The Egyptian, Assyrian, And Persian Empires

Have you ever wondered how Ancient Egypt helped shape the world today? Ancient Egyptians were a group of folks who were heavily influenced by religion. They feared dying anywhere but Egypt. The Egyptian Empire held a fascinating and very distinctive culture. Being one of the world 's most advanced cultures and creating tons of wealth is what separated them from everybody else. Between the outstanding artwork, teaching methods, and amazing pyramids is what helped their society advance altogether. No other civilization of the ancient world history had such a popular appeal and none as important as human society and its organization. Egyptians have made great steps in shaping the world we all know today, which have made studying their culture and society easier than some previous historical eras.

Known as one of the earliest civilizations, Mesopotamia and Egypt both share set amounts of similarities along with a share of striking distinctions. Environmentally, these two civilizations were formed in similar surroundings, yet their weather patterns show distinctions. Politically, both governments derived from a monarch, yet their laws and punishments distinguished the two’s court systems. Economically, they both shared prosperous success in similar manners. Socially, although the two lands followed a hierarchy, the value of women contrasted. Culturally, they both believed in a higher order of creation; however, their views of them were polar opposites. Intellectually, these two societies developed skilled abilities and creations that

In historic times, multiple Societies of people living and collaborating together in a community is what led to the formation of many Empires. Empires were comprised of similar groups of people that were most often geographically located within close proximities. It is interesting to compare and contrast three societies which became Empires: the Egyptian, Zhou Chinese, and Persian. Each Empire is responsible for contributing to a foundational advancement that has been used in future generations. I will compare the similarities and contrasts of each and explain why I believe the Persian Empire was the most successful Empire.

I have chosen to discuss the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt. Both have many significant similarities and differences. I would like to compare some important points in four common categories. I will compare and contrast the geography and its impact, the political structure of each society, the importance of their existing class structures and finally the role of women in these dynamic civilizations.

Powerful ancient civilizations, such as Rome and Persia, are known for their territorial conquest of vast amounts of land, and having the ability to govern and control these territories effectively. At its height, the Roman empire controlled nearly the entire Mediterranean shore, and controlled large parts of Europe. The Persian empire at its height controlled lands equaling 8,000,000 sq. km from Macedonia to the Indus Valley. The ability to govern and control these lands was achieved using different methods such as governmental, military, cultural, and religious. The governments of ancient empires with vast amounts of land needed to keep the peace between the lands, to accomplish this the governments used the military to prevent uprisings, and to prevent foreign invasion. Trade between different parts of these ancient empires helped to spread the culture and made foreign lands more like the original empire, an example being Greek Hellenism, and the spread of the Polis. A common trait of empires that controlled large amounts of land was religious tolerance. Religious tolerance allowed for different religions other than the state religion, albeit other religions most likely still had to participate in state religious affairs.

The foundations of an ancient empire are shaped by many characteristics originating in a civilization’s social, philosophical, and theological values. Collectively these will bring about an empire that has aspects which will classify them in distinctive ways. The aspects that will be compared between Persia and Rome are the motives for expansion, methods of expansion, the administration, the impact on those conquered and the original empire, and the reasons for the decline of each empire. When combined, these aspects predispose the individual overall shape of ancient Rome and Persia. Both empires began with conquering larger rulers and creating vast empires which had never been seen

The first ever unified Iranian state was the ancient nation of Media. Media would quickly emerge as a fierce power in the Near East and establish a vast empire, gaining territories in nations such as present day Iraq, Turkey and Pakistan. Despite its might, the Median Empire would eventually succumb to the more superior Achaemenid Empire, commonly known as the First Persian Empire. The Empire would never be matched in its size, spanning from modern day Pakistan to the edges of Europe itself. However, even the great Achaemenids would fall eventually to the army of Alexander The Great.

