Mesopotamia: Crash Course World History #3

CrashCourse

9 Feb 201212:05

Summary

TLDRIn this engaging video, John Green dives into the history of Mesopotamia, a region that played a pivotal role in shaping civilization as we know it. He discusses the development of writing, which was initially used for trade records, and the importance of taxes, which helped create stable societies. Green highlights the rise of city-states and the shift in power from priests to kings, exemplified by Hammurabi's reign and his famous code of laws. The video also touches on the Assyrian Empire, known for its brutal military and the concept of empire, which spread beyond Mesopotamia's borders. Throughout the script, Green uses humor and personal anecdotes to make the content relatable, while also reflecting on the broader implications of these historical developments on the present day.

Takeaways

📚 Mesopotamia was a cradle of civilization that developed key innovations like writing and taxation systems.
🌟 The ancient city-states of Mesopotamia had a form of socialism where farmers contributed to public granaries, and workers were paid in grain.
🏛 Uruk, the birthplace of Gilgamesh, was a walled city with extensive canal systems and monumental temples known as Ziggurats.
👑 Initially, priests held power in Mesopotamia due to their ability to communicate with the gods, but over time, kings emerged as significant figures.
✍️ Cuneiform writing, developed in Mesopotamia, was initially used for trade records but later played a crucial role in class distinction and historical documentation.
🌾 The fertile crescent of Mesopotamia required trade for resources like metal and wood, leading to the development of the world's first territorial kingdom.
📉 The city-state period in Mesopotamia ended around 2000 BCE, likely due to drought and changes in river courses, which led to the conquest by nomadic peoples.
💰 The early form of socialism in Mesopotamia was replaced by a system resembling private enterprises where taxes were paid to the government.
👑 Hammurabi, known as the 'Hammer of Abi', was a famous king of Babylon who established a code of laws that were harsh but introduced the presumption of innocence.
🏺 The Assyrian Empire, known for its brutal military, grew to include all of Mesopotamia and even Egypt by 680 BCE, but eventually fell due to overextension and loss of battles.
🌐 The concept of an empire, which is multi-ethnic and diverse, was a significant development in human history, despite the challenges of unifying such diverse groups.

Q & A

What is the significance of Mesopotamia in the development of civilization?
-Mesopotamia is significant because it helped create two fundamental aspects of civilization: writing and taxes. It also introduced a form of socialism where farmers contributed to public granaries, and workers were paid in grain.
What is the reference to Benjamin Franklin in the script?
-The reference to Benjamin Franklin is a humorous way to say that the speaker has been smart for a longer time. It's a play on the quote often attributed to Franklin, 'Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.'
What was the role of priests in the city-states of Mesopotamia?
-Priests initially held all the power in Mesopotamian city-states because they were believed to be able to communicate directly with the gods, which was crucial given the Mesopotamian deities' unpredictable and often malevolent nature.
What was the significance of the invention of cuneiform writing?
-Cuneiform writing was significant because it allowed for the recording of transactions, such as the trade of grain and sheep, and later, it facilitated the documentation of history, laws, and administrative matters. It also created a distinction between the literate and illiterate, contributing to social class divisions.
How did the shift from city-states to a territorial kingdom impact Mesopotamia?
-The shift led to the rise of powerful kings like Hammurabi, who established law codes and sought to extend their power beyond city limits. It also saw the replacement of the primary protosocialism with a system more akin to private enterprise, where taxes were collected by the government.
What was Hammurabi's famous code of laws known for?
-Hammurabi's code of laws was known for its detailed legal standards, including harsh punishments and the principle of 'an eye for an eye.' It also introduced the presumption of innocence into legal proceedings.
How did the Assyrian Empire expand and maintain control?
-The Assyrian Empire expanded through conquest and maintained control through a brutal and efficient military, the use of iron weapons, and a meritocratic system for selecting generals. They also employed fear tactics, such as mass deportations and brutal punishments, to suppress rebellion.
What is the definition of an empire as mentioned in the script?
-An empire is defined as the extension of control and power over a group of people who do not belong to the same ethnic group as the conquerors, achieved through conquest and maintained control.
Why did the Assyrian Empire eventually fall?
-The Assyrian Empire fell due to overextension, which made administration difficult, and the loss of a major battle in 612 B.C., which led to the conquest of their capital, Nineveh. This defeat shattered their worldview, which was based on the belief that an apocalypse would occur if they ever lost a battle.
What was the role of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamian civilization?
-The Tigris and Euphrates rivers were crucial for irrigation in agriculture, but they were unpredictable and difficult to navigate. They required a lot of slave labor to make them useful for irrigation, contributing to the development of complex societies and the need for organized labor.
What is the significance of the 'an eye for an eye' principle in Hammurabi's code?
-The 'an eye for an eye' principle in Hammurabi's code signifies a form of retributive justice, where the punishment for a crime is equal to the harm done. It is an early example of a legal principle that seeks to ensure that the punishment fits the crime.
How did the concept of empire change after the fall of the Assyrian Empire?
-After the fall of the Assyrian Empire, the concept of empire continued to evolve. Other civilizations and states took inspiration from the Assyrian model, adapting and modifying the idea of empire to suit their own needs and contexts, leading to the rise of new empires in the region and beyond.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Introduction to Mesopotamia and Its Impact

