What are the Modern day Mesopotamia Countries New Articles What are the Modern Mesopotamia Countries Modern Mesopotamia is the country now known as Iraq. The region, which once heralded the birth of a very rich civilization, contributed much to the world. It is now a place ravaged by warfare for the last decade. The place formed the cradle of the Assyrian, Babylonian and Sumerian civilizations. In Greek, Mesopotamia means the 'land between the rivers'. Modern Mesopotamia comprises not only modern day Iraq, but also the area around the famous Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Even parts of the north and east of Syria as well as some parts of south east Turkey, is also considered part of what was Mesopotamia in ancient times. In ancient times, groups of hunters and gatherers settled between the two great rivers to form the greatest human civilization. If you turn on your TV, you will find the greatest civilization known to humans is under duress and struggling to stay afloat under repeated foreign and domestic threats. Death and suffering is the order of the day in Iraq which was very much a part of the ancient Mesopotamian civilization.

The geographical advantages of Mesopotamia allowed the hunters to give up their nomadic lifestyle and concentrate on creating a stable statehood, law and culture. Triggered future civilizations: The civilization created by the people triggered future civilizations in the west and the east. There were many exchanges during the period which led to a further enrichment of the culture. Civilizations have always prospered on the banks of the famous rivers and ancient Mesopotamia was no exception. The rivers always were a mixed blessing. The strip of land in ancient Mesopotamia known as the Fertile Crescent includes parts of Syria, Lebanon and Israel as well. Rivers not only flooded the region resulting in destruction of crops, but also provided a route for invaders to come in as well. The flooding also deposited silt that always kept the land fertile for a prolonged period. The channel also acted as a convenient route for trade with other countries and communities that prospered in the region and the people soon evolved into famous philosophers, lawmakers and leaders. Ancient Mesopotamia Facts & Worksheets | Teaching Resources Worksheets / Social Studies / World History /Ancient Mesopotamia Facts & Worksheets Ancient Mesopotamia Facts & Worksheets Download This Worksheet This download is exclusively for KidsKonnect Premium members!

To download this worksheet, click the button below to signup (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start the download! This worksheet has a free sample available. Download the sample here » Download This Sample This sample is exclusively for KidsKonnect Basic members! To download this worksheet, click the button below to signup for free (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start the download! Already a member? Log in to download. Mesopotamia is a name for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, corresponding to modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, the northeastern section of Syria and to a much lesser extent southeastern Turkey and smaller parts of southwestern Iran. For more information and facts about the Ancient Mesopotamia, see the fact file below. Most of Ancient Mesopotamia was located in what today is the country of Iraq. Mesopotamia was known as the land between two rivers. The Tigris River ran along the north and the Euphrates River ran along the south. These rivers flow into the Persian Gulf. The area is also known as “The Fertile Crescent”.

Mesopotamia was approximately 300 miles long and 150 miles wide. Ancient Mesopotamia is considered the cradle of civilization, because the people of this culture developed many things such as government, written language, religion, agriculture, and cities. The Ancient Mesopotamians developed sanitation techniques, the “Pythagorean theorem, and glass. They revolutionized transportation around 3500 BC by inventing the wheel and were among the first to harness the wind as an energy source by using the sail. The land of Ancient Mesopotamia experienced many floods, but today the area is mostly desert. The flooding was a challenge to the farmers. They had to learn to control and work with it. The invention of irrigation was extremely important, because it allowed the people to plant during the hot, dry season. The fertile land produced crops such as many fruits, vegetables, flax, barley, wheat, and sesame. Sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs were being raised by the farmers. The seeder plow, invented by the Mesopotamians, was a major achievement. It allowed farmers to plow their land and seed it at the same time.

Ancient Mesopotamia is where the world’s first cities appeared between 4000 – 3500 BC. Before this time, most of the people lived on farms in the country. City life allowed the people to work together for the common good. It is believed an ancient site, called Eridu, was the first city that was ever created. The Ancient Mesopotamians worshipped hundreds of gods. Ordinary people depended on a relationship with their own personal god – like a guardian angel – who protected them and talked to the other gods on their behalf. Every city had its own god or goddess. There were also gods that were connected to different professions. The major gods were: Anu was the father of the gods and the god of the sky Enlil was the god of the air Utu was the sun god and the lord of truth and justice Nanna was the moon god Inanna was the goddess of love and war Ninhursag was the goddess of earth Enki was the god of fresh water as well as the lord of wisdom and magic The Sumerians of Ancient Mesopotamia are credited with inventing the earliest form of writing.

