The Near East Flashcards
Which two systems are used to divide the history of Ancient Egypt into periods? How were they created and what are the
differences between them?
Dynasties: A chronological system introduced by Greek historian Manetho
Kingdoms: A modern chronological system, based on
periods of stability (when Egypt is ruled by kings) and intermediate periods (when Egypt is ruled by different local governors). Under this system, several dynasties ruled Egypt at the same time. There are three periods: the Old, Middle and New Kingdom
In the history of Mesopotamia, which factors contributed to continuity and which promoted discontinuity?
Factors contributing to continuity: languages (Sumerian and
Akkadian), the cuneiform script, religion and culture, incl. literature (e.g., p. 32, 45).
*Discontinuity: foreign invasions (e.g. Aramaic and Chaldean tribes, or the Sea Peoples), climatic change leading to the
abovementioned migration, revolts
In what ways was religion integrated into the Mesopotamian economy?
“Temple economy” (pp. 11-12 in the English version of the textbook) – temples owned land and engaged in various economic
activities, like agriculture, which required a large staff and a bureaucratic system (eventually leading to the need for writing)
What is the difference between henotheism and monotheism? What important examples of these forms of
religion can be seen in the Ancient Near East?
Henotheism: the belief in a pantheon with several gods, of which one is considered powerful and superior to the others.
Examples: cult of Aten established by the Egyptian king Akenaten (this may have been monotheism); Zoroastrianism (this, too, is close to monotheism).
Monotheism: the belief in one god only, denying the existing of any other god.
Example: the religion of the people of Israel – belief in Yahweh.
Define irrigation farming
Irrigation farming artificially supplied water to crops. Mesopotamia used it around 6000 BC because it flooded irregularly and occurred just before harvesting time, so it was more productive than rainfall agriculture, enabling crop yield ratios of at least 15:1 or a lot higher. They dug out large storage basins to hold water supplies. Then they dug canals, human-made waterways, that connected these basins to a network of ditches which brought water to fields. To protect fields from flooding, farmers built up the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates.
Knossos
In the second millennium, the most important city on Crete was Knossos. It was not fortified, and its wall paintings depicted predominantly peaceful scenes. In 1450, an expedition of warriors from Mycenae conquered Crete. Many settlements on the island were destroyed, but Knossos was spared and became the most influential city. New frescoes, warriors’ burials containing lavish bronze grave goods and many Egyptian imports testify to the city’s newly acquired wealth. Around 1375, Knossos was also destroyed by fire.
Crete and Mycenae
In the second millennium, Crete and Mycenae reached their greatest heights after modern literature developed in the third millennium. Crete’s culture is referred to as ‘Minoan’ after the island’s legendary King Minos. Its wealth is owed largely to its flourishing trade. Cretan ships transported goods all over the Mediterranean. In 1450 an expedition of warriors from Mycenae conquered Crete. Many settlements on the island were destroyed, but Knossos was spared and became the most influential.
Define a redistribution economy and market economy
It is debated if the Near East experienced a market economy where trade and price setting were subjected to a free exchange of goods and the law of supply and demand. In a Redistribution economy, the temple or state determines all this. This model is characterised by an autocratic state where the king possessed all the land, while the people lived in villages, lived off their own land and had to pay taxes in turn to the palace, which in turn redistributed it among the elite of favourites (civil servants, soldiers, temples). There was no market and no real trade. The villagers’ Economy and society got what they did not produce themselves by reciprocity and barter in the village. The economy of the Mesopotamian temple and palace domains was based on a similar redistribution system. Over the ages, the palace gradually became more important; by the time of the Third Dynasty of Ur (c. 2100–2000), the state dominated the entire economy, including that of the temples. However, in the first millennium, the market became steadily more important.
Babylonian King Hammurabi’s laws
The Code of Hammurabi, produced in 1700BC under King Hammurabi, is the most complete collection of Babylonian laws. It consists of his legal decisions that were collected toward the end of his reign and inscribed on a diorite stela set up in Babylon’s temple of Marduk, the national god of Babylonia. These 282 case laws include economic provisions, family law, as well as criminal law and civil law. Penalties varied according to the status of the offenders and the circumstances of the offences.
