Western Civilization I
Outline #3
Professor Knight
The Spread of Civilization: 1700-1100BC
Second Millenium BCintermittent periods of upheaval
Indus River Valley Civilization
Spread of CivilizationInterconnectedness of Cultures
Cycle of Conquest, Assimilation, Decadence
Limitations to Spread of Civilization
EnvironmentalAgricultural surplus necessary
MilitaryNew strategies, technologies necessary to conquer
Limitations overcome through innovation
I. The Agricultural Challenge
Possibilities outside fertile river valleys:
Subsistence agriculture
Pastoral Nomadism
The Plow--breaks cycle of subsistence agriculture
Urban centers outside fertile river valleys:
Assur, Ninevah, (Assyrians) Hattusas (Hittites)
Emergence of society based on peasantry and aristocratic landlords
II. Military Changes
The Chariotmobile platform for archers
1,600BC--influx of nomadic invaders using chariot
Hyksosoccupy Egypt between Middle and New Kingdoms.
Hittites and Kassites overrun Babylonia
Indo-European Languages
Egyptian Imperialism
Treaty of Pharaoh Ramasses II with the Hittites (1269BC)
Development of Iron (1400-1200BC)
Decline of chariot warfare
Rise of the mass infantry
Period of Chaos (c1250-1150BC)
"Sea People"
III. Later Mesopotamia Empires
Assyrian Empire (746-612BC)
Neo-Babylonian Empire (Chaldians) (612-539BC)
Persian Empire (539-330BC)