Describes ancient Mesopotamia, now located in present-day Iraq, and traces its history, technological innovations, people, and culture from 10,000 to 539 B.C.
Describes ancient Mesopotamia, now located in present-day Iraq, and traces its history, technological innovations, people, and culture from 10,000 to 539 B.C.
The peoples of ancient Mesopotamia oversaw one of the major cradles of human civilization. The world's first cities and empires grew on the plains of what is now Iraq. Some of the world's first farmers worked land in what historians call the Fertile Crescent.
Civilization was born eight thousand years ago, between the floodplains of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, when migrants from the surrounding mountains and deserts began to create increasingly sophisticated urban societies. In the cities that they built, half of human history took place. In Babylon, Paul Kriwaczek tells the story of Mesopotamia from the earliest settlements seven thousand years ago to the eclipse of Babylon in the sixth century BCE. Bringing the people of this land to life in vibrant detail, the author chronicles the rise and fall of power during this period and explores the political and social systems, as well as the technical and cultural innovations, which made this land extraordinary. At the heart of this book is the story of Babylon, which rose to prominence under the Amorite king Hammurabi from about 1800 BCE. Even as Babylon's fortunes waxed and waned, it never lost its allure as the ancient world's greatest city. Engaging and compelling, Babylon reveals the splendor of the ancient world that laid the foundation for civilization itself.
All students can learn about ancient Mesopotamia through text written at four reading levels. Symbols on the pages represent reading-level ranges to help differentiate instruction. Provided comprehension questions complement the text.
Responsible for the first writing system and home to elaborate kingdoms and societies, Mesopotamia has been aptly labeled as the birthplace of the worlds first advanced civilizations. Although much remains unknown about the life and structure of Mesopotamia, the writings and artifacts left behind have shed elucidating light on a number of its significant developments and technological advances. This absorbing volume explores Sumer, Babylon, and the other early settlements that flourished in the enchanting land between the Tigris and Euphrates.