leads Assyrian armies to the Mediterranean and conquers kingdoms
First army equipped with iron weapons Tribute was used to build his capital Nimrud
Finished the project with a 10
https://www.historytoday.com/sites/default/ files/history-matters/nimrud_vision.jpg
https://gatesofnin eveh.files.wordpre ss.com/2016/11/ aerialziggurat_oat esnimrud_p105.jp g?w=600&h=534
15
year project and covers 350 hectares
-
day feast for 70000 guests!
Lydians
As Phrygia declines the Lydians rise Lydians were a wealthy kingdom
Prospered in position on trade routes between Asia and the Mediterranean
Famous king Croesus 560
Capital Sardis on the western edge of the Anatolian Plateau & near gold sources
Darius
is a general that became king when Cyrus’ son dies on his way back from Egypt
Darius the Great ruled the empire to its peak
Created uniform monetary system, made Aramaic official language of empire, built roads, introduced standardized weights and measures
Under his rule Achaemenid Empire had largest population of any empire in history (~50 million people about
Hannibal
Hannibal: Carthaginian general known for leading a bold invasion of Italy during the Second Punic War. Notable victories at Lake Trasimene and Cannae. Defeated by Romans at Zama, securing Roman dominance beyond Italy.
Lady Fuhao
his is the tomb of Lady Fuhao
Fuhao is often mentioned in oracle inscriptions
1 of 60 wives of King Wu-Ding and she was the
greatest general of the Shang
Led major military campaigns on behalf of the
king and acted as his stand-in for state functions
Tomb discovered in 1976 intact
Body in lacquered wooden coffin, 440 bronzes,
weapons, 590 jades, stone, ivory goblets, turquoise
Shalmaneser III
takes control of Syria and Mediterranean coast
Tyre and Sidon forced to pay tribute
Commemorated on the bronze gates at Balawat near Nimrud
Medians
Cyrus the Great overthrows the Medians, and the Persians then become the dominant power
Georg Friedrich Grotefend
discovered one of these languages was alphabetic (Old Persian)
Octavian
civil war resulted in the rise of Octavian (Caesar Augustus) the first roman emperor
Shangdi
Shangdi, the “Lord on High,” resides at Tian’s center, commanding nature. The king, Shangdi’s earthly representative, offers wine and grain to please Shangdi and nature. All activities align with seasons and celestial movements. If displeased, harvests fail. The palace serves as the state’s center. Unusual events signal Shangdi’s discontent.
Phoenicians
purple people renowned as maritime people with large ships adorned by carved horses heads for the gods of the sea
- renowned craftspeople
Persians
Lived under the rule of the Median Kings until 550 BCE
Cyrus the Great overthrows the Medians, and the Persians then become the dominant power
Founder of the Achaemenid Empire with capital at Pasargadae
Edwin Norris
deciphers Elamite
Deciphering Elamite was more difficult - a dead language, no known related languages
Syllabic script with 123 signs
Julius Caesar
- Born in 100 BCE to a patrician family with lineage traced back to Aeneas and Venus
- Became High Priest of Jupiter at 16 after his father’s death, enhancing family’s power
- Sulla’s victory in civil war led to Caesar’s targeting due to his opposition ties through marriage
- Fleeing Rome, lost priesthood and joined army for survival
- Started military career under Marcus Minucius Thermus in western Asia, participating in the Siege of Mytilene (81 BCE)
Harappan civilization
Indus Valley Civilization lasts only a few centuries
The rise of cities in the Indus valley is thought to
have been sudden
Possibly brought about by trade or warfare but no
evidence of armies
Wheeled carts were important in trade & they are
independently invented about the time of the rise
of urban centers
Sumerians dramatically increased trade with the
Indus Valley in this period
Previously, Sumerians traded for exotics across the
Iranian plateau by foot
2600 BCE: Sumerians began to trade by boat via
Dilmun and Magan (Persian Gulf) and Meluhha
(oils, furniture, gold, carnelian) (Indus Valley)
Nimrud
the capital was moved from Nimrud to Nineveh by Sennacherib
Gordion
Gordion: Ancient city with citadel, mosaic floors; Midas, legendary king of Phrygians linked to it; no gold in his tomb, but bronze artifacts; dated timber suggests tomb possibly belonged to Midas’ predecessor, Gordias.
Pompeii
Pompeii: Thriving ancient city near Vesuvius, prosperous due to fertile soil and trade. Best-preserved archaeological site after volcanic eruption in 79 CE. Scientific excavations started in the 18th century, ongoing today.
Mehrgarh
renowned for its well-preserved mud-brick houses, pottery, tools, and evidence of early agriculture and animal domestication.
Erlitou
True city (20,000 people)
Similar to other cities of this period and
different from Longshan centers:
Focus of the state was on ritual & warfare
Erlitou: Ancient site with rammed earth palaces, organized layout, and cardinal orientation. Human sacrifices found in foundations. Controlled bronze and turquoise workshops indicate elite influence. These items symbolized political power, reflecting a highly stratified society. The site’s decline was sudden.