Module 2: The Rise of Civilization in the Middle East, Africa, and the Mediterranean

The first mature civilizations of the ancient world, Mesopotamia and Egypt, arose in the Tigris-Euphrates and Nile valleys, respectively. Both were dependent on neighboring river systems, but Mesopotamian civilization and Egyptian civilization differed in significant ways. By 1000 B.C.E., both of these formative civilizations had begun to decline, but they still influenced the development of other smaller civilizations in the Mediterranean littoral.

In this unit, we will examine the emergence of societies in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean and explore how social patterns and political conflicts shaped their evolution. When examining Mesopotamia, we will focus primarily on the emergence of Sumerian society and the Babylonian Empire, while we will focus on the three most important phases of ancient Egypt—the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. We will also discuss the Minoan civilization in the Mediterranean.

Time Advisory

This unit will take you 18 hours to complete.

Section 2.1 Mesopotamia: 9 hours
Section 2.2 Ancient Egypt: 5 hours
Section 2.3 Civilization Centers in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean: 3.5 hours
Section 2.4 Module 2 Quiz: 0.5 hours

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

Identify the cultural origins of early Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations.
Describe the relationship between the geographical features of the ancient world and developments of early civilizations.
Trace the development of Minoan commerce, cities, and political institutions during the Greek Bronze Age.
Assess the political, social, and cultural legacies of the early civilizations of the Middle East, Africa, and the Mediterranean.

Section 2.1 Mesopotamia

Please read the entirety of the website "Ancient Western Asia and the Civilization of Mesopotamia" in order to get a sense of Mesopotamia—before civilization as well as at the height of Sumer and the Babylonian Empire.

Ancient Western Asia and the Civilization of Mesopotamia

Please read the text in its entirety, but focus on the portion entitled, “Mesopotamia, Proper,” which offers a brief overview of Ancient Mesopotamian History.

The Near East: 3000 to 1500 B.C.

Please read the entirety of this lecture for a sense of the origin and prominent features of Mesopotamian culture.

General Characteristics of Mesopotamian Civilization

Please listen to the entire recording (3 minutes, 25 seconds) to augment the reading listed above.

The Epic of Gilgamesh, Standard Version, Part of Tablet XI

Please read the entirety of the text, paying close attention to the roles of individual characters—such as Enkidu—and the unique syntax of the epic.

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Please complete the questions in the assessment (PDF). You can check your answers against the “Guide to Responding” (PDF).

Study Questions for the Epic of Gilgamesh

Guide to Responding

Please read the entire PDF for a good overview of the rise and fall of ancient Babylon.

Babylonian Empire

Please read the entirety of the Code to understand the importance of the rule of law in ancient Babylonia. Please also scan the “commentary” to get a sense of the historical context of the Code.

Code of Hammurabi, c. 1780 B.C.E.

Questions will open up in a new tab or window. Answers will open in the same new tab or window, with a link back to the Questions. Please close the new tab/window when you are finished with it.

Question & Answer

Section 2.2 Ancient Egypt

Please read the entirety of the articles and sections specified to get a historical overview of the specific phases of ancient Egyptian history (PDFs).

Africa, 3000 to 1500 B.C.

Africa, 1500 to 1000-B.C.

Africa, 1000 to 700-B.C.

Please scan the text in order to get a sense of ancient Egyptians’ perception of the afterlife.

Papyrus of Ani; Egyptian Book of the Dead

Please scan the chronology to get a sense of the various dynasties that came to power in ancient Egypt.

Comprehensive List of Egyptian Kings with Chronology

Please read the entirety of the website in order to get a sense of the various kingdoms that rose to power in ancient Egypt.

Egyptian Civilization

Question & Answer

Section 2.3 Civilization Centers in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean

Please read “Kush and Axum: Empires of East Africa” in its entirety to get a sense of the kingdoms of Axum and Kush that emerged after the decline of Egypt.

Kush and Axum: Empires of East Africa

Please read the entire webpage to get a sense of how outsiders such as Herodotus and Strabo described the powerful African kingdoms that emerged at Kush, Axum, and Meroe.

Accounts of Meroe, Kush, and Axum c. 430 BCE-550 CE

Please read this text in its entirety. This reading offers an overview of the history of the Minoan Civilization, one of the most important mercantile civilizations of the Bronze Age.

History of Minoan Crete

Please read the entire article to get a sense of the material culture of the Minoan world on the Mediterranean island of Crete.

Minoan Crete

Please read the entire article to get a sense of the theory that Minoan civilization declined and eventually disappeared on the island of Crete because of a massive volcanic eruption.

The Fall of Minoan Civilization

Please scroll down the webpage and read the section entitled “The Hebrews” to get a sense of the influential Hebrew civilization.

The Akkadians, Egyptians and the Hebrews

Please read this entire article to learn about the origins of the Hebrews and their culture.

Who Were the Hebrews

Question & Answer

Section 2.4 Quiz

Please take the assigned quiz and submit for grading. This quiz pertains to Chapter 2 of the textbook World Civilizations: The Global Experience, published by Pearson Education.

Module 2 Quiz