Sumer+Research+Pages+09

Events and leaders
-Lugalanemundu of Adab (2525-2500) -Extended his reign from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea and from the Zagros to the Taurus Mountains. -Mesilim (2500) -By the end of his reign summer was in decline. -City-state was in constant struggle; they were exhausting their military resources. -Eannatum (2425 b.c.e.) king of Lagash -Succeeded in expanding his rule throughout Sumer and some neighbouring lands. -His successes were short-lived. -Uruinimgina (2365) -Many social reforms -Defeated by Lugalzagesi (2370-2347 b.c.e.) -Was the governor of Umma -most powerful ruler in the Middle East for about 20 years. -23rd century b.c.e. the power Sumer had built up from nothing was nearly depleted to such an extent that they could no longer properly defend themselves. -Sargon (2370-2347 b.c.e.) -the Semitic ruler -was called Sargon the great -conquered the entire country -had respect for the Sumerian culture and integrated as much as he could into the Akkadians society -The city founded from the two called Agade and being the product of the two means that they were the most powerful city in the world. -melded the two into one land and gave Sumer another chance to prosper -the Akkadian dynasty lasted about a century -Naram-Sin (2255-2218 b.c.e.) -Sargons grandson -called the Gutians -a people from the Zagros Mountains jealous of the Sumerians/ Akkadians prosperity raided the city of Agade. -they then subjugated and laid waste to the whole of Sumer -after several generations the Sumerians had, had enough -Gudea (2144-2124 b.c.e.) -the Sumerians achieved prosperity again under his reigns -he is the most well known Sumerian in the modern world -was a great governor -Utuhefal king of Kish (2120-2112 b.c.e.) -the Sumerians had complete independence at this time. -won an important victory celebrated in Sumerian literature. -Ur-Nammu (2113-2095 b.c.e.) -one of Utuhegal’s generals -founded the 3rd dynasty of Ur -successful military leader -reformed the Sumerian law code and made changes that eventually lead the Hamerabi’s law code -Shulgi (2095-2047 b.c.e.) -was a successful solider and diplomat -enjoyed literature -under his reign the Sumerian schools and academies flourished. -2nd millennium b.c.e. Semitic nomads from the desert to the west invaded Sumer -gaining control over important city-states like Isin and Larsa -there was complete political disorder -Prompting an attack from the Elamites to attack Ur (circa 2004 b.c.e.) -captured the last ruler of Ur one Ibbi-sin (2029-2004) -the fall of Ur made the power struggle for control over Akkad and Sumer escalate. -First struggle was between Isin and Larsa -Then between Larsa and Babylon -in the end Hammurabi defeated Rim-sin of Larsa (1823-1763 b.c.e.) -became the sole ruler of both Sumer and Akkad -Babylonia adopted almost the entirety of the Sumerian culture -The final fall of Sumer is dated around 1900 b.c.e. Science and mathematical contributions -The 360-degree circle -60 minute hour -Pottery wheel -Bronze plough pulled by oxen -Water wheel -The Arch -Towers -Astronomy (star charts and accurate observation of planetary movement, and predictions of astronomical events lunar and solar) -Developed algebra and the foundation for Greek geometry - the scientific and mathematical base of their irrigation system - Counting system biased on 60 or 6 and 10 - Developed the idea for the 60 second minute - Invented mathematical tables and used quadratic equations -Created a lunar calendar with 24 hour days and 7 days a week These achievements and advances in math and science eventually spread all over the west Transportation and Weaponry -Warfare was a result of wealth and prosperity -Fought for things like control over the Tigris and Eurphates -For transportation and irrigation -Need to acquire luxury goods like timber stone and metals -Almost a constant occurrence of war among the city-states for almost 2000 years -Because of the constant warfare there was radical development in warfare technology especially for the time. -Eannatum of Lagash defeated the king of Umma -He commissioned an stele known as the “stele of vultures” because one of the fragments depicts vultures -was meant to celebrate his victory -depicts vultures caring off soldiers heads. -first pictorial of war -first evidence of army organization -tablet is from the 3rd millennia b.c.e. -the tablet shows -spear-men of Lagash wearing copper helmets and leather shields and heavy cloaks marching behind Ennatum’s chariot (first chariot seen on main page pic) -inscription describes the battle and it outcome. -It is the first use of vulture in this was and is used effectively by the Greeks in the Persian wars and the Battles of Alexander the great against the Persians almost 2000 years later -Lower section of the tablet depicts the enemy soldiers from Umma that also wore helmets -this is the first historical evidence of soldiers wearing protective helmets. -probably made of copper with a leather lining or cap inside. -Similar helmets were exacted at the Royal tombs of Ur -the helmet proved extremely effective against the once formidable battle mace. -helmet was excavated from a royal tomb in ur -heavy gold and “exquisitely” carved -curls of golden hair are go into a bun carved at the back of the helmat -Royal Cemetery of Ur about 2500 b.c.e. -The first military application of the wheel was depicted of the stele of vultures -shows Eannatum riding a chariot -an earlier standard of Ur also depicts earlier development of the chariot -extremely cumbersome -probably only used for battle field transportation not as a method of attacking. -some evidence that the Sumerian people made use of sickle-swords -was the primary weapon of the Egyption and Biblical armies at a much later date. -both the stele of vultures and the Royal standard of Ur show soldiers downed in armoured cloaks -may have been effective against coper-socket axes a main weapon of the time -developed the idea for warriors on horse back = Climate and Geographical Factors = -The Greeks named Mesopotamia; it means the land between two rivers -mesos- means between and or in the middle -potamos-means