The writings on tablets were of simple pictures, or pictograms, which represented an object or an idea. Clay is a difficult material to draw on so the Mesopotamians eventually reduced pictograms into a series of wedge-shaped signs that they pressed into clay with a stylus. This wedge-shaped writing is called cuneiform. This invention of writing was a huge advancement, because it allowed information to be carried from place to place accurately. The Ancient Mesopotamians developed the arch and column. They were masters of construction using bricks made of mud. Brick-making was a major Mesopotamian industry, especially in the south, where wood was in short supply and there was no stone. Over the centuries, rains and shifting sands destroyed much of southern Mesopotamia’s mud-brick architecture. Only crumbled mounds remain as evidence of the great cities that once stood in the deserts of southern Iraq. The Mesopotamian woman’s role was strictly defined. Most girls were trained from childhood for the traditional roles of wife, mother, and housekeeper. They learned how to grind grain, how to cook and make beverages, especially beer, and how to spin and weave cloth for clothing.

Around twelve years of age, a young girl was considered ready for marriage. During the earliest years of recorded history, the Ancient Mesopotamians were experimenting with ways to count, measure, and solve mathematical problems. They were the first to give a number a place value and to recognize the concept of zero. The ancient Mesopotamians did not use money, so they developed a system of weights to buy and sell things. They used barley as a measure. Other standard units of weight were the shekel, the mina, and the talent or load. Eventually, silver replaced barley as the medium of exchange. The Ancient Mesopotamians discovered that by observing the movements of the moon, sun and stars, they could measure time, which was important for planting crops and for holding religious festivals. Ancient Mesopotamian Worksheets This bundle includes 11 ready-to-use Ancient Mesopotamia worksheets that are perfect for students to learn about the civilisation within the region of Mesopotamia the name for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, corresponding to modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, the northeastern section of Syria and to a much lesser extent southeastern Turkey and smaller parts of southwestern Iran.

Throughout the extensive worksheet pack there are multiple lesson resources and quizzes for students to practice their knowledge which can be used within the classroom or homeschooling environment. My Empire Fill out the chart on the Ancient Mesopotamian civilization. Mesopotamian Word Search Students will tackle this Ancient Mesopotamian quiz in the form of a word search which students will complete using the knowledge gained from previous activities and quizzes. Compare & Contrast Students must Compare and Contrast the way of living of the Ancient Mesopotamians and modern day people using the table provided. After completing these worksheets students will be able to: Have a clear understanding about the history of the Ancient Mesopotamian civilization. Complete a number of quiz and fill in the blank activities to test their knowledge of the subject. Understand where they lived, their creativity and how they compare with life today. Understand facts and fiction based upon studies. Compare and contrast the way of living then and now. Study & analyse primary sources. Complete a creative writing task based upon their own civilzation. Multiple core literacy skills are worked on and are the foundation of this study worksheet pack. Use With Any Curriculum These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum.

You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards. Related Resources BBC - History - Ancient History in depth: Mesopotamia Print this page Map of Mesopotamia In Greek, Mesopotamia means 'land between the rivers', and the term came to be applied to the land between the two great rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, which flow from eastern Turkey, through present-day Iraq, to The Gulf; the Euphrates also takes in a large part of northern Syria. Mesopotamia was the name of an area rather than a country, but has come to be applied to the many rich cultures that flourished in ancient Iraq. These included Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian and many other cultures, whose influence extended into neighbouring countries, certainly from around 5,000 BC. After the fall of the Assyrian Empire in 612 BC, Mesopotamia was ruled by a succession of foreign dynasties.

