Babylonia. §fourteen

Babylon (Starovalonian period) ..

Mesopotamian city Babylon began to gain strength when the rulers from the Aboronian Dynasty were reigned in it. Filmedly located in the heart of Mesopotamia, where the Tiger's channel and Euphrates are brought together and the most important river and caravan trading paths are crossing, Babylon, whose name means the gate of God, acquired a large political and cultural significance. The greatness of Babylon continued one and a half thousand years. During this time, he was both the center of the extensive kingdom and fell under the authority of the Aliens, but invariably remained the most enormous and rich city, not only the two-frequencies, the miracle city of the East, but also the main city of the entire populated world.

Babylon needed a little more than a century to combine all the Mesopotamia and create a great power, which was called Babylonia. This mighty centralized state with the capital Babylon is rightly ranked to those regions that can be called the cradle of civilization. After visiting Babylon Herodotus wrote: Babylon was not only a big city, but also the most beautiful of all I know. Indeed, this city could strike with its sizes. His fortress wall with a copper gate stretched out a lot of kilometers. On her top could go to a number of several horse carriages. You could enter the city only through the northern gates lined with blue icing, named after the Goddess of Love Ishtar. The city had 2 boulevards, 24 large avenues, 53 temples. The largest temple dedicated to the god Marduk, the seed 90-meter step tower of the ETEMENANK Zigarat, known as the Babylonian Tower. In Babylon, there was one of the miracles of the world. Famous hanging gardens, which were a lot of terraces planted with flowers, trees, shrubs.

Three periods of the history of Babylon reflect the main development trends and the main achievements of the Babylonian civilization. The first period of Starovilon covers the time from the end of the Board of the III of the Dynasty of the Dynasty until 1595 BC, when Babyonia conquered Cassites. The second period of the Middle-Independent (Cassian) held more than 400 years of Cassic domination (1595-1158 BC). The third period of Novovavilon is associated with the Board of the Chaldean Dynasty, which was completed by the conquest of Babylon Persians (626,538 BC).

Initially, the Babylonian kingdom did not play a special role. In 1792 BC. The sixth king of Babylon was the young king Hammurapi. The targeted and clever policy of Hammurapi contributed to the conversion of Babylon to the capital of a huge state, subordinating almost all the two-range. Under the conditions of infinite interne-free wars, the wise ruler and a diplomat Hammurapi repeatedly concluded and terminated military unions, building his far-reaching plans. He won the southern cities of Oruk and Ostin, seized the kingdom of Eshnunnu and the city-state Lars, subjugated the state of Marie, conquered Ashchur. Hammurapi was undoubtedly one of the most prominent rulers in the history of Mesopotamia. His personal qualities played a significant role in the elevation of Babylon and maintaining him for a long time of power over a significant part of Mesopotamia. In Mesopotamia, which was united for the third time, he established a totalitarian system, resembling orders of the III dynasty of the Hur.

What was the state power of Babylonia? It was one of the classic samples of an ancient despoty. The country is strictly centralized. The Supreme Power (executive, legislative, judicial and even religious) is concentrated in the hands of the ruler-king. In the management of the country, the king relied on a complex bureaucratic apparatus. Some officials were provided with central government branches, others on behalf of the king managed cities or regions. In big cities, the deeds were made by special governors of the king. The population was obliged to pay various taxes: from bread crop, from dates, from the rating of livestock, with fishing crafts, etc. Special taxes are also charged with silver and special royal taxes in kind. They went to the royal treasury and form a palace property. During the delivery of natural taxes in the central warehouses, special officials were observed. The tsarist chamber was made by precious metals. The whole system of bureaucratic management of the country was headed by the Babylonian king, who received the teachings of priests, the supreme power as if directly from the hands of the gods. So, about yourself King Hammurapi said: I, Hammurapi, an eternal royal offspring, a strong king, the sun of Babylon, who starved the country of Marduk sent me to manage people and give the country of prosperity ...