John Green introduces the topic of Mesopotamia, expressing his fascination with its contributions to civilization, specifically writing and taxation. He humorously references a misquote attributed to Mark Twain, which is actually a Benjamin Franklin quote, and discusses the early form of socialism in Mesopotamian cities where farmers contributed to public granaries, and workers were paid in grain. The script also touches on the role of historians and the importance of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in shaping the region's history.

05:01

🏛 The Rise of City-States and the Legacy of Hammurabi

The script delves into the emergence of city-states in Mesopotamia around 5000 years ago, highlighting the development of a system where farmers' contributions supported public workers. It discusses the transition of power from priests to kings, with kings eventually taking on a quasi-religious role by marrying high priestesses. The importance of writing, specifically cuneiform, is emphasized, noting its role in class distinction, historical record-keeping, and the speaker's own job as a historian. The paragraph concludes with the rise of the first territorial kingdom in Mesopotamia and the eventual fall of city-states due to environmental changes and conquest by nomadic peoples.

10:02

👑 Hammurabi's Code and the Evolution of Mesopotamian Society

The focus shifts to the reign of Hammurabi, who established a new kingdom of Babylon and is famous for his law code. The laws were severe, with punishments like the death of a builder's son if a poorly constructed building collapsed. Hammurabi's code introduced the concept of innocence until proven guilty and portrayed Hammurabi as a shepherd and father figure, emphasizing the shift of authority from gods to men. However, despite the power and size of Babylon, it was eventually conquered by the Cassites, illustrating the transient nature of empires that relied on the labor and taxes of the poor.

🏺 The Assyrian Empire and Its Legacy

The narrative moves to the Assyrian Empire, known for its brutal military might and efficient organization. The Assyrians expanded their empire through conquest, leading to a multi-ethnic and diverse state. They are credited with introducing the concept of an empire, which was difficult to unify due to its nature. The script describes the Assyrian military's meritocracy, the use of iron weapons, and their harsh tactics, including deportation and mutilation. The empire's propaganda and the belief in the apocalyptic consequences of losing a battle are also discussed, leading to the fall of the Assyrian Empire after the conquest of Nineveh in 612 B.C.

📝 The Concept of Empire and Future Episodes

The script concludes with a reflection on the concept of empire, noting that while the Assyrian Empire ended, the idea of empire was just beginning. It humorously hints at the speaker's preference for discussing mummies but acknowledges the need to cover other topics such as Sudan and Egypt in future episodes. The episode is produced and directed by Stan Muller, with a script supervision by Danica Johnson and writing by Raoul Meyer and the speaker. It invites viewers to participate in guessing the 'phrase of the week' and to ask questions in the comments for the semi-professional historian team to answer.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia, often referred to as the 'cradle of civilization,' is the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers where some of the earliest known human civilizations developed. In the video, it is highlighted for its contributions to the development of writing and taxation systems, which are crucial to the organization of complex societies.

💡Writing

Writing is a system of symbols and signs that represent language, which was first developed in Mesopotamia in the form of cuneiform script. It is a foundational technology for record-keeping, communication, and the passing of knowledge across generations. In the video, writing is emphasized as a key innovation that allowed for the recording of history and the rise of social classes.

