Babylonia

• What ancient state is referred to as Babylonia?


  Babylonia was an ancient Akkadian-speaking state based in the city of Babylon.
• In which modern-day countries was Babylonia located?


  Babylonia was located in present-day Iraq and parts of Syria and Iran.
• When did Babylonia emerge as a state?


  Babylonia emerged as a state around 1894 BC.
• Who ruled Babylonia during its emergence?

  Babylonia was ruled by the Amorites during its emergence.
• What was the significance of Hammurabi in Babylonian history?


  Hammurabi created a short-lived empire and is known for his code of laws.
• What happened to the Babylonian Empire after Hammurabi's death?


  The Babylonian Empire rapidly fell apart and reverted to a small kingdom centered around Babylon.
• What languages were retained for official use in Babylonia?

  Akkadian was retained for official use, while Sumerian was retained for religious use.
• What role did Sumerian and Akkadian traditions play in Babylonian culture?


  Sumerian and Akkadian traditions played a major role in the development of Babylonian and Assyrian culture.
• When did Sumerian civilization emerge in Mesopotamia?


  Sumerian civilization emerged around 5400 BC.
• What occurred between Sumerian and Akkadian speakers during the 3rd millennium BC?


  An intimate cultural symbiosis occurred, including widespread bilingualism.
• How did Akkadian influence Sumerian and vice versa?


  The influence is evident in lexical borrowing, syntactic, morphological, and phonological convergence.
• When did Akkadian gradually replace Sumerian as the spoken language of Mesopotamia?


  Akkadian gradually replaced Sumerian around the turn of the third and second millennium BC.
• What were some major Sumerian cities before the rise of the Akkadian Empire?


  Major Sumerian cities included Ur, Lagash, Uruk, and Kish.
• What was the major religious center of Mesopotamia before Babylon?

  The major religious center was the city of Nippur.
• What led to the disintegration of the Akkadian Empire?


  The Akkadian Empire disintegrated due to economic decline, climate change, and civil war.
• What event marked the rise of the Third Dynasty of Ur?


  The Third Dynasty of Ur rose after the Gutians were ejected from southern Mesopotamia in 2161 BC.
• What are the key periods in Babylonian history?

  • Pre-Babylonian Sumero-Akkadian period
  • First Babylonian dynasty (Amorite dynasty, 1894–1595 BC)
  • Kassite dynasty (1595–1155 BC)
  • Early Iron Age (1155–1026 BC)
  • Period of chaos (1026–911 BC)
  • Assyrian rule (911–619 BC)
  • Neo-Babylonian Empire (Chaldean Empire)
  • Fall of Babylon
• What were the main cultural contributions of Babylonia?

  • Art and architecture
  • Astronomy
  • Medicine
  • Literature
  • Mathematics
  • Philosophy
• What were the official and common languages of Babylonia?

  • Official languages: Akkadian, Sumerian, Aramaic
  • Common languages: Akkadian, Aramaic
• What was the significance of the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia?


  • United Akkadian Semites and Sumerians under one rule
  • Dominated much of the ancient Near East
  • Established a cultural and linguistic legacy
• What was the impact of the Gutians on the Akkadian Empire?


  • The Gutians attacked and contributed to the disintegration of the Akkadian Empire.
  • Their rise led to the resurgence of Sumerian power with the Third Dynasty of Ur.
• What was the major religious center of all Mesopotamia before Babylon?

  Nippur
• Who was the supreme god in Nippur?

  Enlil
• Which empire united the Akkadian Semites and Sumerians under one rule?

  The Akkadian Empire
• What factors contributed to the disintegration of the Akkadian Empire?


  Economic decline, climate change, civil war, and attacks by the Gutians
• What dynasty rose after the Akkadian Empire?


  The Third Dynasty of Ur
• In what year did the Gutians get ejected from southern Mesopotamia?


  2161 BC
• Who were the Amorites?


  A foreign Northwest Semitic-speaking people
• What was the significance of King Ilu-shuma's inscription?


  It described his efforts to establish Akkadian freedom and trade
• How did Sargon I's reign affect Assyria's territorial focus?


  He withdrew from southern Mesopotamia to expand Assyrian colonies in Anatolia
• What were the most powerful city-states during the Amorite period?


  Isin, Eshnunna, and Larsa
• Who was the first Amorite ruler officially recognized as king of Babylon?

  Sin-Muballit
• What did Hammurabi achieve during his reign?


  He expanded Babylon into a great city and established a bureaucracy
• What was the significance of Hammurabi's law code?


  It improved earlier codes of Sumer, Akkad, and Assyria
• What city became the cultural and religious center of southern Mesopotamia under Hammurabi?


  Babylon
• How did Hammurabi's conquests affect the political landscape of Mesopotamia?


  They coalesced small states into a single nation called Babylonia
• What led to the decline of Babylonia after Hammurabi's death?


  Loss of territory and internal strife under his successors
• Who was the last Amorite ruler of Babylon?

  Samsu-Ditana
• What event marked the end of the Amorite rule in Babylon?


  The sack of Babylon by the Hittite king Mursili I
• What was the significance of the sack of Babylon in historical chronology?


  It is considered a fixed point for calculating the early chronology of the ancient Near East