1. Fighting cities of two frequencies and the elevation of Babylon. After the fall of the III dynasty, the Hurray in two-range for two hundred centuries there is an increase in centrifugal forces, political fragmentation and internecine wars.

Amorist conquerors founded several states, of which two were stronger, and the rulers called themselves the kings of Sumer and Akkad, that is, claimed the power over the entire country. These states were Isin and Lars. However, weakening each other, they could not fulfill their claims. Lars was also under the strong influence of the neighboring Elama, the kings of which were planted for the throne of this city-state of their depths. Amoritian kingdoms were played in an independent role outside the two-frequencies.

In addition, the semitic city of Ashhur (on average tigre, the core of the future Assyrian power) is trying to interfere in the deeds of the two frequencies. Finally, the city that was destined to become a major center in the valley of the Tiger and Euphrate and Eufrat and eclipsed with their brilliance more ancient cities to be treated in the future.

It was a Babylon (more precisely, Babáli is "the gate of God"). Until the XIX century BC e. This city, located on the left bank of the Euphrat (south of modern Baghdad), did not play an independent political role and did not differ in large sizes.

In the future, however, Babylon is enhanced economically and politically, using decline and ruin the nearest neighbors - Kish and Akkada.

The advantageous location on the crossing of river and caravanways contributed to its transformation into a major shopping center. The population increased by the influx of amorithic immigrants moving from the Syrian steppe.

2. The formation of the Starovalon Kingdom. From 1894 to 1595 BC e. Here, the independent dynasty is already ruled, which leads an active foreign policy and seeks to unite the entire basin of the Tiger and Euphrates under its authority.

The greatest power reaches the Babylon at Queen Hammurapi (1792-1750 BC), which manifested himself an experienced skillful diplomat using the scented and collision of neighbors. He concludes a close union with a rich state of Marie, holding a trading path in his hands leading to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

By providing, thus, its northern border, Hammurapi focuses on the main blow against Larsa associated with Elam.

Having defeated this most dangerous opponent, Hammurapi strongly breaks friendly relations with Marie, captures this city and destroys his palace (one of the best architectural structures of that time, which we can judge on the ruins, revealed by French archaeologists). Ashshur also falls under his power, and thus the extensive Starovoilian kingdom is created, which swept most of the Mesopotamia.

3. Code of laws of the king Hammurapi. We learn about the internal policy of Hammurapi from his correspondence with nobles and officials and especially from the laws of laws published.

These laws are drawn on a basalt pillar, decorated with embossed figures depicting the most king standing in front of the throne of the God of the Sun, truth and justice shamash and receiving from his hands the regalia of the highest judicial power (rod and hoop).

Hammurapi laws cover the most different spheres of life and activities of the population. Special attention to agriculture. Each agriculture is strictly responsible for the preservation of the dam adjacent to its site, and if the flood occurred by its fault, then all his property is sold to compensate the losses to neighbors.

The most detailed ways are adjusted for the lease conditions of the field and the garden. The negligent tenant-Radler, who did not assemble the harvest due to the laziness, pays a natural rental fee calculated by the norm of the harvest in the next section. Also regulated renting livestock. Many articles of laws are devoted to the development of craft products to order (by a certain tax), commercial and usual operations.

Along with the preserved elements of the natural economy (sometimes goods are paid by grain and damages are made by nature), cash relations are increasingly intensified, and the measure of the cost is silver in the ingots (Sikl - 8 grams, min - 500 grams, talent - 30 kilograms).

The rural community was already in a state of complete decomposition. Land plots (with the exception of the royal fund) were subject to purchase and sale. About the old polluts of the Earth is not mentioned. However, as an administrative unit, a neighboring community (village, and in the city - quarter) is preserved.

Large royal-temple economies of the time of the III dynasty Huru to this time already broke up. The land directly belonging to the palace is distributed to the conditional possession of soldiers or farmers who pay natural contributions for them.