Eventually, after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War One, the modern state of Iraq was formed, a state that became independent in 1932. Ancient Mesopotamia Today Which Are The Current Countries,Iraq,Tigris,Euphrates,farming New Articles Ancient Mesopotamia Today Which Are The Current Countries The name Mesopotamia in Greek means the land between two rivers. Mesopotamia is located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers making the region one of the most fertile lands around. Many civilizations grew on this spot owing to the two major factors which are necessary for any settlement. Abundance of fresh water and fertile land for farming! The land was so fertile that people from near and far migrated to this region to settle down here. Initially these regions were mere communities which farmed and lived together but over time the regions became Free states. Mesopotamia has several achievements down its sleeve. As far as agriculture is concerned the state is said to have developed the first of ploughs. The development of irrigation canals was yet another landmark in the history of Mesopotamia. Other important developments included the first form of writing. This was indeed like a dream come true.

Writing meant one could preserve ideas, thoughts and even research work. It became much easier to pass down knowledge down the generations and also to keep record of things. Mathematics and astronomy also saw new dimensions in this era. Architecture also boomed to extremes as complex structures started being emphasized upon in building cities. The invention and use of wheel is also first attributed to Mesopotamia. The modern day Iraq was Mesopotamia in the old en days. One can imagine how developed and efficient this region was even 5000 years from now. Excavations in Iraq have led to the discovery of one of the most popular civilization of all times. The region which once was a fertile and rich land is now mostly a desert. Once this land located between the two rivers used to provide surplus food products and a means to live life for hundreds. Today however no traces of the same are found. Most of the findings in excavations are not even in Iraq. They lie in British Museums in the United Kingdom. Historians branded Mesopotamia as the cradle of civilization however all you will get to see on that very venue now is miles and miles of deserted fields. Mesopotamia - Ancient History Encyclopedia Mesopotamia by Joshua J.

Mark published on 02 September 2009 Mesopotamia (from the Greek , meaning 'between two rivers’) was an ancient region in the eastern Mediterranean bounded in the northeast by the Zagros Mountains and in the southeast by the Arabian Plateau, corresponding to today’s Iraq, mostly, but also parts of modern-day Iran, Syria and Turkey . The 'two rivers' of the name referred to the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers and the land was known as 'Al-Jazirah' (the island) by the Arabs referencing what Egyptologist J.H. Breasted would later call the Fertile Crescent , where Mesopotamian civilization began. The Cradle of Civilization Unlike the more unified civilizations of Egypt or Greece , Mesopotamia was a collection of varied cultures whose only real bonds were their script , their gods, and their attitude toward women. The social customs, laws, and even language of Akkad , for example, cannot be assumed to correspond to those of Babylon ; it does seem, however, that the rights of women, the importance of literacy, and the pantheon of the gods were indeed shared throughout the region (though the gods had different names in various regions and periods).

As a result of this, Mesopotamia should be more properly understood as a region that produced multiple empires and civilizations rather than any single civilization. Even so, Mesopotamia is known as the “cradle of civilization” primarily because of two developments that occurred there, in the region of Sumer , in the 4th millenium BCE: Advertisement the rise of the city as we recognize that entity today, and the invention of writing (although writing is also known to have developed in Egypt, in the Indus Valley , in China , and to have taken form independently in Mesoamerica). Women enjoyed nearly equal rights and could own land, file for divorce, own their own businesses, and make contracts in trade The invention of the wheel is also credited to the Mesopotamians and, in 1922 CE, the archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley discovered “the remains of two four-wheeled wagons, [at the site of the ancient city of Ur ] the oldest wheeled vehicles in history ever found, along with their leather tires” (Bertman, 35).

Other important developments or inventions credited to the Mesopotamians include, but are by no means limited to, domestication of animals, agriculture, common tools, sophisticated weaponry and warfare , the chariot , wine, beer , demarcation of time into hours, minutes, and seconds, religious rites, the sail (sailboats), and irrigation. Archaeological excavations starting in the 1840s CE have revealed human settlements dating to 10,000 BCE in Mesopotamia that indicate that the fertile conditions of the land between two rivers allowed an ancient hunter-gatherer people to settle in the land, domesticate animals, and turn their attention to agriculture. Trade soon followed, and with prosperity came urbanization and the birth of the city. It is generally thought that writing was invented due to trade, out of the necessity for long-distance communication, and for keeping more careful track of accounts. Learning and Religion Mesopotamia was known in antiquity as a seat of learning, and it is believed that Thales of Miletus (known as the 'first philosopher') studied there.

