Jiri Tucker

Yisroel M.D.

Egypt Greece

and Rome

Friday, March 14, 2014

EGoR Journal Entries

J.   J.1

Comment on the “We are Mesopotamians” figures. Find video on you tube. What did each accomplish, according to your textbook, for each civilization? Include dates or some kind of timeline. Provide geography of their civilizations. Also, according to your textbook, who gave this name "Mesopotamia"? Look up the historical background on this individual.

We are Mesopotamians

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAMRTGv82Zo

The Four Mesopotamians:


Sargon (2270-2215 BCE)

Hammurabi (1696-1654 BCE)

Assurbanipal (668-627 BCE)

Gilgamesh (2300 BCE, approx.)

Background and Accomplishments

Sargon became king of Acadia. He captured Sumerian cities including the giant ones: Ur and Uruk. These two cities had a population of approximately 50,000 (as opposed to the norm of 5,000-10,000). He established the First Near Eastern empire. 

Hammurabi created the Second Near Eastern empire. Using a shrewd mix of force and diplomacy, he greatly expanded his empire from the relatively insignificant Babylon into one of the most important empires in the world at that time. In 1694 BCE, he destroyed the ancient city of Mari. This showed his power to the world and as unforeseen consequence of raising the city, 20,000 tablets were baked in the fires. This preserved a whole horde of historical enlightenment scripture. 

Assurbanipal was most noted for collecting a huge library of clay tablets which still exist today. This is very good for historians so that we know what happened in his time. He put down a lot of revolts in his time, especially the Egyptian city of Thebes. He was partially responsible for the collapse of the Assyrian Empire because although he was good at war, he couldn’t grasp the concept on peace.

Gilgamesh is a mostly literary figure. He was a hero who developed through triumphs and failures. His stories are written on clay tablets by the Sumerian people. The stories morphed and changed for hundreds of years to suit the changing culture and lifestyle of the people. Gilgamesh may have once been the King of Uruk, although this is not clear. The Sumerian Empire was conquered by the Accadians who took up the mantle in continuing the legend. The two peoples believed that there had to be a strong balance between nature and culture. The family man was on great importance to them.

The name Mesopotamia was most likely created by the ancient Greeks in the Hellenistic era (323 BCE 31 BCE). It literally means, “Land Between Two Rivers” and is also called The Fertile Crescent.

J. 2

Three Pharaohs – Three Kingdoms

Old Kingdom (2600-2100)

·      Menes (Born Aprox. 3100 BCE)

New Kingdom (2050-1650 BCE)

·      Akhenaten IV (Rule: 1362-1347 BCE)

Middle Kingdom (2060-2010)

·      Montuhotep II (C. 2050-1786 BCE)

Background and Accomplishments

Menes: Since he reigned in the Old Kingdom, he was amongst the strongest and most powerful of the Pharaohs. In this time, Pharaohs were not portrayed as shepherds. There was no crook and flail. He united upper and lower Egypt for the first time.

Also, he very well may have been the same person as King Narmer, another great Egyptian ruler.

Akhenaten: originally, his name was Amenhotep. Akhenaten means glory of Aton, the god he loved most. It was more than a minor preference. He believed, in fact, that everyone in Egypt should follow his god and made the practice of worshipping any other god illegal. This upset most of his population including the priests who lost their source of prestige and income. This is called henotheism: a focus on one god with a minor acknowledgement of other gods. People lost access to the afterlife because of his laws.

Mentuhotep II: born in Thebes. He was part of the 11^th Dynasty. He unified Egypt after the chaos that followed Akhenaten’s reign. Because he reigned in the Middle Kingdom, he was one of the weaker Pharaohs, and all people could share in the afterlife and they built and decorated their own tombs. They were not reliant on the Pharaoh to gain access to the afterlife.

Used: http://www.ancient.eu.com/timeline/  

J. 3

Minoan Civilization of Crete Destroyed by Volcano?

What is wrong with this theory?

·       Only one inch of ash found at this site of the ancient city’s excavation.

·       The eruption was 200 years before civilization disappeared.

·       Most research was done in effort to prove hypothesis that volcano destroyed everything.

o   The Researchers had strong predetermined notions, and all the work they did not actual scientific research.

J.4

Evidence of the fall of Troy

A.

·       The Iliad (Epic poem by Homer)

·       19^th century excavations found evidence

·       The Fall is consistent dates of other influential events

o   The Sea Peoples’ war-like activities

o   The fall of Troy (1184 BCE)

o   Major activity of the Sea Peoples (1200 BCE)

·       Similar names:

·      Danuna and Akawasha (Arabic/Egyptian)

·      Vs

o   Danaans and Achaeans (Homeric Greek)

B. 

1.    What happened to Mycenaean centers?

a.    They were, for the most part, sacked and burned.

2.    Who replaced the Mycenaeans?

a.    The Dorians took advantage of the Mycenaean fall and became a more dominant force.

J.5

Waging Peace and Teaching War: Social Science Talks

1. I thought that the Us vs. Them Bias was the most interesting part of the speech. I was born into an ultra religious Jewish family, and I was raised with very strong biases. First there was the Us vs. The Gentiles, then Moroccan vs. European, and lastly, the ultra orthodox vs. The non-observant. I know just how bad the passion, hatred and even violence can be. Nothing about these is positive or productive to leading a healthy lifestyle. I pried these preconceptions right out of my mind when I realized the power of their negativity.

