mesopotamia timeline

Hoarse Hunters

Hunter-gatherers

The hunter-gatherer culture developed among the early hominins of Africa, with evidence of their activities dating as far back as 2 million years ago. Hunter gatherers actively killed animals for food instead of scavenging for meat that was left behind other predators. They had adapted larger brains and a shorter digestive system which allowed them to consume more meat. They were the first hominins that were designed to walk long distances which eventually pushed nomadic tribes into Europe and Asia. The early hunter gatherers used simple tools such as axes, adzes, celts, chisels and gouges which were very efficient when it came to sharpening their tools. They continued to develop more specialized hunting techniques by inventing fishhooks, the bow and arrow, harpoons and more domestic tools like bone and ivory needles. When the hunter-gatherers discovered fire, they were able to utilise it to prepare food, protect themselves from wild animals, and stay warm throughout the winter. Hunter-gatherer groups tended to range in size from an extended family to a larger band of no more than about 100 people.

Sumer and its Society

Sumer

Sumer was an ancient civilization founded in the Mesopotamia region of the Fertile Crescent situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Known for their innovations in language, governance, architecture and more, Sumerians are considered the creators of civilization as modern humans understand it. Their control of the region lasted for short of 2,000 years before the Babylonians took charge in 2004 B.C. Sumerians invented or improved a wide range of technology, including the wheel, cuneiform script, arithmetic, geometry, irrigation, saws and other tools, sandals, chariots, harpoons, and beer. The Sumerian government was a form of Theocracy meaning that a deity, or god, was the supreme ruler and Kings and Priests were given divine guidance to rule their lands. In Sumer government, religion, and culture were based on city-states, ruled by kings who were personally chose by the city god.The Sumerians had over 3,000 gods. Each city had its own government and laws.

Ancient Akkad Empire

Akkad

Akkad, ancient region in what is now central Iraq. Akkad was the northern (or northwestern) division of ancient Babylonia roughly in the area where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers are closest to each other, and its northern limit extended beyond the line of the modern cities of Al-Fallūjah and Baghdad. The early inhabitants of this region were predominantly Semitic, and their speech is called Akkadian. To the south of the region of Akkad lay Sumer, the southern (or southeastern) division of ancient Babylonia, which was inhabited by a non-Semitic people known as Sumerians. The Akkadians, a Semitic-speaking people who spoke Hebrew and/or Arabic, created the first postal system, sending cuneiform clay tablets wrapped in clay envelopes with the name of the addressee inscribed and the seal of the sender.

The Akkadian Empire established a centralized government by unifying its city-states, or individually governed cities, and organizing a tax system that allowed the government to pay for projects, such as the city's walls and irrigation waterways. Royal absolutism also developed when the Akkadians introduced tribal dynastic authority.

Origin of Oder-- Babylon

Babylon was the largest city in the Mesopotamia empire and became one of the most powerful and influential cities in the ancient world.

Babylonian government operated as a monarchy. The king exercised direct control over a number of officials who reported to him directly, although he had the authority to take direct action at any level of the political and administrative structure. Hammurabi, the 6th king of Babylon, established a code of law called Hammurabi’s Laws and which consisted of a collection of 282 laws and regulations established guidelines for business exchanges and established fines and penalties to satisfy the demands of justice.

The great gods of the cities, who were ranked roughly according to the political standing of their cities, were the centre of the state religion. The many gods of Babylon reflected the various needs and fears of the people.

The abstract writing system that the Babylonians created was based on cuneiform symbols. They used wet clay tablets that were baked in the sun to create their symbols.

Babylon

During the reign of Hammurabi, a big canal connecting Kish to the Persian gulf was dug. This led to the development of a better irrigation system in Babylon, resulting in wheat and barley production.

Babylonians made important discoveries in mathematics, physics and astronomy. They developed trigonometry, used mathematical models to track Jupiter and developed methods of tracking time that is still used today. The ancient Babylonians used a calendar with alternating 29 and 30-day months, which is very similar to the one we use today.

The Fierce Soldiers- Assyria

The Assyrians were able to hold onto their territory as other empires rose and fell from power because of their military technological breakthroughs.They were the first in the region to create iron weapons, which were more effective than the bronze weaponry their adversaries were using. They could produce weapons and protective gear more affordably thanks to their mastery of ironworking. They were the first army to have a dedicated engineering corps that would construct ramps and ladders, fill in moats, and dig tunnels to enable soldiers to enter fortified cities. They were also among the first to create chariots, which offered better battlefield protection. Moreover, the technological advancements allowed Assyrians to attack neighboring areas for the first time, leading to the expansion of their empire.

Assyria

The Nestorian Assyrians' major social and economic structure was the extended patriarchal family. The ongoing threat of external threats encouraged group cohesiveness and solidarity. Compared to other Middle Eastern nations then, women in ancient Assyria were accorded a higher rank and degree of dignity. Midway through the 20th century, Assyrian women were treated practically equally to Assyrian males.

The Assyrians' regular engagement in battle contributed to their achievements in medicine as well. Soldiers might get a wide range of diseases and injuries. Their innovations inspired other cultures' early attempts at organised medicine.

Around 2500 BCE, Akkadian took the place of Sumerian as the primary language when they started to rule the area. In order to store their writings, they also created libraries. They wrote extensively about history, medicine, economics, and, of course, warfare. They did, however, also preserve religious mythology, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh.

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/hunter-gatherer-culture

https://www.history.com/news/hunter-gatherer-tools-breakthroughs#:~:text=These%20tools%2C%20including%20axes%2C%20adzes,sharpen%20when%20they%20became%20dull.

https://www.history.com/topics/pre-history/hunter-gatherers

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https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-middle-east/sumer

https://www.britannica.com/place/Akkad

https://www.livescience.com/ancient-babylon-mesopotamia-civilization

https://www.britannica.com/place/Babylon-ancient-city-Mesopotamia-Asia

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-middle-east/babylon#:~:text=Babylon%20was%20the%20largest%20city,under%20the%20rule%20of%20Hammurabi.

https://www.worldhistory.org/babylon/

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https://www.timelessmyths.com/history/what-did-the-assyrians-invent/

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