As the Babylonians believed that water was the 'first principle' from which all else flowed, and as Thales is famous for that very claim, it seems probable he studied in the region. Intellectual pursuits were highly valued across the region, and the schools (devoted primarily to the priestly class) were said to be as numerous as temples and taught reading, writing, religion, law, medicine, and astrology. There were over 1,000 deities in the pantheon of the gods of the Mesopotamian cultures and many stories concerning the gods (among them, the creation myth, the Enuma Elish), and it is generally accepted that biblical tales such as the Fall of Man and the Flood of Noah (among many others) originated in Mesopotamian lore, as they first appear in Mesopotamian works such as The Myth of Adapa and the Epic of Gilgamesh , the oldest written story in the world. The Mesopotamians believed that they were co-workers with the gods and that the land was infused with spirits and demons (though `demons’ should not be understood in the modern, Christian, sense).

Remove Ads Advertisement The beginning of the world, they believed, was a victory by the gods over the forces of chaos but, even though the gods had won, this did not mean chaos could not come again. Through daily rituals, attention to the deities, proper funeral practices, and simple civic duty, the people of Mesopotamia felt they helped maintain balance in the world and kept the forces of chaos and destruction at bay. Along with expectations that one would honor one’s elders and treat people with respect, the citizens of the land were also to honor the gods through the jobs they performed every day. Jobs Men and women both worked, and “because ancient Mesopotamia was fundamentally an agrarian society, the principal occupations were growing crops and raising livestock” (Bertman, 274). Other occupations included those of the scribe, the healer, artisan, weaver, potter, shoemaker, fisherman, teacher, and priest or priestess. The historian Bertman writes: At the head of society were the kings and priests served by the populous staff of palace and temple . With the institution of standing armies and the spread of imperialism, military officers and professional soldiers took their place in Mesopotamia’s expanding and diverse workforce.

(274) Women enjoyed nearly equal rights and could own land, file for divorce, own their own businesses, and make contracts in trade. The early brewers of beer and wine, as well as the healers in the community, were initially women. These trades were later taken over by men, it seems, when it became apparent they were lucrative occupations. The work one did, however, was never considered simply a `job’ but one’s contribution to the community and, by extension, to the gods’ efforts in keeping the world at peace and in harmony. Advertisement Buildings and Government The king was responsible for the welfare of his people and a good king, who ruled in accordance with divine will, was recognized by the prosperity of the region he reigned over. The temple, at the center of every city (often on a raised platform), symbolized the importance of the city’s patron deity who would also be worshipped by whatever communities that city presided over. Mesopotamia gave birth to the world’s first cities which were largely built of sun-dried brick. In the words of Bertman, “The domestic architecture of Mesopotamia grew out of the soil upon which it stood.

Unlike Egypt, Mesopotamia –especially in the south– was barren of stone that could be quarried for construction.” The land was equally devoid of trees for timber, so the people “turned to other natural resources that lay abundantly at hand: the muddy clay of its riverbanks and the rushes and reeds that grew in their marshes. With them, the Mesopotamians created the world’s first columns, arches, and roofed structures” (285). Simple homes were constructed from bundles of reeds lashed together and inserted in the ground, while more complex homes were built of sun-dried clay brick (a practice followed later by the Egyptians). Cities and temple complexes, with their famous ziggurats (the step- pyramid structures indigenous to the region), were all built using oven-baked bricks of clay which were then painted. The gods were thought to be present in the planning and execution of any building project and very specific prayers, recited in a set order to the proper deity, were considered of utmost importance in the success of the project and the prosperity of the occupants of the home.

Whichever kingdom or empire held sway across Mesopotamia, in whatever historical period, the vital role of the gods in the lives of the people remained undiminished. This reverence for the divine characterized the lives of both the field worker and the king. The historian Helen Chapin Metz writes: The precariousness of existence in southern Mesopotamia led to a highly developed sense of religion. Cult centers such as Eridu , dating back to 5000 BCE, served as important centers of pilgrimage and devotion even before the rise of Sumer. Many of the most important Mesopotamian cities emerged in areas surrounding the pre-Sumerian cult centers, thus reinforcing the close relationship between religion and government. The role of the king was established at some point after 3600 BCE and, unlike the priest-rulers who came before, the king dealt directly with the people and made his will clear through laws of his own devising.

