The Ancient Near East
Origin of civilisations: 3000 BC
Note: Early civilisations: Mesopotamia (Euphrates & Tigris) and Egypt (Nile)
- Rise of these civilisations just before 3000 BC was characterised by
increasing urbanisation, the birth of states and the invention of writing.
- There was a shift from hunter-gatherers to agriculturalists.
- By the end of the middle stone age, man had improved his tools to such an
extent that he was able to make more efficient use of the natural resources -
Groups could now remain in areas for a long time.
- Man then cultivated their environment further by domesticating animals and
plants.
- This transition took place at different times in different regions but the Near
East is thought to have been first.
Agriculture
- Two different types of agriculture are distinguished: rainfall agriculture and
irrigation (which was far more effective)
- Rainfall agriculture requires substantial rainfall - this was practised in
Iran, northern Iraq.
- Artificial irrigation occurred in Mesopotamia where floods were less
regular.
- The largest and most influential cities were on major rivers in Egypt and
Mesopotamia
- The rivers enabled the production of the largest quantities of food,
therefore provide for larger populations.
Society & Culture
- At the core of a Mesopotamian city was the temple, the abode of the state
deities whose needs had to be provided for by the community.
- These temples grew into powerful organisations.
- In most of the cities, the majority of its inhabitants were peasants, who left
the city to work on their land every morning and returned home in the
evening.
- No divide between countryside and city dwellers)
- There was, however, a divide between agriculturalists and herders - love/hate
relationship
- Agriculturalists: Sedentary lifestyle.
- Herders: Nomads who constantly moved from place to place.
, - Not always a clear cut difference between them, primitive agriculturalists
sometimes remained in one area for short periods of time. - Transhumance
(seasonal migration).
Geography:
Egypt Mesopotamia
- Dependant on rivers. - Dependant on rivers.
- Nile flooded the river before - Tigris and Euphrates flooded
sowing season (advantageous). after sowing season.
- Good Quality. - Poorer Quality than Egypt
- Fertile land directly next to the (contained harmful salts).
desert. - Transition from fertile to less
- Surrounded by deserts they were fertile soil more gradual.
more isolated - Egypt was fairly - Constant invasions of foreign
stable with little interference peoples.
from outside.
The Third Millennium: 2000s BC
Egypt timeline:
2600-2150 Old Kingdom
BC
2000-1800 Middle Kingdom
BC
1550-1100 New Kingdom
BC
750-1922 AD Late Period
- These kingdoms comprise periods in which Egypt enjoyed great prosperity
and political unity.
- They alternate with periods of decline and political fragmentation where
Egypt was not ruled by a single King.
Egypt, the Old Kingdom (2600 -2150)
- In this period the hieroglyphic script was invented and there was the Initial
construction of pyramids.
- Monumental tombs testifying the tremendous power of the kings.
, - Peasants were summoned to work on them, their readiness shows the
perceived ‘divine’ power of these pharos.
- The country is essentially divided in two: Lower Egypt (Nile Delta) and Upper
Egypt (South of the Delta).
- King was called the ‘Lord of two Lands’ - wore double crowns and had a
double administrative system.
- By the end of the period, provincial governors had become so powerful that
Pharaohs were no longer able to sustain his central authority.
- The Nile area flooded less and reports of famines started to appear -
Egyptians started practising artificial irrigation as a result.
Mesopotamia - Sumer and Akkad
The foundations to these civilisations had been laid prior, however, it was the
Sumerians and Akkadians that brought them into fruition (Sumerians more
prominently).
Sumerians
- Formation of cities.
- Extensive use of writing (kept accounts of their temples and palaces also
composing religious and literary texts).
- Many art forms were developed by Sumerians:
- Sculpture, architecture, religious imagery, literary styles and views on
kingship, law and society.
- Furthermore, they laid the groundwork for various sciences:
- Arithmetic, astronomy, botany and medicine.
- Specialization of skills is evident in manuscripts found.
- Sumerians passed on their culture through generations and across vast areas
(over the ancient near east) - regions as far away as Iran and Syria adopted
the Sumerian language and cuneiform.
- Never really showed any imperialist tendencies, instead, they lived in modest
city-states.
- Birth of Kingship: Creation of the palace. Dichotomy emerged with secular
rulers whose duties included leadership in wartime independent of the priest.
- 3000 Years the palace and the temple remained the two most powerful
organisations in Mesopotamia. - These organisations frequently clashed.
Akkadians
- 2300 BC: Akkad became the centre of the empire which was very large and
powerful.
- Founded by King Sargon.
, - Akkadians were Semites (speakers of a Semitic language, modern-day
language include Arabic and Hebrew).
- Akkans became a distinct groups when they started using the cuneiform
script for their own language Old Akkadian.
- Borrowed a lot from the Sumerians:
- Script, religious imagery, scientific principles and literary styles.
- Their culture also contained their own elements:
- Worshipped their own deities and used their own language.
- The collapse of the Akkadian Empire was followed by the revival of several
Sumerian cities.
Ur Empire
- Another empire founded in Mesopotamia.
- Palace taken over the power of the temple and their economy.
- The empire was thrown over by the Amorites who were attracted to
Mesopotamia because of its fertile river valleys.
- As a result, local officials established their own independent dynasties.
Climate Change
- Some scholars argue that climate change was an important factor in this
period with progressively drier periods.
- The crisis at the end of the period in Egypt and Mesopotamia can potentially
be explained by thus climatic phenomenon.
To conclude:
- Third millennium ended in confusion and stagnation in Egypt and
Mesopotamia, firm basis had been created nonetheless.
- In Egypt the distinct paintings, carvings etc had already acquired
distinctive features.
- Sumero-Akkadian culture also continued to exert powerful influence,
despite the extinction of Sumerian spoken language it was used for
written religious and scholarly purposes.
- Traces of influence are observable throughout the entire history of the Near
East up to the Hellenistic Period.
The Second Millennium
The Middle Bronze Age: 2000-1600 BC
Egypt, the Middle Kingdom (2000-1800) & Second intermediate
period 91800-1550)
- Around 2000 BC Egypt was unified once more under the capital Thebes.
