| A | B |
|---|
| fertile crescent | land between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers |
| Cross-roads of the World | Asia, Africa and Europe meet |
| Mesopotamia | Greek word for land between two rivers |
| Sumerians | first civilization in history, modern day Iraq |
| City-State | town and surrounding country side form government for mutual defense |
| Ur | "Moon City" key city-state |
| theocracy | government run by priests |
| Ziggurat | temple of city god, ladders to heaven |
| Anu | Lord of Heaven |
| Nanna | Moon God |
| Dumuzi | King of City |
| Inanna | Goddess of Fertility |
| cuneiform | writing using wedge shaped objects |
| scribes | public writers |
| eddubas | schools to learn cuneiform |
| stylus | stick used to write |
| Gilgamesh | Sumerian epic poem, oldedst sotry in world? |
| Sargon of Akkad | founded first empire in history |
| Akkad | northern city state |
| Hittites | warriors from Asia minor who conquered Babylon |
| Assyrians | Romans of Asia, worlds first military power |
| Assur | city-state and chief god |
| Assyrian Empire | "a land bathed in blood" |
| mercenaries | professional soldiers |
| Nineveh | capital city of Assyrians |
| King of Assurbanipal | credited with worlds first library, Library of Nineveh |
| Babylon | "Gate of God", largest city state in ancient world |
| Hammurabi | credited with first code of laws, 282 of them |
| Law of Retaliation | "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" |
| Shamash | god of Justice |
| Stele | stone monument |
| Nebuchadnezzar | "Mad Ox", leader of Chaladeans, rebuilds Babylon |
| Hanging Gardens of Babylon | one of 7 wonders of ancient world |
| Astrology | stars and planet positions determine fate |
| Persians | modern Iran |
| Cyrus the Great | King of Persia, set up Persian empire |
| Persepolis | capital city of Persia |
| Darius | divided Persian empire into 20 satapries |
| satapries | provinces |
| royal inspectors | "eyes and ears of the King" secret agents |
| Zoroaster | persian religion |
| Ahriman | evil spirit, house of worst thought, hell |
| zend avesta | sacred books |
| Phoenicians | sea peoples, carriers of civilization |
| Carthage | North African city that dominated trade in Mediterranean Sea |
| King Croesus | Lydian whose face appeared on coins, first to use coints |
| Abraham | founder of the Hebrews |
| Yahweh | God |
| Moses | led Hebrews out of Egypt |
| King Solomon's Temple | symbolic center of Hebrews, housed Ark of the Covenant |
