Mesopotamia2

Imperial Rise & Fall In the Mid-East

A. The Assyrians (1^st Millennium BC) Sargon I, II

1. Control techniques

a. Co-opt the local rulers – disguised tribute (e.g., King Jehu of Israel, 842-815 BC)

b. Establish a puppet ruler

c. Select a governor (generally a eunuch) & garrison

d. Reduce resources available

e. Population relocation, e.g., 27,000 Israelites deported, -721 BC

2. Opulence and brutality (psych warfare)

B. Media & The Neo-Babylonians

1. Medes & Babylonians overthrow Assyria, c 600BC

2. Medes defeated by Persians, 550 BC

3. Nebuchadnezzar rebuilds Babylonia, (604-552 BC)

4. Nabonidus, the last Babylonian king, 555 – 539 (Did Daniel get it wrong?)

C. The Persians I (Achaemenidians)

1. Cyrus, 559- 530 BC

2. Side Bar: Herodotus tells a tale:: Cyrus defeats Croesus

3. Ends “Babylonian Captivity”

4. Enlightened rule; bad press

5. The first monotheistic religion: Zoroastrianism

6. Engineering innovations

D. The Persian-Greek Conflict (to be continued)