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{{Template:Ancient Mesopotamia}}
{{Template:Ancient Mesopotamia}}
'''Mesopotamia''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Μεσοποταμία, translated from [[Old Persian]] ''Miyanrudan'' "the fertile cresent"; [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]] name being ''Beth-Nahrain'' "House of Two Rivers") is a region of [[Southwest Asia]]. Strictly speaking, it is the [[alluvial plain]] lying ''between'' the [[Tigris]] and [[Euphrates]] rivers, composing parts of [[Iraq]] and [[Syria]]. More commonly, the term includes these river plains in totality as well as the surrounding lowland territories bounded by the [[Arabian Desert]] to the west and south, the [[Persian Gulf]] to the southeast, the [[Zagros Mountains]] to the east and the [[Caucasus]] mountains to the north. Mesopotamia is famous for the site of some of the oldest civilizations in the world.
'''Mesopotamia''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Μεσοποταμία, translated from [[Old Persian]] ''Miyanrudan'' "the fertile cresent"; [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]] name being ''Beth-Nahrain'' "House of Two Rivers") is a region of [[Southwest Asia]]. Strictly speaking, it is the [[alluvial plain]] lying ''between'' the [[Tigris]] and [[Euphrates]] rivers, composing parts of [[Iraq]] and [[Syria]]. More commonly, the term includes these river plains in totality as well as the surrounding lowland territories bounded by the [[Arabian Desert]] to the west and south, the [[Persian Gulf]] to the southeast, the [[Zagros Mountains]] to the east and the [[Caucasus]] mountains to the north. Mesopotamia is famous for the site of some of the oldest civilizations in the world.
⚫
[[Image:mesolapis.jpg|A handcrafted lapis lazuli pendant circa 4900 BC from Mesoptamia.]]
[[Image:Sumerian MS2272 2400BC.jpg|left|thumb|200px|[[Sumerian]] list of gods in [[cuneiform script]], ca. [[24th century BC]]]]
[[Image:Sumerian MS2272 2400BC.jpg|left|thumb|200px|[[Sumerian]] list of gods in [[cuneiform script]], ca. [[24th century BC]]]]
⚫
[[Image:mesolapis.jpg A handcrafted lapis lazuli pendant circa 4900 BC from Mesoptamia.]]
Writings from Mesopotamia ([[Uruk]], modern Warka) are among the earliest known in the world, giving Mesopotamia a reputation of being the "[[Cradle of Civilization]]". The age of Sumerian writing is about on a par with [[Egyptian hieroglyphs]], and some yet older inscriptions are known, probably ranking as proto-writing ([[Old European script]], [[Naqada]] [http://www.touregypt.net/ebph5.htm].)
Writings from Mesopotamia ([[Uruk]], modern Warka) are among the earliest known in the world, giving Mesopotamia a reputation of being the "[[Cradle of Civilization]]". The age of Sumerian writing is about on a par with [[Egyptian hieroglyphs]], and some yet older inscriptions are known, probably ranking as proto-writing ([[Old European script]], [[Naqada]] [http://www.touregypt.net/ebph5.htm].)


Revision as of 04:44, 16 October 2005

For other uses see Mesopotamia (disambiguation).

Mesopotamia (Greek: Μεσοποταμία, translated from Old Persian Miyanrudan "the fertile cresent"; Aramaic name being Beth-Nahrain "House of Two Rivers") is a region of Southwest Asia. Strictly speaking, it is the alluvial plain lying between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, composing parts of Iraq and Syria. More commonly, the term includes these river plains in totality as well as the surrounding lowland territories bounded by the Arabian Desert to the west and south, the Persian Gulf to the southeast, the Zagros Mountains to the east and the Caucasus mountains to the north. Mesopotamia is famous for the site of some of the oldest civilizations in the world.

File:Sumerian MS2272 2400BC.jpg
Sumerian list of gods in cuneiform script, ca. 24th century BC

File:Mesolapis.jpg A handcrafted lapis lazuli pendant circa 4900 BC from Mesoptamia. Writings from Mesopotamia (Uruk, modern Warka) are among the earliest known in the world, giving Mesopotamia a reputation of being the "Cradle of Civilization". The age of Sumerian writing is about on a par with Egyptian hieroglyphs, and some yet older inscriptions are known, probably ranking as proto-writing (Old European script, Naqada [1].)

City states and Imperial glory

Yet Mesopotamia was also settled, and conquered, by numerous ancient civilizations.

  • The Mitanni were an eastern Indo-European people (belonging to the linguistic "satem" group) who settled in northern Mesopotamia circa 1600 BC South-East of Turkey and by circa 1450 BC established a medium-size empire east, north and west, and temporarily made tributary vassals out of kings in the west, even as far as Kafti (minoic Crete) and making them a major threat for the Pharaoh.
  • By 1300 BC they had been reduced to their homeland and the status of vassal of the Hatti = the Hittites, a western Indo-European people (belonging to the linguistic "kentum" group) who dominated most of Asia Minor from their capital of Hattutshash (modern Turkey) and threatened Egypt even more.
  • Meanwhile the Kassites established a strong realm, Sangar, in southern Mesopotamia, with Babel as its capital, not touched by Mitanni or Hittites. But the Elamites threatened or invaded them.
  • Chaldaean New Babylonia circa 600 BC.

Later history

  • The region ceased to be a major power house since its inclusion in the Persian Empire of the Achaemenids, apparently as two satrapies, Babylonia in the south and Athura (from Assyria) in the north.
  • After the conquest of all Persia by the Hellenizing Macedonian king Alexander the Great, the satrapies were part of the major diadochy, the Seleucid Empire, almost until its elimination by Greater Armenia in 83 BC.
  • Most of Mesopotamia then became part of the Parthian Empire of the Arsakides.

However part, in the northwest, became Roman. Under the tetrarchy, this was divided into two provinces, called Osrhoene (around Edessa; roughly the modern-day border between Turkey and Syria) and Mesopotamia (a bit more northeast).

  • During the time of the Persian Empire of Sassanids, their much larger share of Mesopotamia was called Dil-i Iranshahr meaning "Iran's Heart" and the metropol Ctesiphon (facing ancient Seleukia across the Tigris), the capital of Persia, was situated in Mesopotamia.
  • Since the early caliphs annexed all Persia and advanced even further, Mesopotamia was reunited, but governed as two provinces: northern Mesopotamia (with Mosul) and southern Iraq (with Baghdad, the later caliphal capital).

These civilizations arose from earlier settlements and cultures which were among the first to make use of agriculture.

Early cities in this region include:

Overview map of ancient Mesopotamia


Further reading

  • A game for all the family that teaches the basic history of Mesopotamia can be found here [2]

Disambiguation

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