Assyrian and Persian Empires

Question 1

Where is Assyria?

Answer 1

North of Babylon along the Tigris River

Question 2

In the beginning who was Assyria a part of?

Answer 2

First under the influence of Sumer later it was part of the Akkadian and Babylonian Empires

Question 3

Why were Assyrians Fierce Warriors?

Answer 3

After Babylon fell Assyrians had to fight many Invaders

Question 4

What were some things developed by the Assyrian armies because of all of the fighting?

Answer 4

They had a Cavalry which was soldiers who fought on horseback and used iron weapons and tools which were much stronger than the bronze that was used earlier

Question 5

Who did the Assyrians learn Iron working from?

Answer 5

Assyrians Learn to Earn work from the Hittites who invaded Mesopotamia from Asia Minor

Question 6

When and where did the Assyrian Empire lie?

Answer 6

The Assyrian Empire was established in the mid-600 BCE and it stretched North from the Persian Gulf across the entire fertile crescent and Southwest into Egypt

Question 7

Assyrian rulers found governing a large population difficult how did they do it?

Answer 7

They divided the empire into 70 smaller provinces, each province had a governor that reported directly to the Assyrian ruler

Question 8

How did Assyria keep control over distant lands?

Answer 8

The Governor from the distant Province would report to the ruler

Question 9

Who was Ashurbanipal?

Answer 9

And Assyrian ruler who built a library in the capital filled with cuneiform tablets

Question 10

What is an important source of Mesopotamian history?

Answer 10

20000 tablets survive today from the library made by Ashurbanipal

Question 11

What were on the tablets in the library Babylonian?

Answer 11

The tablets were text and letters from Sumer and Babylonian about law, literature, mathematics, and science.

Question 12

What happened after Ashurbanipal’s death?

Answer 12

Enemy attacks weakened the empire and in 604 BCE Nebuchadnezzer II became king of Babylon.

Question 12

What was Nebuchadnezzar’s Empires name and what was he known for?

Answer 12

Neo Babylonian Empire, he was known for great projects like walls Gates and temples. His most famous project was the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Question 13

Who conquered neo-babylonian?

Answer 13

Babylon and the rest of Mesopotamia fell under the Persian Empire. Within a few Decades of this the Persian Empire was the largest empire ever.

Question 14

Who lead the rise of the Persian Empire?

Answer 14

Cyrus the Great

Question 15

How did Cyrus the Great make the Persian Empire so strong?

Answer 15

Originally Persia was led by the Medes in 550 b c e Cyrus the Great led the Persians to overthrow the Medes and create the Persian Empire. He then defeated the kingdom of Lydia and the Greek city-states.

Question 16

Why was Persians growth so fast?

Answer 16

Because they had a standing army, a permanent Army of professional soldiers.

Question 17

Who were the Immortals?

Answer 17

10000 elite soldiers in the core of the army

Question 18

How did Cyrus and the Persian army treat the Babylonians?

Answer 18

He treated them well allowing them to keep their customs and religions rather than forcing them to the Persian way. And he allowed the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple

Question 19

After Cyrus the Great who took over?

Answer 19

Cambyses his son

Question 20

How did can buy Cambyses expand Persian Empire?

Answer 20

He captured Egypt and try to capture Kush but failed.

Question 21

What happened to the Persian Empire after cambyses died?

Answer 21

Darius took the throne by force and expanded the Empire
to the Indus Valley
he went West and defeated the Greek city-state of Thrace.

Question 22

How did Darius the Great control the Persian Empire?

Answer 22

Provinces were called satrapies and he allowed each one to choose a leader. Each leader had a lot of Independence and made their local laws and traditions and made their own decisions.

Question 23

How did Darius the Great handle wealth?

Answer 23

Tribute was paid to show loyalty. Dharius made it fair where each province paid according to its wealth. They had one common currency, money

Question 24

Why was the common currency so important?

Answer 24

Common currency Unified the Persian economy and made it easier for trade between distance provinces.

Question 25

How did roads help the Persian Empire

Answer 25

1- Trade, Armyies, government officials and Royal Messengers travel on them.
2- Persian set up postal stations along the great Royal Road Messengers on Horseback and relayed messages from one station to the next
3 -the persian system was the fastest communication system in the world all because of the roads

Question 26

Who is Zoroaster?

Answer 26

Around 600 BCE he developed a religion where there was a supreme
god ahura-mazda
who had a evil opponent

Question 27

What did Zoroastrianism believe?

Answer 27

• the universe is a fight between Good and Evil
• believe in an afterlife
• people have an important role to play by working for good

Question 28

What is the Avestra?

Answer 28

The holy text of Zoroastrianism.

Question 29

What do historians believe about Zoroastrianism?

Answer 29

That it influenced Judaism Christianity and Islam.

Question 30

What role did seals play for the Sumerians?

Answer 30

Stone seals were used to identify the owner of an object before cuneiform writing. Seal left the owner’s personal mark on goods.

Question 31

How would someone use a seal in Sumeria?

Answer 31

Trade Goods would be tied with a string and the owner would cover the knot with clay and stamp the clay with a seal to show ownership.

Question 32

What is relief?

Answer 32

A Mesopotamian form of sculpture. In relief the sculpture scene sticks out from the surface of the base of the material.

Question 33

Where would you find a relief sculpture?

Answer 33

On a stele, a stele is a carved stone slab or pillar that stands on its end.

Question 34

Which cultures did the Assyrians do?

Answer 34

Large colorful reliefs on the side of buildings. They also decorated walls with cone-shaped pieces of baked clay painted white black and red