river -ai- being a suffix used by the Greeks to attach to the name of places. - Mesopotamia is in-between the borders of modern Iraq with some parts to the west and north in Syrian and Turkish Territory. - the rivers that surround Mesopotamia are the Tigris and the Euphrates - The original name for the Tigris was Idiglat - And Buranum for Euphrates -the desert, the mountains, and the sea surrounded the river valleys -to the west is the Syrian -to the north and east are the mountains of Turkey and Iran -and to the south lies the Persian gulf -The river Euphrates is to the west and the Tigris is to the east. -Euphrates is longer about 1740 miles in length -Tigris ii about 1740 miles in length - Each river if fed by tributaries, Euphrates is fed by Balikh and Khabur, while the Great Zab and the little Zab, and the Diyala feed the Tigris. - today the Tigris and Euphrates merge into the Shatt al-Arab before they empties into the sea. -before they emptied themselves separately into the Persian gulf. -In the fourth and third Millennia the gulf was extended in land significantly more then it is today. - as much as 150 miles father inland then it is today. -over time rich deposits of silt deposited by the river built up and accumulated by the banks causing the land to extend father into the Persian gulf -Ur though the ruins are found significantly inland would have then been a major seaport. -when the winter snow on the mountains melts it cascades into the rivers creating unpredictable flooding waters that often destroy everything in it path - the long-term behaviour of these flooding waters could have undermined everything the civilization had built. -If a flood or rivers course was altered it could doom a city-states economy by cutting off transportation and trade routes. -because the rivers went through rocky terrain they were more permanent (north). -the south was almost a completely different climate and terrain then the north. -the south of Mesopotamia could average a temperature of 120°f -more fertile land because of flooding and irrigation, and the richness of it alluvial soil. -could support a large population -The north in the time was Assyria and the south was Sumer. -at times of trouble greed or vindictiveness, ignited war between the two -there were also ethnic differences between the two. -in the deep south of Mesopotamia lived the Sumerians united by such thing as a common language, traditions, control of land and waterways, inspired intercity, rivalries and war. - To the north lived the Semitic Akkadians - they later converted what the Sumerians had and conquered them joining them to the Akkad. -They had a lot more rain but not as much fertile land they relied on Sumer a lot as Sumer relied of them to get the natural resources they lacked. = Energy = - did not use wood lightly since it was such a rare resource in their climate, -used oxen and wild asses, as well as later in their civilization houses. - used the rivers as a form of energy - used the animals to tend to the irrigation networks and reservoirs their lands and used them for transportation Socio Political Structure The Sumerian socio Political Structure is a complicated many-layered thing built from the most basic of social organizations and ideals. -The upper class consisted of contained nobles, priest, government officials and warriors. -The middle class consisted of Merchants, traders, and artisans this group made up the “freeman” class. -The lower class were slaves -jobs were always available because you needed a lot of people tending to the irrigation networks and the reservoirs and the farms surrounding the city-state. -Slavery was an accepted way of life. -Slaves were mostly prisoners of war -a “free man” could sell his children or even his entire family for a maximum of three years. -not a common practise because children were considered a form of wealth the more children the better -a sort of a life insurance policy -This is why Inanna, the fertility goddess is so important. -Because the Sumerians felt that everything should be recorded it was an essential to their way of life for children to learn how to write Cuneiform -The schooling was only available to boys -It involved a lot of memorization and reputation the teaching master would sometimes use harsh methods to encourage them. -the schools were attached to the temples. -The ideology that Sumerians built their civilization says that they land on which they are situated, were they farm their fields and cook their meals belongs to the patron god or goddess of that city-state and therefore to the temple -despite of this many still owned private land and the temple also rented out the lands. -Though their was a somewhat different structure in the earlier years in the late golden years and in the decline there was one monarch sometimes elected by free man sometimes self appointed and then there were governors of each city-state -power keep jumping form city-state to city-state that is why it is hard to say what the precise capital city was - The king was viewed as the agents of the people and was responsible to the gods. -The King did not do much on the side of religion they saw themselves as military commanders first - Some speculate that attaching the title king of Kish to yourself if king is a way of reigning in control of all of Sumer. - There is a council of elders for each city-state that wields a lot of influence. - The city-states were in almost a constant state of ar most o the time so it was the kings job to keep the piece between the city-states and solve disagreements. - Woman were not free they had almost no rights - If a husband died control over her would be transferred to the closet male relative on her husbands side weather that be his father, brother or even her eldest son. - the only influence a woman had was within her own family. - If a woman slept with another man while already wed the woman would be killed whilst the male be set free. - If the man forced the virgin woman of another man he would be forced to pay five shekels of silver. - They had a law code that greatly influenced if it was not the bases for the later Hamuabi law code.