BABYLONIAN CIVILIZATION
Location and Sources
• The splendid city of Babylon, located
between the Euphrates and the Tigris
some 95 km south of Baghdad.
• The site of Babylon was first identified
in the 1800s in what is now Iraq.
• Later excavations, undertaken by the
German archaeologist Robert
Koldewey in the late 19th and early
20th centuries, established that the
city had been built and rebuilt
several times.
• The splendid city of Babylon, located
between the Euphrates and the Tigris
some 95 km south of Baghdad.
• The site of Babylon was first identified
in the 1800s in what is now Iraq.
• Later excavations, undertaken by the
German archaeologist Robert
Koldewey in the late 19th and early
20th centuries, established that the
city had been built and rebuilt
several times.
• The splendid city of Babylon, located
between the Euphrates and the Tigris
some 95 km south of Baghdad.
• The site of Babylon was first identified
in the 1800s in what is now Iraq.
, • Later excavations, undertaken by the ▪ Although the Old Babylonians were
German archaeologist Robert an alien nation, they had lived long
Koldewey in the late 19th and early enough in close contact with the
20th centuries, established that the Sumerians to be influenced
city had been built and rebuilt profoundly by them.
several times. ➢ They had little of their own when they
• Historically and ethnically Babylonia came into the valley, and in general
was a product of the union of the they only appropriated and modified
Akkadians and Sumerians. what the Sumerians had already
developed.
• Amorite dynasty (c. 1894- 1595 BC)
➢ Following the disintegration of the
Hammurabi- 6th ruler Akkadian Empire, the Sumerians
• Kassite dynasy (c. 16th century BC rose up with the Third Dynasty of Ur
- 1595 BC) in the late 22nd century BCE.
• Elamite dynasty (c. 984 BC - 729 ➢ The Sumerian Ur-III dynasty
BC) eventually collapsed at the hands of
the Elamites, another Semitic
The Rise of the Babylonian Civilization people, in 2002 BCE.
Prior to Hammurabi there were city- ➢ Conflicts between the Amorites
states in Babylonia. (Western Semitic nomads) and the
▪ A god of a city who was the principal Assyrians continued until Sargon I
ruler. (1920-1881 BCE) succeeded as king
in Assyria.
▪ The residents believed that he lives in
the city along with his family. ➢ He withdrew Assyria from the region,
leaving the Amorites in control (the
▪ The king ruled as the representative
Amorite period).
of the God.
➢ Under the rule of the Amorites,
▪ The king was called Ishakku who
which lasted until about 1600 BCE,
was a religious and civil ruler.
Babylon became the political and
▪ Sometimes the king proclaimed commercial centre of the Tigris-
himself a deity, such as Hammurabi. Euphrates area.
▪ Queen also contributed to the rule. ➢ Babylonia became a great empire,
encompassing all of southern
▪ The queens and princes had
Mesopotamia and part of Assyria to
separate palaces, property and
the north.
slaves.
➢ One of these Amorite dynasties
▪ There were many ministers,
founded the city-state of Babylon
employees and Prime minister for the
circa 1894 BCE, which would
King's cooperation.
ultimately take over the others and
, form the short-lived first Babylonian
empire, also called the Old
Babylonian Period. Social conditions
➢ There were several levels in the
➢ A chieftain named Sumu-abum/सम
ु ु-
social hierarchy with the king at
अबुम appropriated the then relatively the top and the slaves at the
small city of Bab-Ilu (Babylon) from bottom.
the neighbouring Mesopotamian city ➢ In between, in descending order,
state of Kazallu, turning it into a state were the nobles, the free
in its own right. citizens and those in military and
civil service.
➢ Sumu-abum appears never to have ➢ The class structure was generally
been given the title of King, however. rigid although some mobility from
➢ The ruler largely responsible for this one level to another was possible.
rise to power There were three main social classes
was Hammurabi (c. 1792– distinguished in the Babylonia law
1750 BCE), the sixth king of the codes:
Old dynasty of Babylon, who forged
coalitions between the separate city- Awilu/ आमेलू: The nobility or a free
states, promoted science and person of the upper class.
scholarship, and promulgated his
famous code of law. Mushkenu/मुश्केनु: Free people not
➢ It grew into one of the largest cities belonging to the upper classes, such
of the ancient world under the rule as artisans.
of Hammurabi.
Wardu/वारद:ु Slaves.
➢ The earliest mention of the city of
Babylon can be found in a clay tablet
from the reign of Sargon of
Akkad (2334–2279 BC), dating back
to the 23rd century BC.
➢ Babylon was merely a religious and
cultural centre at this point and
neither an independent state nor a
large city.
➢ Like the rest of Mesopotamia, it was
subject to the Akkadian Empire which
united all the Akkadian and Sumerian
speakers under one rule. Awilu/ आमेलू
✓ Many types of privileged
Location and Sources
• The splendid city of Babylon, located
between the Euphrates and the Tigris
some 95 km south of Baghdad.