Prior to the concept of a king, the priestly rulers are believed to have dictated the law according to religious precepts and received divine messages through signs and omens; the king, while still honoring and placating the gods, was considered a powerful enough representative of those gods to be able to speak their will through his own dictates, using his own voice. This is most clearly seen in the famous laws of Hammurabi of Babylon, but a ruler claiming direct contact with the gods was quite common throughout Mesopotamian history, most notably in the Akkadian king Naram-Sin who went so far as to proclaim himself a god incarnate. The king was responsible for the welfare of his people and a good king, who ruled in accordance with divine will, was recognized by the prosperity of the region he reigned over. Still, even very efficient rulers, such as Sargon of Akkad , had to deal with perpetual uprisings and revolts by factions, or whole regions, contesting his legitimacy. As Mesopotamia was so vast a region, with so many different cultures and ethnicities within its borders, a single ruler attempting to enforce the laws of a central government would invariably be met with resistance from some quarter.

The History of Mesopotamia The history of the region, and the development of the civilizations which flourished there, is most easily understood by dividing it into periods: Pre- Pottery Neolithic Age: Also known as The Stone Age (c. 10,000 BCE though evidence suggests human habitation much earlier). There is archaeological confirmation of crude settlements and early signs of warfare between tribes, most likely over fertile land for crops and fields for grazing livestock. Animal husbandry was increasingly practiced during this time with a shift from a hunter-gatherer culture to an agrarian one. Even so, the historian Marc Van De Mieroop notes: There was not a sudden change from hunting-gathering to farming, but rather a slow process during which people increased their reliance on resources they managed directly, but still supplemented their diets by hunting wild animals. Agriculture enabled an increase in continuous settlement by people (12). As more settlements grew, architectural developments slowly became more sophisticated in the construction of permanent dwellings. Pottery Neolithic Age: (c. 7,000 BCE) In this period there was a widespread use of tools and clay pots and a specific culture begins to emerge in the Fertile Crescent.

The historian Bertman writes, “during this era, the only advanced technology was literally 'cutting edge'” as stone tools and weapons became more sophisticated. Bertman further notes that “the Neolithic economy was primarily based on food production through farming and animal husbandry” (55) and was more settled, as opposed to the Stone Age in which communities were more mobile. Architectural advancements naturally followed in the wake of permanent settlements as did developments in the manufacture of ceramics and stone tools. Copper Age: (5,900 – 3,200 BCE) Also known as The Chalcolithic Period owing to the transition from stone tools and weapons to ones made of copper. The rise of cities began in this period, most notably in the regions of Sumer in which thrived the cities of Eridu, Uruk , Ur, Kish, Nuzi, Lagash, Nippur, and Ngirsu, and in Elam with its city of Susa . The earliest city is often cited as Uruk, although Eridu and Ur have also been suggested.

Van De Mieroop writes, “Mesopotamia was the most densely urbanized region in the ancient world” (as cited in Bertman, 201), and the cities which grew up along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, as well as those founded further away, established systems of trade which resulted in great prosperity. This period saw the invention of the wheel (c. 3500 BCE) and writing (c. 3000 BCE), both by the Sumerians , the establishment of kingships to replace priestly rule, and the first war in the world recorded between the kingdoms of Sumer and Elam (3,200 BCE) with Sumer as the victor. Increased prosperity in the region gave rise to ornate temples and statuary, sophisticated pottery and figurines, toys for children (including dolls for girls and wheeled carts for boys), and the use of personal seals to denote ownership of property or stand for an individual’s signature. Early Bronze Age: (3,000 – 2119 BCE) During this period, bronze supplanted copper as the material from which tools and weapons were made.

The rise of the city-state laid the foundation for economic and political stability which would eventually lead to the rise of the Akkadian Empire (2350 BCE) and the rapid growth of the cities of Akkad and Mari , two of the most prosperous urban centers of the time. The cultural stability necessary for the creation of art in the region resulted in more intricate designs in architecture and sculpture, as well as “a number of specific and momentous inventions: the plough and the wheel, the chariot and the sailboat, and the cylinder-seal, the single most distinctive art form of ancient Mesopotamia and a pervasive demonstration of the importance of property ownership and business in the country’s daily life,” were all either invented or improved upon during this time (Bertman, 55-56). The Akkadian Empire of Sargon was the first multi-national realm in the world and Sargon's daughter, Enheduanna , the first author of literary works known by name. The library at Mari contained over 20,000 cuneiform tablets (books) and the palace there was considered one of the finest in the region.

