The chapter introduces students to Mesopotamian culture, geography etc. It also enlists the development and the importance of writing. We also highlight the urbanisation process that began in southern Mesopotamia.
What is Mesopotamia?
Mesopotamia comes from the Greek words Mesos, which means middle, and potamos, which means river. The territory is located between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers that is now part of Iraq's Republic
Mesopotamian Civilisation
Mesopotamian civilization is known for its wealth, city life, extensive and rich literature, as well as mathematics and astronomy. After 2000 BCE, its writing system and literature spread throughout the eastern Mediterranean, northern Syria, and Turkey.
The kingdoms of that region were writing to one another and to Egypt's Pharaoh in Mesopotamia's language and script.
Urbanised Centres
● Sumer and Akkad were the names of the land given to the urbanised areas.
● Babylon became a significant city after 2000 BCE, and the term Babylonia was applied to the southern region, later known as Assyria in 1100 BCE when the Assyrians established their kingdom in the north.
Language
● Sumerian was the land's first known language.
● When Akkadian speakers arrived around 2400 BCE, they gradually replaced it. This language flourished until around the time of Alexander the Great (336-323 BCE), with some regional variations.
Aramaic began to appear around 1400 BCE. After 1000 BCE, the language, which was similar to Hebrew, became widely spoken. Still spoken in some parts of Iraq.