Mesopotamia, which stretches between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, is one of the birthplaces of the oldest civilizations in human history. In this region, whose name means "the land between two rivers," the world's first city-states emerged.
The Birth and Development of City-States
The Sumerians built city-states such as Ur and Uruk around 3500 BCE. They were surrounded by walls and characteristically had a ziggurat (sacred tower) at the center.
- Cuneiform: One of the world's oldest writing systems, inscribed on clay tablets with reeds. It was used to record commercial transactions, myths, and laws.
- Sexagesimal system: The origin of units such as time (60 minutes and 60 seconds) and angles (360 degrees).
- Lunar calendar: A calendar based on the phases of the Moon.
- Later, the Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and others competed for supremacy.
The Code of Hammurabi (around 1750 BCE)
The code established by King Hammurabi of the First Babylonian Dynasty. It is famous for the principle of retribution, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." It consisted of 282 laws and regulated all aspects of social life, including agriculture, commerce, and family relationships.
The stone monument is currently preserved at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
The code established by King Hammurabi of the First Babylonian Dynasty. It is famous for the principle of retribution, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." It consisted of 282 laws and regulated all aspects of social life, including agriculture, commerce, and family relationships.
The stone monument is currently preserved at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Religion and Culture of Mesopotamia
People believed in polytheism, and each city had its own patron deity. The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the world's oldest literary works. It includes a flood myth and is said to have influenced the Bible.
Practice
- What was the writing system inscribed on clay tablets in Mesopotamian civilization called?
- Give the name of the code known for the "an eye for an eye" principle, established around 1750 BCE, and the name of its establisher.
- Specifically state what aspects of the modern world were influenced by Mesopotamia's sexagesimal system.