Middle Bronze Age: (2119-1700 BCE) The expansion of the Assyrian Kingdoms (Assur, Nimrud , Sharrukin, Dur, and Nineveh ) and the rise of the Babylonian Dynasty (centered in Babylon and Chaldea) created an atmosphere conducive to trade and, with it, increased warfare. The Guti Tribe, fierce nomads who succeeded in toppling the Akkadian Empire, dominated the politics of Mesopotamia until they were defeated by the allied forces of the kings of Sumer. Hammurabi, King of Babylon (1792-1750 BCE), rose from relative obscurity to conquer the region and reign for 43 years. Among his many accomplishments was his famous code of laws, inscribed on the stele of the gods. Babylon became a leading centre at this time for intellectual pursuit and high accomplishment in arts and letters. This cultural centre was not to last, however, and was sacked and looted by the Hittites who were then succeeded by the Kassites.

Late Bronze Age: (1700-1100 BCE) The rise of the Kassite Dynasty (a tribe who came from the Zagros Mountains in the north and are thought to have originated in modern-day Iran) leads to a shift in power and an expansion of culture and learning after the Kassites conquered Babylon. The collapse of the Bronze Age followed the discovery of how to mine ore and make use of iron, a technology which the Kassites and, earlier, the Hittites made singular use of in warfare. The period also saw the beginning of the decline of Babylonian culture due to the rise in power of the Kassites until they were defeated by the Elamites and driven out. After the Elamites gave way to the Aramaeans, the small Kingdom of Assyria began a series of successful campaigns, and the Assyrian Empire was firmly established and prospered under the rule of Tiglath-Pileser I and, after him, Ashurnasirpal II . Most Mesopotamian states were either destroyed or weakened following the Bronze Age Collapse around 1200 BCE, leading to a short "dark age".

Iron Age: (1000 – 500 BCE) This age saw the rise and expansion of the Neo-Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III and that Empire’s meteoric rise to power and conquest under the rule of Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal (who conquered Babylonia , Syria, Israel , and Egypt). The Empire suffered a decline as rapid as its rise due to repeated attacks on central cities by Babylonians, Medes, and Scythians. The tribes of the Hittites and the Mitanni consolidated their respective powers during this time which resulted in the rise of the Neo- Hittite and Neo-Babylonian Empires. King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem (588 BCE) during this period and forced the inhabitants of Israel into the “Babylonian Exile”. He was also responsible for extensive construction in Babylon, creating famous buildings such as the Ishtar Gate and the Great Ziggurat (the "Tower of Babel "). The fall of Babylon to Cyrus II of Persia in 539 BCE effectively ended Babylonian culture.

Classical Antiquity: (500 BCE – 7th century CE) After Cyrus II took Babylon, the bulk of Mesopotamia became part of the Persian Empire, and this period saw a rapid cultural decline, most notably in the loss of the knowledge of cuneiform script. The conquest of the Persians by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE brought Hellenization of the culture and religion, and even though Alexander tried to again make Babylon a city of consequence, its days of glory were a thing of the past. After his death, Alexander’s general Seleucus took control of the region and founded the Seleucid Dynasty which ruled until 126 BCE when the land was conquered by the Parthians who were, in turn, dominated by the Sassanians (a people of Persian descent). Bertman writes, “Under Sassanian domination, Mesopotamia lay in ruins, its fields dried out or turned into a swampy morass, its once great cities made ghost towns” (58).