The entire population of the country is sharply divided into free, under the protection of the law, and slaves discussed, like a cattle, as a property that is fully disposed of Mr..

For the murder of someone else's slave, it is supposed to give it to Mr. Other Slave (or to reimburse its value). For injury caused by someone else's slave (escaped eye, broken bone), half the cost of slave is reimbursed. If the slave hit a free man, then he is cut off ear.

However, unlike the time of the III of the Dynasty, the URA takes measures to ensure that free Babylonian does not fall into slavery (only serious crimes entail deprivation of liberty).

The main way of transformation of the mass of fellow citizens in slaves was a debt, and it is its laws of Hammurapi seeking to limit. There is no wonder this. The merciless actions of the Roshovshchikov, who suffered not only the poor, but also many owners, caused universal discontent and caused damage to the king, which was deprived of the subjects (for the slave belonged to Mr.). Standing on guard of private property, the law allowed debt recovery and interest, but introduced this penalties into a certain framework, curling the excessive appetites of the predatory borrowers. Debt worked not the debtor himself, and his wife or children, moreover, only during the track years, and, unlike slaves, these ball people were guarded by law and the Roshovist answered the life of her son for the violent death of the Debtor's Son, who worries his father's debt.

Although there are a lot of slaves in the laws of Hammurapi, but they constitute only part (albeit rather significant) direct manufacturers.

Along with them, various categories are operated. In addition to the above-mentioned tenants who give the owner from 1/2 to 2/3 of the harvest, and the category of the head of the head of the head of the family, are mentioned yet numerous bathers who do not have their own farms and receiving natural or cash wages for their work.

Along with all sorts of economic gradations, in the total mass of the free population, more purely legal categories were distinguished. On the one hand, full "sons of her husband" (Mar-Avellim) are mentioned, and on the other hand, subjects (Muskene).

The latter were owners and partially even slave owners (perhaps associated with the palace), but their legal rights were limited (as they suggest due to origin).

3A Applying Ubuchi Muskene The culprit paid a fine, whereas for a self-made "son of her husband", the criminal caught on the principle of Talion ("Oco for the eye, tooth for the tooth").

The royal power in Hammurapi had a despotic nature and intervened in all the relationship between the subjects. In joining the draft law, the gods believed the tsar unlimited powers.

However, in practice, the king was considered with the traditional rights of the patriarchal family. The husband had the right to kill his wife for treason and her seducer. 3A complicity in the murder of the spouse The criminal wife was frowning on a stake, but for bad behavior and waste, he traveled out of the house or even applied to slavery. The son, who hit his father, was punished with a clipping brush, while the beating of his son was not considered a crime.

Sometimes children were even responsible for the crimes of the Father. For example, the Son of the Builder was subjected to the death penalty, if the house built by his careless father was collapsed and the son of the homeowner died under his ruins (Talion's principle - "Son for Son").

But state power makes any restrictions in the harsh family law. The husband, who slandered an innocent wife, must give her an honorable divorce (with monetary compensation). Father cannot arbitrarily deprive the son of inheritance. He can do it only after the court. Thus, state authorities intervened in the personal life of subjects, not to mention the fact that irrigation facilities were created under the supervision of the king and their use depended on the supreme power and its representatives in the field.

No restrictions of the king in his actions are not provided by the laws of Hammurapi.

In the poetic work (the truth relating to a slightly later time) "The conversation of Mr. with a slave" referred to the saying that he rises against the king or kill, or blind, or concluded to the dungeon. Apparently, all this was done without a court sanction, for in the laws, nothing about it says.

4. Invasion of Cassites. In the successors of Hammurapi, central government in Babylonia again weakens. The southern regions take place, and from the North-West, the peoples of Malaya Asia Hetta and Cassites invade.

If the invasion of the hittons, divorced about 1595 BC. e. Babylon was only a crushing raid, then Cassites were introduced gradually and firmly. In the middle of the II millennium, the Cassic dynasty (1518-1204 BC) approved in Babylonia.

