Lecture 3: The Ancient Near East: The Hebrews and Rise of the Persian Empire 1. The Levant Coast, 3000-1000BCE – Phoenicians, Canaanites and Hebrews A. Geography & Trade B. The Phoenicians and the Alphabet, ca. 1600 2. Hebrews and their History: Small States, Enduring Concepts A. The Hebrews and the Tribes of Abraham B. Kingdoms of Israel and Judah C. The First Dispersion of the Jews 3. The Religion of the Hebrews – Evolving Beliefs A. The Texts: The Hebrew Bible B. The Jewish Covenant and Hebrew Law C. Hebrew Monotheism D. Ethical Monotheism CODA: A Succession of Empires and the Rise of Persia Kingship, 1000-500 BC A. Neo-Assyrians, Neo-Babylonians B. Persian Kingship – A Looming EmpireThe Ancient Near East, ca. 3000 -1200 B.C.E.Phoenician Sea Routes and Colonies ca. 900-600 BCEEarly depiction of a Phoenician Ship that navigated the MediterraneanExample of the Phoenician alphabet on sandstone, ca. 1500 BCEThe Written Word: Languages • Cuneiform+–+ca.+3100+B.C.E.,+Sumerian,+first+written+language,+on+clay+tablets.+• Hieroglyphics+–+ca.+3100+B.C.E.,+system+of+writing+developed+in+Egypt,+“sacred+letters,”+employed+around+700+pictorial+forms.+• Demotic+script,+a+cursive+script+also+employed+in+Egypt+for+everyday+documents.+• Phoenician+Alphabet+–+ca.+1600+B.C.E.+–+one+letter+=+one+sound.+• Greek+Alphabet+–+ca.+700+B.C.E.+The Ancient World ca. 1000 B.C.E.Lecture 3: The Ancient Near East: The Hebrews and Rise of the Persian Empire 1. The Levant Coast, 3000-1000BCE – Phoenicians, Canaanites and Hebrews A. Geography & Trade B. The Phoenicians and the Alphabet, ca. 1600 2. Hebrews and their History: Small States, Enduring Concepts A. The Hebrews and the Tribes of Abraham B. Kingdoms of Israel and Judah C. The First Dispersion of the Jews 3. The Religion of the Hebrews – Evolving Beliefs A. The Texts: The Hebrew Bible B. The Jewish Covenant and Hebrew Law C. Hebrew Monotheism D. Ethical Monotheism CODA: A Succession of Empires and the Rise of Persia Kingship, 1000-500 BC A. Neo-Assyrians, Neo-Babylonians B. Persian Kingship – A Looming EmpireExample of early Hebrew Script – originated, from the Phoenician ca. 1200 BCEThe Hebrew Bible: 1) The Torah: The first 5 Books, sometimes called the “Books of Moses” The Greeks referred to them as the Pentateuch (Penta meaning five) == the first five books of the Bible. Also called “the teachings” and ‘the laws” - included texts of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. 2) The Prophets: Contains the historical books – including the book of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles == those texts that tell of the unfolding relationship between Yahweh, the Hebrew God, and His People. They also include the texts of the Greater Prophets, including the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, as well as the Lesser Prophets such as Amos and Micah. 3) The Writings: --A catchall designation or term for the poetic material such as the Psalms (attributed to King David); the Canticles, like the Song of Solomon, and the beautiful, descriptive, and moving literature including that of Proverbs and Wisdom – which has a long an enduring resonance throughout the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic poetic tradition.Lecture 3: The Ancient Near East: The Hebrews and Rise of the Persian Empire 1. The Levant Coast, 3000-1000BCE – Phoenicians, Canaanites and Hebrews A. Geography & Trade B. The Phoenicians and the Alphabet, ca. 1600 2. Hebrews and their History: Small States, Enduring Concepts A. The Hebrews and the Tribes of Abraham B. Kingdoms of Israel and Judah C. The First Dispersion of the Jews 3. The Religion of the Hebrews – Evolving Beliefs A. The Texts: The Hebrew Bible B. The Jewish Covenant and Hebrew Law C. Hebrew Monotheism D. Ethical Monotheism CODA: A Succession of Empires and the Rise of Persia Kingship, 1000-500 BC A. Neo-Assyrians, Neo-Babylonians B. Persian Kingship – A Looming EmpireThe Persian Empire ca. 490 B.C.E. – from Thrace to IndiaDarius the Great – 522-486 B.C.E. Ruler of the Persian Empire, reigned during its heightPalace of Persepolis, began under Darius the GreatThe Persian Empire ca. 490 B.C.E. – from Thrace to