Time Periods

Question 1

Uruk Period

Answer 1

3200 BC First evidence of writing/cuneiform for business purposes (keeping track of commodities), emergence of cities/urban societies

Question 2

Early Dynastic Period

Answer 2

2600 BC Conflicting city-states, political fragmentation; first evidence of literary texts (but still primarily business related)

Question 3

Old Akkadian Period

Answer 3

2350 BC Sargon the Great expanded the area of influence and conquered most of Babylonia, his daughter was high priestess and first named author; introduction of Akkadia

Question 4

Ur III Period

Answer 4

2100 BC Neo-Sumerian Time/Sumerian Renaissance; political consolidation/unified bureaucracy

Question 5

Old Babylonian Period

Answer 5

1800 BC Hammurapi’s reign and Hammurapi’s Code; Sumerian literary texts were prominent (classic period); period ended with the sacking of Babylon by the Hittites

Question 6

International Period

Answer 6

1600-1200 BC trading between four powers - Egypt, Anatolia (Hittite), Mitanni, Babylon; El-Amarna/Akhetaten: capital of Egypt

Question 7

Middle Babylonian

Answer 7

1300 BC Kassites rule Babylon; high-point/flowering of Akkadian literature

Question 8

Neo-Assyrian Empire

Answer 8

700 BC first imperial entity

Question 9

Neo-Babylonian Empire

Answer 9

550 BC “inherited” the Neo-Assyrian empire; literary creativity and shared culture with Neo-Assyrian; fell to Cyrus the Great from Persia - end of Mesopotamia as a political center