The conquerors formed the dominant layer of the military nobility, pushing the native warriors to the back plan.

The domination of militant horses who captured the country with a high agricultural culture was associated with the famous regress. So, the rural communities are reborn. But at the same time, little-known horses and mules (in military affairs and transport as stroke animals) are widely begin. Agricultural equipment is improved (a plow-seeder appears). Regular links are established with Egypt (now certainly straight and immediate).

Thus, after a short temporary zaminka, the translational movement resumes with a new force.

Further fates of Babylonia are already closely related to the history of Assyria and will be considered in connection with it.

- A source-

Reder, D.G. Ancient world history. Part 1 / D.G. Rusin [and D.R.]. - M.: Enlightenment, 1970.- 287 p.

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In the period from 4 to 3 thousand in the territory of the interfluid, the country of Mesopotamia originated. One of the most first civilized countries. Later, the area of \u200b\u200bMesopotamia was part of the Sumerian state, which existed for about 1000 years, until it was destroyed by seven-amorous for about 2,000 years BC. In the next, this was the Babylonian kingdom with the center in the city of Babylon, who was previously called Kandigirra in the Sumerian sources. This city was founded on the banks of the Euphrates River, approximately in the 24th century BC.

Babylonian kingdom

When Amori defeated the Sumerian state, a new one was founded on the ruins of the old one with the capital in Babylon. Over time, Amorus was assimilated with Sumerians and Acadians, thus there were Babylons. True, in the period 1894 to 1595, the newly marginal state was drawn into protracted wars and could not resist the strongest enemies - Hethami. From this period of time, you can separately allocate the board of the Babylonian king Hammurapi, who published his well-known Code "Hammurapi" in 1750 BC.

After the Hight Power captured the Babylonian kingdom, Babylon is experiencing a period of decline. The second period of development of the city of Babylon adds $ 7th to AD, when the Novovavilon kingdom was created. This period is characterized by the time of the greatest flourishing of Babylon. At that time, the king was Nebuchadnezzar II. It was for his reign that Babylon became the prosperous and powerful city of the East. He was a kind of megapolis, which was:

• trading center;
• the center of economic life;
• cultural center;
• scientific Center of the Novovavilon Kingdom;

Such "Wonders of the World" was also created, as the hanging gardens of the semi -ramides, who king elevated for his wife. Gate goddess Ishtar. These buildings were truly great creation. And the most grand creation of this ancient city, of course, was the Babylonian Tower (Zikkurat ETEMENANK), the beginning of the construction of 4 thousand years ago. As the Bible says, one day people decided to build a tower that could get to heaven. The gods had an increasing gods and they decided to bring the discord between the builders, changing their language. As a result, construction ceased due to the fact that people stopped understanding each other. This phenomenon is different called the "Babylonian pillar".

The death of Babylon

In 331, when Alexander Macedonsky captured Babylon, he recognized the city the most majestic and beautiful worldwide. After that, he proclaimed the Babylon the capital of his empire. Later, starting from the 1st century BC. Until the middle of the 6th century, N.E. The city is experiencing a period of decline. Frequent wars and repressions lead to the fact that the city actually disappeared. The last mention of Babylon is dated 10-12 centuries.

For many centuries, the city of Babylon is the "gate of God" - was considered the center of the first "world kingdom", the heirs of whom the great empires performed. The Bible binds the foundation of the city with the name of Nymod - mANUFY NOY. He is also considered the builder of the famous Babylonian tower. Assyrian kings, severely painted with dismissed peoples and wasted from the face of the earth and the city, did not just retain the special status of Babylon, but also restored the ancient temples, built new ones. The meaning of the city in the ancient world testified to the fact that Alexander Macedonian, who seized Babylon in 331 BC. er, intended to make it the capital of his empire. The memory of Babylon survived the city itself for a long time. According to the historical tradition, the signs of the royal dignity of the Byzantine emperors and Russian kings also occur from Babylon. In Russian "Tale of Babylon-Grade", this is described as: "Prince Vladim Kiev, King Vasily, received such great royal things from the Babylonian kingdom, and sent his ambassador to him. The king of Vasily for his honor sent his prince Vladimir to Kiev In the gifts of Sermakhov Krabitsa, and Monomakhov Hat. " And since that time, the Grand Duke Vladim Kiev Monomakh was heard. And now Ta Shapoon in the Moscow State in the Cathedral Church. And as itself has a possession of the supply, then I'll be brought to chapter for the sake of Ivan. " How did this city look, whose name has become nominative for many nations?

