Western Civilization I
Outline #2
Prof. KnightCivilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt
I. Mesopotamian Civilization
Sumerians
Major Sumerian Cities: Ur, Uruk, Kish, Lagash
Invention of Writing
Cuneiform (Wedge-shaped)
The Epic of Gilgamesh
The Rise of Monarchy (c. 2500)
Sargon (2371-2316 BC)
Akkadian EmpireFirst political unification of Sumerian civilization
Cycle of Conquest and Assimilation
Gutians, Sumerian Revival, Amorites (Old Babylonians)
The Code of HammurabiBabylonian law code. c. 1780BC
Later Mesopotamian Empires and Peoples:
Kassites
Hittite Empire (1600-1100 BC)
Assyrian Empire (1300-612BC)
New Babylonians (Chaldians) (612-539BC)
Persian EmpireII. Egyptian Civilization
Valley of the Nile
3,100 BC King Narmer (Menes) unifies Upper and Lower Egypt
Major Egyptian Gods: Re (The Sun God), Horus, Osirus, Isis
Divine Kingship
Belief in the afterlife
The Great Pyramids
MaatOrder, regularity, good government.
Chronology of Egyptian Civilization:
Old Kingdom 2770-2200BC
Middle Kingdom 2050-1786BC
New Kingdom 1560-1087BC
First and Second Intermediary Periods
HyksosForeign invaders bring Middle Kingdom to an end.
Important Pharoahs of the New Kingdom
Ahmose I (1550-1525BC)
Thutmose III (1479-1425BC)
Queen Hatshepsut (1479-1457)
Amenhotem IV (Akhenaton) (1350-1334BC)
Ramesses II (1279-1212BC)