By the time of the conquest by the Roman Empire (116 CE), Mesopotamia was a largely Hellenized region, lacking in any unity, which had forgotten the old gods and the old ways. The Romans improved the infrastructure of their colonies significantly through their introduction of better roads and plumbing and brought Roman Law to the land. The entire culture of the region once known as Mesopotamia was swept away in the final conquest of the area by Muslim Arabs in the 7th century CE which resulted in the unification of law, language, religion and culture under Islam. Bertman notes, “With the Islamic conquest of 651 CE the history of ancient Mesopotamia ends” (58). Today the great cities that once rose along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers are largely unexcavated mounds or broken bricks on arid plains, and the once fertile crescent has steadily dwindled to a wasteland due to human factors (such as overuse of the land through agricultural pursuits or urban development) and to climate change. Legacy The legacy of Mesopotamia endures today through many of the most basic aspects of modern life such as the sixty-second minute and the sixty-minute hour.

Helen Chapin Metz writes, Because the well-being of the community depended upon close observation of natural phenomena, scientific or protoscientific activities occupied much of the priests' time. For example, the Sumerians believed that each of the gods was represented by a number. The number sixty, sacred to the god An, was their basic unit of calculation. The minutes of an hour and the notational degrees of a circle were Sumerian concepts. The highly developed agricultural system and the refined irrigation and water-control systems that enabled Sumer to achieve surplus production also led to the growth of large cities. Urbanization, the wheel, writing, astronomy, mathematics, wind power, irrigation, agricultural developments, animal husbandry, and the narratives which would eventually be re-written as the Hebrew Scriptures and form the Christian Old Testament all came from the land of Mesopotamia. According to Bertman, “In his book, History Begins at Sumer, Samuel Noah Kramer lists 39 `firsts’ in recorded history that can be credited to the Sumerians and the culture they created” (326).

Among these `firsts’ are Man’s First Cosmogony and Cosmology, The First Moral Ideas, The First Biblical Parallels, The First `Noah’, ` Moses ’, and `Job’, Man’s First Epic Literature , The First Case of Library Borrowing, The First Legal Precedent, The First Aquarium, and The First Proverbs and Sayings. Mesopotamia generally, and Sumer specifically, gave the world some of its most enduring cultural aspects and, even though the cities and great palaces are long gone, that legacy continues. About the Author What is the present-day name of Mesopotamia? | Reference.com What is the present-day name of Mesopotamia? A: Quick Answer Mesopotamia refers to the area of land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. There is not one present-day country which Mesopotamia comprises. Mesopotamia is the present-day area of parts of Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Turkey and Iran. Full Answer Major present-day cities within the Mesopotamia region include Baghdad and Basra. Baghdad is the capital of Iraq and is situated by the Tigris River in the central part of the country.

Basra is the capital of the Basra Governate and is Iraq's main port. The Basra Governate is located in southern Iraq between Kuwait and Iran. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers meet north of Basra and flow into the Persian Gulf. Ur - Ancient History Encyclopedia Ur by Joshua J. Mark published on 28 April 2011 Ur was a city in the region of Sumer , southern Mesopotamia , in what is modern-day Iraq. According to biblical tradition, the city is named after the man who founded the first settlement there, Ur, though this has been disputed. The city’s other biblical link is to the patriarch Abraham who left Ur to settle in the land of Canaan . This claim has also been contested by scholars who believe that Abraham’s home was further north in Mesopotamia in a place called Ura, near the city of Harran, and that the writers of the biblical narrative in the Book of Genesis confused the two.

Whatever its biblical connections may have been, Ur was a significant port city on the Persian Gulf which began, most likely, as a small village in the Ubaid Period of Mesopotamian history (5000-4100 BCE) and was an established city by 3800 BCE continually inhabited until 450 BCE. The Early Period & Excavation The site became famous in 1922 CE when Sir Leonard Wooley excavated the ruins and discovered what he called The Great Death Pit (an elaborate grave complex), the Royal Tombs, and, more significantly to him, claimed to have found evidence of the Flood described in the Book of Genesis (this claim was later discredited but continues to find supporters). In its time, Ur was a city of enormous size, scope, and opulence which drew its vast wealth from its position on the Persian Gulf and the trade this allowed with countries as far away as India . The present site of the ruins of Ur are much further inland than they were at the time when the city flourished owing to silting of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Remove Ads Advertisement From the beginning, Ur was an important trade center owing to its location at a pivotal point where the Tigris and Euphrates run into the Persian Gulf. From the beginning, Ur was an important trade center owing to its location at a pivotal point where the Tigris and Euphrates run into the Persian Gulf. Archaeological excavations have substantiated that, early on, Ur possessed great wealth and the citizens enjoyed a level of comfort unknown in other Mesopotamian cities . As with other great urban complexes in the region, the city began as a small village which was most likely led by a priest or priest-king. The king of the First Dynasty, Mesannepadda, is only known through the Sumerian King List and from inscriptions on artifacts found in the graves of Ur. The Second Dynasty is known to have had four kings but about them, their accomplishments, or the history during this time, nothing is known. The early Mesopotamian writers did not consider it worthwhile to record the deeds of mortals and preferred to link human achievements to the work and will of the gods.

