BABYLONIANS

 

Invasion and conquest were prominent features in the history of the ancient Middle East. Again and again, nomadic peoples or ambitious warriors descended on the rich cities of the Fertile Crescent. While many invaders simply looted and burned, some stayed to rule. Powerful leaders created large, well-organized empires, bringing peace and prosperity to the region

About 2300 B.C., Sargon, the ruler of neighboring Akkad, invaded and conquered the city-states of Sumer. He built the first empire known to history. His astonishing achievement did not last long, however. Soon after his death, other invaders swept into the wide valley between the rivers, tumbling his empire into ruin.

Sargon

Sargon

In time, the Sumerian city-states revived, and their power struggles resumed. Eventually, however, new conquerors followed in the footsteps of Sargon and imposed unity over the Fertile Crescent.

Around 1900 B.C. Semitic-speaking

Statue of Hammurabi

Code of Hammurabi
Located in the Louvre - Paris, France
invaders from the Arabian Desert entered southern Mesopotamia and captured the city-state of Babylon. About 1790 B.C., led by their king, Hammurabi, they conquered the other city-states in the Tigris-Euphrates valley and formed the Babylonian Empire. The Babylonians adopted and built upon the prevailing Sumerian culture.

Guided by Hammurabi, the Babylonians recorded their laws and customs. These laws, known as the Code of Hammurabi, was the first major collection of laws in history.

This Code of Hammurbi reveals:

    1. A stern sense of justice - proclaiming the principle of "an eye for an eye" and demanding severe punishment for crimes - bribery, theft, dishonest weights and measures, and damage to another's property.

    2. A sharp division of classes - providing harsher punishment for an offense against a noble or priest than for the same offense against a common person - an artisan, merchant, farmer, or slave

    3. A fair treatment of women - permitting them to own property and engage in business. However, the code strictly regulated the behavior of women. It expected a woman to remain in her husband's home and be dependent on him. A husband, however, had a legal duty to support his wife. The code also gave a father nearly unlimited authority over his children. The Babylonians believed that an orderly household headed by a strong father was necessary for a stable empire.

    4. An advanced business society- establishing regulations for protecting property and business contracts, limiting interest on loans, and setting wages for workers.

    Click here to play People's Court with Hammurabi's code!!

Although most famous for his law code, Hammurabi took other steps to unite his empire. He improved irrigation and organized a well-trained army. He had temples repaired and promoted the chief Babylonian god, Marduk, over older Sumerian gods.

About 1700 B.C. the Babylonian Empire was overthrown by new invaders, first by the Hittites and then by the Assyrians. However, in 612 B.C. neighboring people joined forces to crush the once-dreaded Assyrian armies. An aggressive and ruthless king, Nebuchadnezzar  (neh buh kuhd NEHZ uhr), revived the power of Babylon. His new Babylonian Empire stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea.

Hanging Garden of Babylon
Built by Nebuchadnezzar

Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt the canals, temples, walls, and palaces of Babylon. Near his chief palace were the famous Hanging Gardens, known as one of the wonders of the ancient world. The gardens were probably made by planting trees and flowering plants on the steps of a huge ziggurat. According to legend, Nebuchadnezzar had the gardens built to please his wife, who was homesick for the hills where she had grown up.

Under Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonians pushed the frontiers of learning into new areas. Priests-astrologers were especially eager to understand the stars and planets, which they believed had a great influence on all events on Earth. The Babylonians believed in
astrology - the superstition that the movement of stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies directly affect the lives of human beings. However, by studying the heavens, the Babylonians learned to recognize planets and to foretell eclipses, thereby recording data later essential to astronomy.

In 539 B.C., Babylon fell to the Persian armies of Cyrus the Great, who went on to conquer the largest empire yet seen.

Click here to take a virtual tour of the city of Babylon