WEST ASIA  Near East or the Middle East  It is the part of Asia that is closest to the Mediterranean Sea.

 It covers all the land between modern Turkestan in the north, Afghanistan in the east, the Persian Gulf in the south, and the Mediterranean Sea in the west.  One of the first places where people farmed and lived in town  It was also one of the first places that had kings and built cities  It is also the Borders of 3 significant continents (Africa, Asia, Europe). Countries constituting the West Asia Saudi Arabia Lebanon Jordan Syria Iraq Kuwait Gulf States of Yemen Oman UAE Qatar Bahrain Iran Israel Cyprus Turkey Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan MAJOR RIVERS of the MIDDLE EAST Amu darya Indus Tigris Euphrates MAJOR LANDFORMS of the MIDDLE EAST Anatolian Plateau Zagros Mountains Tien Shan Taurus mountains Syrian Dessert Kara Kum dessert Pamir Hadramawt Elburz mountains Caucasus Mountains Ethnolinguistic group 1. Sumerians 8. Lydians 15. Persians 2. Elamites 9. Caanites 16. Kurds 3. Kassites 10. Arabs 17. Afghans 4. Hattis 11. Armenians 18. Turks 5. Haldes 12. Jews 6. Hurris 13. Assyrians 7. Lycianes 14. Hittites SUMERIAN CIVILIZATIONS  Emerge in Mesopotamia  It is part of the Fertile Crescent or the arc (half circle) of fertile land in West Asia  Rainfall was not regularly and the annual flood or over flow of the river was unpredictable  People built an extensive irrigation system of dikes and canals.  As agriculture production increased and surplus food was stored, the population grew. Then came the need to build more houses in a limited area  Other natural materials like meta, wood, stone and semiprecious stones needed for edifices, tools and jewelries were acquired through trading Neolithic Villages Before the Sumerian Cities Several Neolithic communities or villages were discovered in the region are Jericho in Israel, Catal Huyuk and Hacilar in Anatolia(modernday Turkey) and various villages in Zagros Mountains in the Border of Mesopotamia and Persia(modern-day Iraq and Iran). Jericho Two main products  Sulful  Salt Catal Huyuk Hacilar Political and Economic System in sumer  Oldest civilization in the world  Sumerian civilization was around 3,500 to 3,000 B.C.E.  Sumer has 6 cities  Ur Uruk  Eridu Lagash  Nippur Kish  Temple Ziggurat  Granaries, palaces with courtyards and the houses of other city officials  Activities focuses on the religion  People build necessary irrigation and structures  Priest-kings first leaders of the Sumer  Military- kings, leaders who replaced priest-kings  Sumerian's Religion  Ziggurat dwelling place of the gods and goddesses  Ziggurat has many levels  Artisans learned to mold clay into bricks  Sumerian believed that mountains were the center of super natural and power in the world  Sumerian were Polytheists  Their four gods controlled the forces of nature    Anu-god of heaven Enli-god of air Enki-god of water

