Assyrians (Early Civilizations of the Near East)

ca. 3500BC to ca. 650BC

Basic Context/Internal Characteristics: Most powerful civilization of the near east. Brutal Military. 

Mesopotamia: city-states

Relationship to Other Societies- Assyrians: Genocide

Views of the "Other"/Methods of Interaction: Adoption&adaptation of writing to communicate w/other cultures

Social&Political Importance of Religion: Shammesh gives law codes to Hammurabi-slavery, fear Gods, rely on agriculture. Hierarchy:men and sons more important. Hammurabi himself is a King-Dictator, harsh, no room for error. "King of the entire world"

Persian Empire

ca. 550BC to ca. 325BC

Basic Context/Internal Characteristics- Palace builders; unstable court culture. 

Relationship to Other Societies- Persians: Tolerance Jews (liberated them from Babylon)

Views of the "Other"/Methods of Interaction- Positive when submissive, didn't want other cultures to assimilate

Cosmopolitanism/Cultural Hybrids- Visual evidence--Palace of Perisopolis

Social and Political Importance of Religion- Zoroastrianism, king is reflection on earth of God--Visual evidence=wings. 

Greeks in  a Wider World

ca. 750BC to ca.350BC

Basic Context/Internal Characteristics- Politically fragmented, poor&pessimistic, misogynistic, citistates; culturally united / language.

Relationship to Other Societies- Culturally important for exportation & importation of produce, saw itself as superior. Pessimistic view of the world--"The God's will screw you!"

Views of the "Other"/Methods of Interaction-Colonization=>"overpopulation". Barbarian: judged by burial, religion, economy (nomads), slavery, brutality (Herodotus).

Cosmopolitanism/Cultural Hybrids- Assimilation of colonies; building of infrastructure; depiction of animals on pottery

Social and Political Importance of Religion- Not as important; United through common religion; each worshiped its own diety. 

Alexander/Hellenistic World

ca. 325BC to ca. 1BC/AD

Basic Context/Internal Characteristics: 1/2 Greek 1/2 Macedonian; father Philip II; loyalty of companions, growth in troop strength. 

Relationship to Other Societies- terror, cultural mingling, hats of Alexander change: Macedonian vs. Persia, civilized vs. barbarian

Views of the "Other"/Methods of Interaction- War 334-324 overthrew Persian Achemenid Dynasty; brutality, culture coopted of the conquered. Saw others as racially impure.  

Cosmopolitanism/Cultural Hybrids-Coinage=>Elephant power (Political and Military) Hellenized elites are those who speak greek: Greek cultural identity, macedonian warrior identity prostration vs kissing.

Social and Political Importance of Religion- Buddhism & Janism develop 6-4th 

Mauryan India and Ashoka (Chandragupta)

Basic Context/Internal Characteristics- Maurya 1st to Unite; power of women, elephants

Relationship to Other Societies- Spread of laws ofpiety for religion and spiritual benefit to others

Views of the "Other"/Methods of Interaction- Concerned with threat of barbarians

Cosmpopolitanism/Cultural Hybrids-Grecco Buddhism: Togga

Social and Political Importance of Religion- Law of piety: warfare and happiness, reslect for both human and animal life (sanctity), relig toleration; political tool for conquor

Chandragupta's own own conversion experience and own political ideology that emerges.

Basic Context/Internal Characteristics- Spread of writing system, political unification, Mentality of Yin/Yang

Relationship to Other Societies- 1. Shong Nu organize as a state after Han 2. Internal dynamics of a barbarian society attempting to profit economically 

Views of the "Other"/Methods of Interaction- Hostility towards barbarians, never to assimilate, Intermarriage; saw them as = violent, nomads (pastoralism) no writing, egalitarianism, diplomacy, economic exchange

Cosmopolitanism/Cultural Hybrids- Survival of state is best interest of rulers. Fondness for exotic products.

Social and Political Importance of Religion- Ancestor cults and worship principles of nature; importance of philosophy (legalism, daoism), confcious. 

Basic Context/Internal Cnaracteristics- Greek influence, struggling city states become mediterrenian empire

Relationship to Other Societies- Citizenship policy; co-op privincial elite

Views of the "Other"/ Methods of Interaction- homoginized male population, unity through architecture, image of Bar: Violent, racially pure, womens importance in society, human sacrafice, lazy pastoralism; no agriculture, economic exchange political influence military aid. 

Cosmopolitanism/Cultural Hybrids- Did not obliterate other cultures=continued to keep 2 identities; roman culture itself was not static-it was influenced by those they conquered, influence of religious cults.