1700.E2.80.931450 BCE: the Egyptian.2C Babylonian.2C and Hittite Empires Middle-Eastern empires

1 1700–1450 bce: egyptian, babylonian, , hittite empires

1.1 egyptian empire
1.2 babylonian empire
1.3 hittite empire

1700–1450 bce: egyptian, babylonian, , hittite empires
egyptian empire

from 1560 1080 bce, egyptian empire reached zenith dominant power in middle east. when rome still marsh , acropolis empty rock, egypt 1 thousand years old. although period of pyramid-builders long over, egypt lay on threshold of greatest age. new kingdom empire forged conquest, maintained intimidation , diplomacy, , remembered long after demise.

by 1400 bc egyptian empire stretched northern syria sudan in africa, under rule of amenhotep iii. golden age of wealth, power , prosperity, , remarkable diplomacy used keep empire’s rivals @ bay. art, technology , new ideas flourished , egyptian rulers seen gods.

the peak of egyptian imperial expansion came when threatened abroad, ramesses ii led army north fight hittites @ kadesh. battle crowning achievement, , basis new period of stability , wealth. resources flooded egypt. however, foreign powers once again threatened it, , provinces wavered in allegiance.

after long reign of ramesses ii, great tombs systematically looted , civil war ensued. though egypt once again divided, carved among foreign powers, period left rich legacy.

babylonian empire

the city of babylon makes second last

appearance in historical sources after fall of third dynasty of ur, had ruled city states of alluvial plain between rivers euphrates , tigris more century. agricultural crisis meant end of centralized state, , several more or less nomadic tribes settled in southern mesopotamia. 1 of these nation of amorites ( westerners ), took on isin, larsa, , babylon. kings known first dynasty of babylon.

the area reunited hammurabi, king of babylon of amorite descent. reign on, alluvial plain of southern iraq called, deliberate archaism, mât akkadî, country of akkad , after city had united region centuries before, known babylonia. 1 of fertile , rich parts of ancient world.

babylon , ally larsa fought defensive war against elam, archenemy of akkad. after war had been brought successful end, hammurabi turned against larsa, , defeated king rim-sin. scenario repeated: king zimrilim of mari, hammurabi waged war against aššur, , after success had been achieved, babylonians attacked ally , mari sacked. other wars fought against jamšad (aleppo), elam, ešnunna, , mountain tribes in zagros. babylon capital of entire region between harran in northwest , persian gulf in southeast.

hammurabi s successes became problems of successors. after annexation of mari in northwest , ešnunna in east, there no buffer against increasing power of hittite empire , kassite tribes in zagros. impossible successors of hammurabi fight against these enemies @ same time, , started lose grip. these enemies invaded babylonia, , in 1595 bce hittite king mursilis advanced along euphrates, sacked babylon, , took away statue of supreme god of babylonia, marduk, temple, esagila.

with fall of assyrian empire (612 bce), babylonian empire powerful state in ancient world. after babylonian empire had been overthrown persian king cyrus great (539), city remained important cultural center, , ultimate prize in eyes of aspiring conquerors.

hittite empire

the hittite empire confused of chaldean/babylonians , greek historians of period mention it.

the egyptian documents mention eponymous hatti region of hittites war annals of thutmoses iii , of seti , ramses ii . el amarna letters, written in cuneiform, refer hatti. period in conventional chronology covers time 1500–1250 bc. merneptah followed ramses ii, said hatti pacified. ramses iii, supposedly of 1200–1180 bc, wrote hatti crushed or wasted.

a babylonian chronicle mentions hatti in connection invasion of babylon @ close of ancient dynasty of hammurabi supposedly in 17th or 16th century.