,Part 1: The Ancient Near East......................................................................................................... 2
Chapter 1: The Origins of the Civilisations of Egypt and Mesopotamia...................................2
Chapter 2: The Third Millenium................................................................................................3
Chapter 3: The Second Millenium.............................................................................................5
Chapter 4: The First Millenium............................................................................................... 10
Chapter 5: Religion.................................................................................................................. 17
Chapter 6: Economy and Society.............................................................................................18
Chapter 7: Government............................................................................................................21
Part 2: The Greek World................................................................................................................ 23
Chapter 8: The Early Iron Age: ‘The Dark Ages’ (c. 1200-c.750 bce)................................... 23
Chapter 9: The Archaic Period (c.750-c.500 bce)................................................................... 24
Chapter 10: The Classical Period (c. 500-c. 330 bce)..............................................................38
Chapter 11: The Hellenistic World (c. 330-c. 30 bce)............................................................. 51
Part 3: Rome.................................................................................................................................. 63
Chapter 12: Early Roman History (753-265 bce).................................................................... 63
Chapter 13: Further Expansion and New Social Tensions (264-133 bce)............................... 76
Chapter 14: The Century of the Civil Wars (133-30 bce)........................................................93
1
,Part 1: The Ancient Near East
Chapter 1: The Origins of the Civilisations of Egypt and Mesopotamia
- Stone Age
- Old and middle stone age:
- Hunters and gatherers
- On the move
- Late middle stone age - new stone age
- Better tools
- In one area longer
- Agriculture
- Domestication of animals
- Neolithic revolution
- 2 kinds of agriculture:
- Rainfall
- Only in certain areas where rain was regular
- Vulnerable
- Irrigation
- Natural
- Egypt
- Nile flooded
- Artificial
- Mesopotamia
- More productive than rainfall agriculture
- Agriculture lead to specialization
- Specialization lead to villages and (fortified) cities
- Mesopotanian cities:
- Temple was the core
- Temple economy
- > invention of writing 3400-3200
- Cuneiform
2
, - Hieroglyphs in Egypt
- Lived in the city, worked on the land
- Transhumance: seasonal migration, e.g. herders moved from summer to winter
pastures
Egypt Mesopotamia
Dependent on river water Dependent on river water
Absence of rain Absence of rain
Poor in metals and timber Poor in metals and timber
Better agricultural conditions Heavy artificial irrigation
Better water quality Mixed with harmful salts (>salinisation)
Abrupt transition from arable land to desert gradual
Less accessible Constant invasions of foreigners
Isolated > barely any invasions > stable
Chapter 2: The Third Millenium
The Early Bronze Age
Egypt, the Old Kingdom (c. 2600-c. 1250
- Old kingdom c.2600-2150
- Middle kingdom c.2000-c.1800
- New kingdom c.1550-c.1100
- Late period c.750bc-332bc
- Ruled by foreign dynasties or part of other empires
- Third millennium = old kingdom + early dynastic period (c.3000-2600)
- Kingship was divine
- Pyramids (Memphis)
- End of the old kingdom:
3
Chapter 1: The Origins of the Civilisations of Egypt and Mesopotamia...................................2
Chapter 2: The Third Millenium................................................................................................3
Chapter 3: The Second Millenium.............................................................................................5
Chapter 4: The First Millenium............................................................................................... 10
Chapter 5: Religion.................................................................................................................. 17
Chapter 6: Economy and Society.............................................................................................18
Chapter 7: Government............................................................................................................21
Part 2: The Greek World................................................................................................................ 23
Chapter 8: The Early Iron Age: ‘The Dark Ages’ (c. 1200-c.750 bce)................................... 23
Chapter 9: The Archaic Period (c.750-c.500 bce)................................................................... 24
Chapter 10: The Classical Period (c. 500-c. 330 bce)..............................................................38
Chapter 11: The Hellenistic World (c. 330-c. 30 bce)............................................................. 51
Part 3: Rome.................................................................................................................................. 63
Chapter 12: Early Roman History (753-265 bce).................................................................... 63
Chapter 13: Further Expansion and New Social Tensions (264-133 bce)............................... 76
Chapter 14: The Century of the Civil Wars (133-30 bce)........................................................93
1
,Part 1: The Ancient Near East
Chapter 1: The Origins of the Civilisations of Egypt and Mesopotamia
- Stone Age
- Old and middle stone age:
- Hunters and gatherers
- On the move
- Late middle stone age - new stone age
- Better tools
- In one area longer
- Agriculture
- Domestication of animals
- Neolithic revolution
- 2 kinds of agriculture:
- Rainfall
- Only in certain areas where rain was regular
- Vulnerable
- Irrigation
- Natural
- Egypt
- Nile flooded
- Artificial
- Mesopotamia
- More productive than rainfall agriculture
- Agriculture lead to specialization
- Specialization lead to villages and (fortified) cities
- Mesopotanian cities:
- Temple was the core
- Temple economy
- > invention of writing 3400-3200
- Cuneiform
2
, - Hieroglyphs in Egypt
- Lived in the city, worked on the land
- Transhumance: seasonal migration, e.g. herders moved from summer to winter
pastures
Egypt Mesopotamia
Dependent on river water Dependent on river water
Absence of rain Absence of rain
Poor in metals and timber Poor in metals and timber
Better agricultural conditions Heavy artificial irrigation
Better water quality Mixed with harmful salts (>salinisation)
Abrupt transition from arable land to desert gradual
Less accessible Constant invasions of foreigners
Isolated > barely any invasions > stable
Chapter 2: The Third Millenium
The Early Bronze Age
Egypt, the Old Kingdom (c. 2600-c. 1250
- Old kingdom c.2600-2150
- Middle kingdom c.2000-c.1800
- New kingdom c.1550-c.1100
- Late period c.750bc-332bc
- Ruled by foreign dynasties or part of other empires
- Third millennium = old kingdom + early dynastic period (c.3000-2600)
- Kingship was divine
- Pyramids (Memphis)
- End of the old kingdom:
3
