30 Questions
What was the purpose of CUNEIFORM in ancient Sumer?
To facilitate trade
Who was considered the supreme god in Sumerian religion?
Enlil
Which god was associated with water and the underworld in Sumerian religion?
Enki
In Sumerian society, who were classified as NOBILITY?
Kings/Priests
What is the EPIC OF GILGAMESH known for?
Being the earliest surviving great work of literature
Which deity was known as the goddess of fertility and life in Sumerian religion?
Ishtar
Which city is known as the first city of the Assyrian Empire?
Assur
Who was the last king of Assyria known for ruling over Nineveh?
Senacherib
Which ancient city became the largest city in the world with approximately 200,000 people?
Persepolis
In which city did King Hammurabi and later Nebuchadnezzar rule over the Babylonian Empire?
Persepolis
Which ancient city was rebuilt by King Ashurnasirphal II during the 13th century?
Nimrud
Which ancient city in Mesopotamia is considered the center of the world's first empire?
Akkad
What architectural element was specifically dedicated by Nebuchadnezzar to his wife Queen Amytis?
Palace
Which ancient garden is referred to as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world?
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Which legendary structure is mentioned in the Christian bible and is said to be located at the end of procession street in Babylon?
Tower of Babel
What is the approximate area covered by Nebuchadnezzar's palace?
900 feet by 600 feet
Which empire is known today as Iran?
Persia
In which ancient region were both temples and towers prominent architectural elements?
Mesopotamia
Who was the ruler of the Persian Empire after Cyrus the Great?
Darius the Great
How did Cyrus the Great conquer Babylon?
Using propaganda to turn the people against their king
What achievement is Cyrus the Great well-recognized for?
Achievements in human rights, politics, and military strategy
Which empire became an example for other empires?
Persian Empire
What did Darius the Great do to the official language of his empire?
Adopted Aramaic as the official language
Who organized a new uniform monetary system in the Persian Empire?
Darius the Great
Why did Mesopotamia, Assyria, and Babylonia mainly use sun-dried bricks for construction?
Lack of good natural stone deposits
What was the primary reason for the limited use of burned bricks in Mesopotamia, Assyria, and Babylonia?
Lack of timber for burning bricks
Why did Persia primarily use timber and limestone in construction?
Abundance of timber and good stone deposits
During which ruling period did Sargon lead the Akkadian Empire over Sumerian civilization?
1792 BC to 1570 BC
Which empire succeeded the Neo-Babylonian Empire?
Persian Empire
What was significant about Sumer being the first city-state in Mesopotamia?
Development of urban civilization
Study Notes
Sumerian Civilization
- The Sumerians worshipped many gods, with Enlil as the supreme god and god of air, Ishtar as the goddess of fertility and life, An as the god of heaven, Enki as the god of water and underworld, and Shamash as the god of sun and giver of law.
- The Sumerian social structure consisted of nobility (kings and priests), free clients (artists and philosophers), commoners (merchants, peasants, and poor farmers), and slaves (criminals and debtors).
Cuneiform and Writing
- Cuneiform allowed for the transmission of knowledge, codification of laws, and records to facilitate trade.
- The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia and is regarded as the earliest surviving great work of literature.
Architecture
- The Sumerians created the first columns, arches, and roofed structures.
- The Palace of Nebuchadnezzar covered a land area of 900 feet by 600 feet and is praised for its legendary hanging gardens.
- The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are recorded as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, but exact knowledge of the nature of this garden is not known.
- The Tower of Babel, located at the end of Procession Street, is mentioned in the Christian Bible.
Mesopotamia and Persia
- Mesopotamia is known today as Iraq.
- Persia is known today as Iran.
- Cyrus the Great took over Babylon in 560 BC, starting the Persian Empire.
- The Persian Empire, also known as the Achaemenid Empire, became an example for other empires and was ruled by Cyrus the Great and later on by Darius the Great.
Cyrus the Great
- Cyrus the Great freed the Jews who were exiled in Babylon.
- He is well recognized for his achievements in human rights, politics, and military strategy.
- He conquered Babylon using propaganda, turning the Babylonian people against their king instead of using warfare.
Darius the Great
- Darius the Great ruled the Persian Empire after Cyrus the Great.
- He made Aramaic the official language in his empire.
- He organized a new uniform monetary system.
- The empire was centralized and unified during his reign.
Geological Influence
- There were no good natural stone deposits in Mesopotamia, Assyria, and Babylonia, hence the use of sun-dried bricks.
- There was a lack of timber (imported from Lebanon), hence the limited use of burned bricks covered by bitumen as an outer layer.
- Persia had good stone and much wood, hence the use of timber and limestone.
Early Empires and Rulings
- 4500 BC to 2000 BC: Sumerian Civilization
- 2686 BC: Start of Egyptian Civilization
- 2350 BC to 2200 BC: Sargon's ruling (Akkadian Empire) over Sumerian
- 1792 BC to 1570 BC: Old Babylonian Empire
- 1350 BC to 0612 BC: Assyrian Empire
- 0625 BC to 0539 BC: Neo-Babylonian Empire
- 0560 BC to 0275 BC: Persian Empire
Test your knowledge on the geographical locations of city-states in Mesopotamia such as Uruk, Akkad, Assur, Babylon, Nimrud, Nineveh, and Persepolis. Learn about the centers of the world's first empire and various ancient civilizations.
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