The West Asian Empires (c. 750 BC-651 AD)

Question 1

Neo-Assyrian Empire

Answer 1

c. 911 BC

Question 2

military innovations in Assyria

Answer 2

cavalry, perfecting siege engines

Question 3

Tiglath-Pileser III

Answer 3

745-722 BC; Assyrian king who started to replace vassal states with provinces ruled by Assyrian governors

Question 4

change in language

Answer 4

Babylonian-Assyrian was replaced by Aramaic due to its simpler alphabetic script

Question 5

Ashurbanipal

Answer 5

669-631 BC; last of the great Assyrian kings; collected ancient Babylonian texts and brought them to Nineveh

Question 6

Saite Renaissance

Answer 6

Saite dynasty (26th) in Egypt which lasted for about a century (started by Psammetichus I (664-610))

Question 7

Median Empire

Answer 7

located to the east of Tigris; capital Ecbatana

Question 8

Neo Babylonian Empire

Answer 8

capital in Babylon; also referred to as Chaldean Empire

Question 9

Nabopolassar

Answer 9

founder of the new Babylonian dynasty

Question 10

Nebuchadnezzar II

Answer 10

605-526 BC; founder of the New-Babylonian empire; known from the Old Testament; erected the palace, town walls, temple tower in Babylon

Question 11

Babylonian Exile

Answer 11

Judah’s inhabitants (Jews) were deported to Babylonia in 568 BC by Nebuchadnezzar; writings that would comprise the Hebrew bible were created during that period

Question 12

Nabonidus

Answer 12

last Babylonian king; worshipped the moon God Sin, lived in the Arab desert for 10 years

Question 13

Persian Cyrus

Answer 13

vassal ruler of the Median king, captured Ecbatana and created the Persian/Achaemenid empire; reputation of a mild, tolerant ruler

Question 14

Cambyses

Answer 14

530-522 BC, Cyrus’ son; incorporated Egypt into the empire (525 BC)

Question 15

Darius I

Answer 15

522-486 BC, came to power after a coup d’etat; organized the empire (created smaller strapies)

Question 16

Xerxes

Answer 16

486-465 BC, Darius’ successor; replaced the ruling elite in Babylonia to avoid a revolt,

Question 17

Persepolis and Susa

Answer 17

capitals of the persian empire

Question 18

Zoroaster (Zarathustra)

Answer 18

persian prophet

Question 19

Alexander the Great

Answer 19

ruled Macedonia; the expansion started around 330 BC

Question 20

Seleucids, Ptolemies

Answer 20

dynasties founded by Alexander’s generals; respectively in Western Asia and Egypt

Question 21

Iranian Parthians

Answer 21

Mesopotamia fell under them in 141 BC; their empire lasted until AD 226.

Question 22

Neo-Persian empire

Answer 22

AD 226-c.636; caused the Babylonian civilization downfall

Question 23

Roman empire

Answer 23

64-63 BC occupied Syria, in 30 BC occupied Egypt. lasted until the 7th century

Question 24

Arabs

Answer 24

after the death of prophet Muhammad assumed control and solidified Islam in the entire Near East (7th century onwards)