 Ninhursag-goddess of the earth Social System  The ruling elite included the political and spiritual leaders and high government official  The priest stood as middlemen between gods and humans  In the social hierarchy were the traders, artisans, scribes and lower government officials  The farmer who composed the majority of the population belonged to the third class Contribution of Sumer to the world  One of their most important invention is a system of writing called the cuneiform  The very first epic recorded in the world is the Epic of Gilgamesh (a Sumerian epic)  Sumerian invented the plow of wheelbarrow, wheel-spun pottery, bronze metallurgy(alloy of copper and arsenic) and silver currency.  They also invented the decimal system, 360 degree circle and lunar calendar ISLAMIC IDEAS ON KINGSHIP IN WEST ASIA  Allah, god of Muslims  Muhammad, the founder of Islam  is the seal of prophet or last prophet who will preach the message of Allah on earth  He is also recognized as a political leader of Muslims  Abu Bakr, Muhammads successor after he died and became a leader of the Muslims  Caliph-spiritual leader of Islam  Caliphate- system of government established by the Muslims  Muslim conquered the lands of Asia, Africa and even parts of Southern Spain in Europe  Islamic Empires were among of the strongest empire in the world  Quran or Koran DUTIES OF THE CALIPH : 1. He should preserve Islam in its original state when it was established. 2. He should hand out a righteous and legal judgment to resolve differences and conflicts. 3. He should protect everything under his empire and all that is sacred in it. 4. He should collect taxes on all his subjects in accordance with the law. 5. He should govern all his subjects so that the empire is in order and religion protected. Emergence of native empire in Mesopotamia Babylonian I ( ca. 1700-1595 B.C.E .  Another Semitic group who came from the West  Under the leadership of Hammurabi the first Babylonian Empire flourished.  Most famous feat of Hammurabi was the codification of laws  Punishment were meted out based on the gravity of offense  Hittites were victorious in crushing the Babylonians  They invented ironworking and the use of horse-drawn chariots Assyrian Empire ( ca. 745-612 B.C.E. )  Armed with weapons crafted from iron and war chariots  Known for their ruthless and brutal in their pacification campaigns  Describe in the bible as land bathed in blood  Their glory ended when the capital city of Nineveh was crushed by the different ethnic groups  Chaldeans-another Semitic group  Scythian and Cimmerian-from the steppes of the north  Medes-an Indo European tribe Babylonian Empire II (ca. 612-539 B.C.E.)  Under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar, Babylonia regained its former glory.  He rebuilt the city and erected numerous structures  He ordered the construction if the famous hanging Gardens of Babylonia for his wife. Emergence of other west Asian civilization  Aramean  Popular because of their language Aramaic which was widely spoken throughout West Asia  Lydian  introduced the use of coins in trade. The most common materials used for the production of coins were gold and silver.  Common material used for the production were gold and silver  Phoenician  Phoenicians turned to the sea and became competent sailors and skilled builders of sea vessels  Another contribution of Phoenicians was the use of alphabet in 22 consonants Hebrew spoke a Semitic language They contribute the idea of Monotheism Hittites According to many scholars, the traditional homeland of the Hittites was in the Northeastern part of the Black Sea They migrated in the eastern part of Anatolia They discovered how to make iron from iron ore. The rise of indigenous and foreign empires in west asia Archaemenid or Persian empire

(ca.550-350 B.C.E.)  Known as First Persian Empire and/or Persian Empire  Was founded in the 6th century BCE by Cyrus the Great It expanded to significant portions of the ancient world at around 500 BCE  It was ruled by a series of monarchs  The Persian empire was divided into satrapies or provinces that were governed by the Persian satraps or Governor  It was the duty of the Satrap to collect tribute, maintain peace and order to hold off barbarians in the frontier areas.  Aramaic was widely spoken as a language of business and trade throughout the empire  There was a standard systems of weight and measure. Coins were use to procure a products  Another important contribution of Persian was court etiquette. Macedonian Empire (ca. 312-263 B.C.E.)  The kingdom of Macedonia was located in the Northern part of the Greek Peninsula  In 359 B.C.E., Philip II ascended the throne as a king of Macedonia.  He organized an army to rival the domination of Athens in Greece. In 338 B.C.E.,  He defeated alliances in the battle of Chaeronea  They adopted the Hellenic or Greek civilization  The Greek called themselves Hellenes.  In 336 B.C.E., Phillip was murdered by his enemies  His son, Alexander inherited the Macedonia  Aristotle serve as a tutor to the Young Alexander.  Alexander the Great became known for his military skills. His empire encompassed a vast area that include Egypt, the whole of West Asia and Northern India. Aside from enlarging the domain of his empire, Alexander also wanted to spread Hellenistic civilization. Roman Empire (ca. 132 B.C.E.-476 C.E)  Roman Emperor Diocletian decided to divide the empire into two  the western part remained in the Rome while the;  Eastern wing was centered in Asia minor.  Constantine built the new imperial capital at Byzantium and called it by the name of Constantinople(now Istanbul)in 330C.E.  Later the empire would be known as the Byzantium Empire. Parthian Empire(ca. 171B.C.E.-226C.E.)  The power and authority of the Byzantine Empire was challenged by the Parthian  The Romans and the Parthian were competing with the each other  Caravan traders carrying silk from China traveled across the long stretch of the Silk Route and usually made a stopover at Armenia.  Parthian were finally defeated when Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius sacked its capital, Ctesiphon at Tigris, and set it on fire. Sassanid Empire (ca.228-651C.E.)  also known as the second Persian Empire  It was established by Ardashir I who ascended to power because of his alliance with Zoroastrian priest  Sassanid implemented policies that paved the way the rekindling of the old glory of the first Persian empire The spread of arab-islamic civilization (600-1000 c.e.) Muhammad and the begging of Islam  Muhammad was born to the Quraysh group in Mecca, Arabia, in 570 C.E.  As a young man he became a merchant  He soon married a widow named khadija  He preached on worship of only one god who was called Allah  Hejira/hegira- journey of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina  Ummah- a Muslim community established by Muhammad  Caliph (from khalifat-rasul-allah) means successor of the apostle or messenger (rasul) of allah Orthodox caliphate  Abu Bakr was elected as the first caliph (632 to 661 C.E)  Umar ruled as a second caliph  He used the title Amir-al-mu minin or leader of the faithful  Uthman, the third caliph  Came from the Ummayad family of mecca  Governed from 644 to 656 C.E  Ali, the fourth caliph  Ruled from 656 to 661 C.E.  Followers divided into two: Shia(followers called shiites) Sunnites(from sunna or tradition emanating from Muhammad) Ummayad Caliphate(660-750 C.E.)  Mu-wiyah, governor of Syria, seized the caliphate  He transfer the seat of power from Mecca to Damascus, Syria  Under the leadership of Ummayds , Islam was introduced to Tunisia in Africa and in Southern Spain  Charles Martel, leader of the franks  By 750 C.E. the caliphate finally fell abbasid caliphate  Abbasids ruled the Islamic for 500 years