💡Taxation

Taxation is the compulsory financial charge levied by a government on workers and businesses to fund public expenditures. In the context of the video, the development of taxes in Mesopotamia is linked to the rise of complex city-states and the need for a stable social order, with farmers contributing to public stores from which workers were paid in kind.

💡City-States

City-states are autonomous, self-governing cities that often have control over their surrounding territories. In the video, ancient Mesopotamian city-states like Uruk are discussed, where a form of socialism existed, and the development of these city-states led to the creation of the first territorial kingdom in the world.

💡Ziggurats

Ziggurats are massive, pyramid-like structures built in ancient Mesopotamia, serving as temples and symbolic mountains connecting the earth and the heavens. They were central to the religious life of the city-states and represented the power and prestige of the priests who controlled them, as mentioned in the video.

💡Hammurabi

Hammurabi was a Babylonian king known for his law code, one of the oldest deciphered writings of significant length in the world. His code established laws on various social matters and is famous for the principle of 'an eye for an eye.' In the video, Hammurabi's code is discussed as a symbol of the shift of power from the gods to humans and the establishment of a legal framework for society.

💡Assyrian Empire

The Assyrian Empire was a Mesopotamian empire that became a major power in the ancient world, known for its military might and brutal tactics. In the video, the Assyrians are described as the brutal bullies of Mesopotamia, who created a vast empire through conquest and maintained it through a meritocratic military and propaganda.

💡Imperialism

Imperialism is the policy of extending a country's rule over foreign nations, often by military force or by gaining political and economic control. The video discusses how the Assyrian Empire exemplified imperialism, expanding through conquest and creating a multi-ethnic state that was difficult to unify.

💡Cuneiform

Cuneiform is one of the earliest systems of writing, created by the Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia. It involved making marks with a reed stylus on clay tablets, often to record business transactions. In the video, cuneiform is highlighted as a critical invention that facilitated trade and administration in Mesopotamia.

💡Social Classes

Social classes are relatively stable categories within a hierarchy of a society, based on factors such as wealth, occupation, and social status. The video explains that the advent of writing in Mesopotamia created a distinction between those who could read and write and those who could not, thus contributing to the formation of social classes.

💡Agricultural Development

Agricultural development refers to the process of improving farming techniques and technologies to increase crop yields and sustain larger populations. In the video, the need for slave labor to manage the rivers for irrigation is mentioned, highlighting the importance of agriculture in supporting the growth of Mesopotamian city-states.

Highlights

Mesopotamia helped create two of John Green's favorite things: writing and taxes.

Before taxes, the only certainty was death.

Mesopotamia had a form of socialism where farmers contributed crops to public granaries.

The quality of a historian is judged by the number of their globes.

The enduring conflict between rural and urban areas is a legacy of Mesopotamia.

Gilgamesh is one of the oldest known works of literature, featuring a struggle between the countryside and the city.

Uruk was a walled city with extensive canal systems and monumental temples called ziggurats.

Priests initially held all the power in Mesopotamia as they could communicate directly with the gods.

Over 1000 years after the first temples, palaces emerged signaling the rise of kings who took on a quasi-religious role.

Writing was developed in Mesopotamia, initially to record transactions like grain and sheep trades.

Writing created class distinctions as it was a skill only some could master.

The invention of writing allowed for real history rather than just archaeology and speculation.

Mesopotamia had to engage in trade due to a lack of metal, stone, and wood, leading to the development of the world's first territorial kingdom.

The city-state period in Mesopotamia ended around 2000 BC likely due to drought and a shift in river courses.

The new Mesopotamian city-states had temples, writing, and their own glorified histories, but also introduced private enterprise and taxes.

Politically, tribal chiefs became kings and sought to extend their power beyond the cities and pass rule to their sons.

Hammurabi, famous for his code of laws, depicted himself as a shepherd and father figure who protected societal order.

The Assyrians, known for their brutality, established a meritocratic military and built the most enduring political organization in history - the empire.

The Assyrian Empire, which grew to include all of Mesopotamia, the eastern Mediterranean coast, and Egypt, was the first true empire.

The empire concept faced challenges due to its multi-ethnic nature and the difficulty of unifying diverse peoples.

The Assyrian Empire's brutality included mass deportations, mutilations, and using fear and propaganda to control its subjects.

The empire's belief that the apocalypse would come if they ever lost a battle was shattered when Nineveh fell in 612 BC, leading to its downfall.