The Ubaid Period 6500 to 3800BC used a distinctive style of painted pottery which spread throughout most of Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf. The first settlement in southern Mesopotamia was established at Eridu around 5300BC by farmers who brought with them the first pioneered irrigation of agriculture. Eridu remained an important religious center when it was gradually surpassed in size by the nearby city of Uruk.

Throughout art history many rulers have faced the same problems that come to even the most common of people. No matter how much power a dynasty ruler gained, they could not feel and ensure for themselves a valiant future after death. Great Assyrians and Egyptian Pharaohs alike wanted to ensure their absolute power in this life and the next. From art they could make sure that their image would have the best chance of surviving even after they themselves have passed away. In eras where a new ruler could change and deplete the entire region, art was a long lasting image and message that would translate and stay with the perceiver. Art containing pictures of idealistic animals inferred an absolute image of power and respect no matter what the

Given the nature of the Assyrian empire’s rule things that would improve their relations between them and other cultures are lessening the taxes and annual tributes, preventing harsh laws from passing, and treating the people kindly. The Assyrian empire would force the people living under their empire to pay harsh taxes and tributes. Some of the people under the Assyrian rule would be forced to give off humans as a tribute. This would anger the cultures living under Assyrian rule and rebel, which is what cause the Assyrian empire to end. The same would apply for preventing harsh laws from being passed, and treating them kindly. This would prevent the people under Assyrian rule from becoming angry and rebelling. One thing that would also improve

Achaemenid Persia was one of the first and greatest empires of the Fertile Crescent and beyond, as such, they would come into contact with diverse groups of people, one of which is the Jews of Judea. The Persian Empire is one of the few empires depicted in the Tanach, or Hebrew Bible, as favorable. This being so, it can still be difficult to assert who the Persians, their kings, and their land were in the eyes of the Jews. The stories and depictions of the kings and land do not always agree on the matter and differ on how much detail is given. Persians during the time they ruled Judea have few records of who the Jews were and what they did in the borders of the empire. From what is found, it is still possible to gleam whom the Jews and their land were in the eyes of the kings of Persia.

For a few centuries after the death of Shamshi-Adad I, Assyrian cities were subjugated by a succession of outsiders: Babylonians under Hammurabi, Hittites and Mitanni-Hurrians. From 1791 to 1360 A.D. control over Assyria passed back and forth, although Assyria itself remained more or less stable. After a power struggle between the Hittites and Mitanni, the Hittites successfully broke the power of the Mitanni in the region. Assyria then began to take control over territories that had belonged to Mitanni. The Hittites battled with the Assyrians, but the Assyrian king Ashur-Uballit stamped out any remaining Mitanni or Hittite control over northern Mesopotamia.

The Assyrian Empire rose to power due to superior military organization and technology. They used iron weapons which gave them an advantage over opponents who still used bronze. The Assyrian army used tactics to discourage resistance and rebellion, using harsh punishments and publicizing their brutality.The most prominent way Assyrians dominated the Middle East was by a process called mass deportation. In this process the Assyrians forced entire communities to resettle somewhere else which gave them control on over 4 million people.

The government of Ancient Egypt was a Theocratic Monarchy which is a form government, which is a God or Goddess which is recognized as supreme civil ruler. The God’s or Goddess laws are being interpreted by the study of the Christian Church authorities. This is suppose to represent the God’s will through the laws passed and the policies approved. Periods, when

In the readings, there are many trends regarding ancient concepts of law, government, and social structure. The code of Hammurabi played a significant role in Mesopotamian law, while the Nile River had a large part in the development of Egyptian civilization. In addition, the Hebrews moved toward pure monotheism and the Persians enhanced the Near Eastern model of monarchical government. “The evidence reveals that on the one hand, peoples then living in the Near East, Africa, and the Mediterranean developed their own distinctive beliefs, mythologies, customs, and sense of identity. On the other they shared many attributes such as large populations, the use of writing, devotion to religion, and economies based on trade and agriculture.” (Lualdi, 15) Overall, each society had similarities and differences in their way of life, but some are key to showing the maturation of the area as a whole.