• The site of Babylon was first identified
in the 1800s in what is now Iraq.
• Later excavations, undertaken by the
German archaeologist Robert
Koldewey in the late 19th and early
20th centuries, established that the
city had been built and rebuilt
several times.
• The splendid city of Babylon, located
between the Euphrates and the Tigris
some 95 km south of Baghdad.
• The site of Babylon was first identified
in the 1800s in what is now Iraq.
• Later excavations, undertaken by the
German archaeologist Robert
Koldewey in the late 19th and early
20th centuries, established that the
city had been built and rebuilt
several times.
• The splendid city of Babylon, located
between the Euphrates and the Tigris
some 95 km south of Baghdad.
• The site of Babylon was first identified
in the 1800s in what is now Iraq.
, • Later excavations, undertaken by the ▪ Although the Old Babylonians were
German archaeologist Robert an alien nation, they had lived long
Koldewey in the late 19th and early enough in close contact with the
20th centuries, established that the Sumerians to be influenced
city had been built and rebuilt profoundly by them.
several times. ➢ They had little of their own when they
• Historically and ethnically Babylonia came into the valley, and in general
was a product of the union of the they only appropriated and modified
Akkadians and Sumerians. what the Sumerians had already
developed.
• Amorite dynasty (c. 1894- 1595 BC)
➢ Following the disintegration of the
Hammurabi- 6th ruler Akkadian Empire, the Sumerians
• Kassite dynasy (c. 16th century BC rose up with the Third Dynasty of Ur
- 1595 BC) in the late 22nd century BCE.
• Elamite dynasty (c. 984 BC - 729 ➢ The Sumerian Ur-III dynasty
BC) eventually collapsed at the hands of
the Elamites, another Semitic
The Rise of the Babylonian Civilization people, in 2002 BCE.
Prior to Hammurabi there were city- ➢ Conflicts between the Amorites
states in Babylonia. (Western Semitic nomads) and the
▪ A god of a city who was the principal Assyrians continued until Sargon I
ruler. (1920-1881 BCE) succeeded as king
in Assyria.
▪ The residents believed that he lives in
the city along with his family. ➢ He withdrew Assyria from the region,
leaving the Amorites in control (the
▪ The king ruled as the representative
Amorite period).
of the God.
➢ Under the rule of the Amorites,
▪ The king was called Ishakku who
which lasted until about 1600 BCE,
was a religious and civil ruler.
Babylon became the political and
▪ Sometimes the king proclaimed commercial centre of the Tigris-
himself a deity, such as Hammurabi. Euphrates area.
▪ Queen also contributed to the rule. ➢ Babylonia became a great empire,
encompassing all of southern
▪ The queens and princes had
Mesopotamia and part of Assyria to
separate palaces, property and
the north.
slaves.
➢ One of these Amorite dynasties
▪ There were many ministers,
founded the city-state of Babylon
employees and Prime minister for the
circa 1894 BCE, which would
King's cooperation.
ultimately take over the others and
, form the short-lived first Babylonian
empire, also called the Old
Babylonian Period. Social conditions
➢ There were several levels in the
➢ A chieftain named Sumu-abum/सम
ु ु-
social hierarchy with the king at
अबुम appropriated the then relatively the top and the slaves at the
small city of Bab-Ilu (Babylon) from bottom.
the neighbouring Mesopotamian city ➢ In between, in descending order,
state of Kazallu, turning it into a state were the nobles, the free
in its own right. citizens and those in military and
civil service.
➢ Sumu-abum appears never to have ➢ The class structure was generally
been given the title of King, however. rigid although some mobility from
➢ The ruler largely responsible for this one level to another was possible.
rise to power There were three main social classes
was Hammurabi (c. 1792– distinguished in the Babylonia law
1750 BCE), the sixth king of the codes:
Old dynasty of Babylon, who forged
coalitions between the separate city- Awilu/ आमेलू: The nobility or a free
states, promoted science and person of the upper class.
scholarship, and promulgated his
famous code of law. Mushkenu/मुश्केनु: Free people not
➢ It grew into one of the largest cities belonging to the upper classes, such
of the ancient world under the rule as artisans.
of Hammurabi.
Wardu/वारद:ु Slaves.
➢ The earliest mention of the city of
Babylon can be found in a clay tablet
from the reign of Sargon of
Akkad (2334–2279 BC), dating back
to the 23rd century BC.
➢ Babylon was merely a religious and
cultural centre at this point and
neither an independent state nor a
large city.
➢ Like the rest of Mesopotamia, it was
subject to the Akkadian Empire which
united all the Akkadian and Sumerian
speakers under one rule. Awilu/ आमेलू
✓ Many types of privileged