2. wefae/gkj;rejg;j

3. Peace is the ability to enjoy Art: the painted wine cups, receiving gifts, and getting drunk. –Poem by Alchaeus.

4. Arcilochus was the first Homeric Greek writer to employ first person. His views contrasted those of Homer. He thought there was no glory in dying for one’s country which was very contrary to the ideologies of the time. Homer believed that the only good death was a valiant death on the battle field.

J.6

The Secrets of the Parthenon.

J.7

Match Colonies-Coins

Pictures:

http://www.ancient.eu.com/uploads/images/160.png

Dates and accomplishments:

http://www.ancient.eu.com/Ashurbanipal/

J.2

Discuss three pharaoh's in some detail, as your book discusses (not a website -though images from websites, especially museum sites are welcome). They must reflect the three different periods discussed in class.

J.3

Why do we really discount the volcanic eruption? What really might have brought about the end to this non-Indo-European civilization on Crete? read p. 104-105.

J.4

Mycenae & The End of The Bronze Age

pp. 107 – 110

1) What evidence might we have (108) that there may have been in fact a legendary fall of Troy? Consider the dates of events discussed and the similarity in names (linguistic evidence)

2) What eventually happened to Mycenaean centres? Who replaced them? (109)

J.5

Social Science Week Talk

2:30 – 4:00 discusses Waging Peace; Teaching War

1)     In a brief paragraph, discuss what you thought was most interesting about this talk: 5 setences.

2)    Then, consider what war is I the context of Classical Studies –in particular Homer�s Iliad. Look up the Iliad on line and find one line (It may be just the opening words) : 2 lines of Homer and 5 sentences

3)     Look at these later poets below. Consider what exactly is peace? Not war? Or, are there activities that define peace in the Ancient Greek 7^th and 6^th Century BCE? No word length.

4)     See other questions below. a) Archilochus b) Alceus No word length.

What is peace?

Alchaeus

�ώνωμεν� τί τὰ λύχν' ὀμμένομεν; δάκτυλος ἀμέρα�

κὰδ δ'ἄερρε κυλίχναις μεγάλαις [αιτα]�οικίλαισ�

οἶνον γὰρ Σεμέλας καὶ Δίος υἶος λαθικάδεον

ἀνθρώ�οισιν ἔδωκ'. ἔγχεε κέρναις ἔνα καὶ δύο

�λήαις κὰκ κεφάλας, [ἀ] δ' ἀτέρα τὰν ἀτέραν κύλιξ

ὠθήτω...

Let's drink! Why are we waiting for the lamps? Only an inch of daylight left.

Lift down the large cups, my friends, the painted ones;

for wine was given to men by the son of Semele and Zeus

to help them forget their troubles. Mix one part of water to two of wine,

pour it in up to the brim, and let one cup push the other along..

Question 4a): Archilochus, as mentioned p.176, has a new perspective in wrting. How is it different from Homer?

Ἀσ�ίδι μὲν Σαΐων τις ἀγάλλεται, ἥν �αρὰ θάμνῳ

ἔντος ἀμώμητον κάλλι�ον οὐκ ἐθέλων�

αὐτὸν δ' ἔκ μ' ἐσάωσα� τί μοι μέλει ἀσ�ὶς ἐκείνη;

Ἐρρέτω� ἐξαῦτις κτήσομαι οὐ κακίω.

One of the Sai�n in Thrace now delights in the shield I discarded

Unwillingly near a bush, for it was perfectly good,

But at least I got myself safely out. Why should I care for that shield?

Let it go. Some other time I'll find another no worse.

Question 4 b) Alcaeus, who writes after Archilochus, writes on what themes (p. 176) who might been his lover? (see p. 176 and include the picture –find it on the net) What theme did his lover write about? (176) Quote from her.

�ώνωμεν� τί τὰ λύχν' ὀμμένομεν; δάκτυλος ἀμέρα�

κὰδ δ'ἄερρε κυλίχναις μεγάλαις [αιτα]�οικίλαισ�

οἶνον γὰρ Σεμέλας καὶ Δίος υἶος λαθικάδεον

ἀνθρώ�οισιν ἔδωκ'. ἔγχεε κέρναις ἔνα καὶ δύο

�λήαις κὰκ κεφάλας, [ἀ] δ' ἀτέρα τὰν ἀτέραν κύλιξ

ὠθήτω...

Let's drink! Why are we waiting for the lamps? Only an inch of daylight left.

Lift down the large cups, my friends, the painted ones;

for wine was given to men by the son of Semele and Zeus

to help them forget their troubles. Mix one part of water to two of wine,

pour it in up to the brim, and let one cup push the other along..

J.6

Watch the you tube video on "The secrets of the Parthenon" (I'm sure you can find it) and note in your journal some of the material developments discussed and what happened to it over the ages. Consider what other temple from which it may have been modelled. Then, on wikipedia, look up the "metope" and pediments other statuary to find out the different scenes depicted. How did these scenes represent "civilized" vs "barbaric"   

J.7

Look up colonies discussed in your text book... find them in your readings. And match appropriate coins with their figures. (eg Syracuse had dolphins) Perhaps explain why they have their symbols. Plot your coins and other colonies, without coins, on a map. Yes, you may print this map. But you may quickly draw one too...




Works cited

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/ancient-greek-warrior-helmet-25300060.jpg
http://www.ancient.eu.com/mycenae/
http://qph.is.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-751ec7dce801256c31b1baf7a6320d3a?convert_to_webp=true
The Mesopotamians - They Might Be Giants (official video) - YouTube