Ancient hero-kings such as Gilgamesh or those who performed amazing feats such as Etana were worthy of record but mortal kings were not afforded that same level of concern. The Hero-Kings of Akkad This changed with the rise of Sargon of Akkad and his Akkadian Empire which ruled over the diverse regions of Mesopotamia between 2334-2218 BCE. Sargon the Great claimed to have been born of a priestess and a god, floated down the river in a basket of bulrushes to be found by the servant of the king of the city of Lagash, and rose from obscurity – through the will of the goddess Inanna – to rule all of Mesopotamia. The inscriptions he left dare those who follow him to do the deeds he did if they hope to call themselves a king and his life was worthy of the efforts of the scribes of the region for centuries after his death. His grandson, Naram-Sin , learning well the lessons of the importance of personal propaganda, claimed he had gone further than his grandfather and had himself deified during his reign. In doing so, he provided a model for those kings who would follow him.

Sargon the Great and Naram-Sin were the most powerful rulers of the Akkadian Empire and, once it fell, their names became legend and their deeds worth emulating. At Ur, the heroes of Akkad were most closely emulated by the rulers of the Third Dynasty. This period in the history of Sumer is known as the Ur III Period (2047-1750 BCE) and was the age in which the city of Ur reached its height. The great ziggurat of Ur, which can still be visited in modern times, dates from this period as do most of the ruins of the city and the cuneiform tablets discovered there. The two greatest kings of the Third Dynasty were Ur-Nammu and his son Shulgi who created an urban community devoted to cultural progress and excellence and, in doing so, gave birth to what is known as the Sumerian Renaissance. Advertisement Ur-Nammu & Shulgi: The Sumerian Renaissance Ur-Nammu wrote down the first codified law system of the land, some three hundred years before Hammurabi of Babylon would write his, and governed his realm in accordance with a patriarchal hierarchy in which he was the father guiding his children to prosperity and continued health.

Under Ur-Nammu the great ziggurat was built and trade flourished. The arts and technology for which the Sumerians are most famous were all encouraged in Ur during this time. The historian Paul Kriwaczek observes that, in order for such a patriarchal system of government to succeed, the people must believe that their ruler is greater, more powerful, than they are in the same way that children regard their father. To this end, it seems, Ur-Nammu presented himself to his subjects in line with the hero-kings Sargon and Naram-Sin in order to encourage the populace to follow him in the pursuit of excellence. His son Shulgi, in an effort to surpass the achievements of his father, went even further. One example of this is his famous run when, to impress his people and distinguish himself from his father, Shulgi ran 100 miles (160.9 kilometres) between the religious centre of Nippur and the capital city of Ur and back again – in one day – in order to officiate at the festivals in both cities.

Shulgi continued his father’s policies, bettering them when he saw fit, and is considered the greatest king of the Third Dynasty of Ur for the heights civilization reached under his reign. Among his many building projects was a wall which ran 155 miles (250 kilometres) along the border of the region of Sumer to keep out the barbarian tribes known as the Martu (also as the Tidnum) who are most recognizable to modern readers from their biblical designation as Amorites. Shulgi’s wall was maintained by his son, grandson, and great grandson but could not hold back the tribes on the borders. The wall was too long to be properly manned and, since it was not anchored at either end, invaders could by-pass the obstacle simply by marching around it. In 1750 BCE the neighboring kingdom of Elam breached the wall, sacked Ur and carried away the last king as a prisoner. The Amorites, who had already found their way around the wall, merged with the Sumerian populace and, in this way, Sumerian culture came to an end with the fall of Ur.

Question: Most of Mesopotamia is in what modern-day country?
Answer: Iraq