The Ancient Near East: Mesopotamia Flashcards
Which rivers was Mesopotamia located between?
Tigris (north) and Euphrates (south)
What did a city need control of to be successful?
Water - cooperation with other city-states was needed
Which areas were important in regards to the control of water?
Sumeria, Akkad (areas)
Which cities were located in Sumer?
Umma, Lagash, Ur - Agade’s location is still argued about and cities were not placed strategically
What is a Ziggurat?
A type of religious temple that existed in Mesopotamian times to worship gods
Who is said to be the first imperialist of history?
Sargon of Agade
Who was Sargon of Agade?
A person of semitic speech (not Sumerian) who moved into fertile land. He brought key ideas to Mesopotamia, and founded a dynasty that lasted just over a century. Trade flourished underneath his rule, all the way to India and Cyprus
What was significant of the Early Dynastic Period?
Ruler of that city was believed to be a god, and temples were very important. Sargon of Agade ruled in this period
When did the Amorites invade?
During the 3rd Dynasty of Ur, c. 2000 BCE. It was a period of confusion and they caused the downfall of this dynasty
Who were the Amorites?
Semitic speaking people from Arabia or Syria
Who was Hammurabi?
Ruler of the dynasty of Babylon, who reigned 1792-1750 BCE. He created Hammurabi’s Code, and his empire embraced most of Mesopotamia. Trade broke down and invasions occurred during his reign (Kassites)
Who were the Assyrians?
War-like semitic people who lived in the uplands and moved down for better farm land
When did the Assyrians rule?
Empire ran from 745-612 BCE, and they dominated the Near-East for just over a century. They were quite effective rulers once in power and not as blood-thirsty as depicted.
Who was King Sargon II?
One of Assyrian’s greatest kings (reigned 722-705BCE).
What happened when King Sargon II was in power?
People to the Eastern part got fed up with Assyrian rule and made alliances with people even Eastern (Modern Iran) and rebelled by attacking Nineveh
What occurred after the fall of Nineveh?
Bablyon was rebuilt (Neo-Babylonia) and Lydia became an important city
What is strategy?
The bigger plans within a war
What are tactics?
The smaller techniques to achieve the strategy of the war (how do I get there?)
What forms of warfare existed in Eastern warfare?
Siege, cavalry (without stirrups) and logistics
What was the most sophisticated army of the Bronze Age?
The armies of Sumer
What triggered wars in Mesopotamia?
Boundaries or water use were often the triggers of war
Lagash vs Umma
Started in 2525 BCE, King Eannatum of Lagash defeated state of Umma
What is the Stele of the Vultures?
A monument erected to celebrate the victory of King Eannatum over Umma. It displays vultures and lions tearing at the bodies of the dead in the plain; it is the first depiction of war
What did the Stele of the Vultures tell us about the history of war?
It shows that Sumerian troops fought in formation, and that they wore helmets, and that the king would carry a sickle sword while in his battle wagon. This showed progress in technology and warfare
What is a sickle sword?
A more primitive weapon invented by the Sumerians, it had a curved blade and was later adopted by the Egyptians
What is a socket axe?
An axe in which the handle passed through a tubular hole cast in the ax head; both hole and head were tapered from front to rear to prevent the head from flying off. It showed signs of military innovation
What is the Standard of Ur?
An artifact found in a royal chamber, depicting war on one side, and peace on the other side.
What does the peace side of the Standard of Ur depict?
Shows people preparing for a feast, and the royalty on the top row enjoying a banquet
What does the war side of the Standard of Ur depict?
It shows the defeated being rolled over by carts pulled by onagers or asses in the bottom row, shows helmets made of leather, and the King in the middle of the top row - his presence is known to be there
Which rulers excelled in siege warfare?
The Assyrians excelled in warfare, especially siege as it was their key to success and conquering
What type of siege warfare did the Assyrians use?
Assault siege; they had a variety of methods and good organization
What methods did the Assyrians use in assault siege warfare?
Battering rams, escalade (scaling fortified walls with ladders), and sapping (dig tunnels underneath the walls)
What features did battering rams have?
Needed 6 wheels, openings for arrows, a turret, woven shields, a battering pole to collapse a wall, leather hides to protect from flaming torches coming from the fortress
What did foot soldiers wear?
They had shields, but did not wear armour as it would inhibit them from escalading a wall, they instead wore knee length skirts
What did archers use?
Tall narrow shields to protect themselves
What happened if a fortress couldn’t be breached immediately?
A passive siege occurred - starvation sieges, and they could last a long time
What features did chariots have?
They were lighter, faster, had reins and a bit, but did not have swivelling axles
Who used chariots?
People with high/aristocratic social status, and the King at the front of an assault
What were horses used for?
Pulling carts or chariots (they replaced onagers + asses) and they were slower to develop towards horse-riding
What did the first horse-riders use?
Went bareback, had no stirrups, but had a bit - difficult to shoot arrows from