           

          

   

       

           

Baghdad in Iraq served as the caliphates capital The rule of the Abbasids was dubbed as the Golden Age of Islam Harun-al-Rashid and his son al-Mamun were the two patrons of learning and intellectual activity Al-Rashid also exchange correspondence with the Chinese emperor and Charlemagne who ruled the Holy Roman Empire Turk and Mongol Invasions Seljuk Turks group from the Central Asia who migrated to West Asia Introduced new title to Muslim leader: Sultan Mongols another group from the Central Asia who migrated to West Asia One of Genghis Khans grandson, Hulegu, sacked Baghdad in 1258 C.E The safavid (1501-1772) and ottoman (1453-1914) empires th th Two Islamic Empire held sway over the region in the last part of 15 century until the last part of 20 century Safavid Empire supported by Qizilbash Second was the Ottoman Turks Ottoman expand their territory by building a fearsome army composed of Turks and Christian janissaries or young Christian warriors Judaism Religion of the Jews or Israelites Monotheistic religion Yahweh/YHWH Torah first five books Patriarchs of Jews Abraham, Isaac, Jacob Ten Comandments Judaism Difference to Christianity is what they believe in Jesus Christ Messiah Christianity Jesus Christ Messiah Holy Bible  Old Testament  New Testament Christianity Belief:  Jesus is the Son of God  God sent Christ to the world Adam and Eve, the first people created by God God promised that he would send Mesiah He was born of the blessed Virgin Mary Christianity Belief:  Jesus is the Son of God  God sent Christ to the world Adam and Eve, the first people created by God God promised that he would send Mesiah He was born of the blessed Virgin Mary Christianity Age of 30 He started his Ministry He teach and made miracles He died but after three days he was resurrected and ascended to heaven Christians also believe life after death The greatest commandments of Christians:  Love your God with all your heart, mind and soul  Love your neighbour as you love yourself  Islam Islam peace; surrender Moslems or Muslim Muhammad 571 CE in Mecca Quran or Koran Sacred book Age of 25 he became a caravan driver of a widowed merchant named Khadjia He acquainted to Judaism and Christianity Islam It became the habit of Muhammad to go to a cave Allah is the only one who should be recognized, praised and thanked All the intuitions, meditations and experiences of Muhammad in this times were recorded by Khadjia and followers Muhammad was rejected by the people of Mecca He went to Medina Islam Hagira