Excavations made by English archaeologists at the beginning of the XX century. n. er, allowed to restore the appearance of an ancient city and his story. Archaeologists have proven that the first stones in its foundation were laid by Sumerians at the beginning of the 3th millennium BC. er, but the city's capital became around 1894 to n. e. When the amorev tribes were invaded in the two-range. In the XVIII century BC e. With the king Hammurapi, Babylon turned into the largest political and cultural center of all of the forefish.

In the VII century BC e. The famous King Nebuchadnezzar unfolded huge construction work, which turned the Babylon into the luxurious capital of the world. Ruins of grand and majestic buildings, estimated by Nabuchadnezzar, preserved to this day.

Map of the Babylonian kingdom

When in V c. BC e. Greek geographer and historian Herodotus I visited this city, he was shocked by its sizes and greatness. At that time, Babylon was part of the Persian power, but also retained the position of the greatest city of the world, but lived in it more than one million inhabitants. Residential neighborhoods stretched along both sides of Euphrates with a long stripe. The city was surrounded by deep moat, filled with water, and three belts of high brick walls crowned with towers. Fortress Walls They achieved in a height of 20 m, and in width - 15 m, had 100 woven copper gates. The front entrance served the gogress of the Ishtar goddess, lined with blue glazed tiles with alternating bas-relief images of animals (575 pieces of bulls, lions and fantastic Sirrukhov Dragons). The streets of the ancient city did not remind the chaotic layout of most cities of the East, and were located in accordance with the clear plan: one went parallel to the river, others crossed them at right angles. Residents of the Babylonian kingdom built up the streets of three and four-story houses. The main streets were laid out a stone.

In the northern part of the city, on the left bank of the river, a large stone palace built, built by Nebuchadnezzar, and on the other side - the main temple of the capital, which reached the height of the eight-story building.

At the base, the temple was a rectangle with the parties 650 and 450 m. It contained a sanctuary with the statue of the Marduk's God and pure gold weighing about 20 tons, as well as a bed and golden table. This could include only a special chosen one. Herodota was told, "as if God himself visits this temple and resting on the bed." The legendary stepped seven-story Babel tower with a height of 90 m. Archaeologists discovered its foundation and remnants of walls.

History of the state Babylon

It should be noted that the Babylon first raised over other cities of two-frequencies and became the capital of the state that united the entire lower and part of the top Mesopotamia, in the XX century. BC e. Despite the fact that this union has existed only throughout the life of one generation, it has been preserved in memory of people for a long time. Babylon remained the traditional center of the country to the end of the Akkadian language and clinp culture.

It was time is bloom urban culture, development of literature and legislation. It was during this period that the famous laws were unified and recorded. king Hammurapy.

In 1595 BC E., After the Hettites invaded the Mesopotamia, the authorities in Vavony were captured by Kassita nomads. Their Board lasted more than 400 years.

Subsequent centuries, the state Babylon maintained formal independence, but more and more turned out to be under the political influence of the Northern neighbor. But her domination was put an end. Began new the raising period of Babylon.

The special power of the empire reached during the reign of the son of the conqueror of Assyria Naopalasar - Nebuchadnezzar. Syria and Palestine were finally subordinate to. Babylon rebuilt, and he became the largest center of international trade. This is the time of genuine revival, the economic heyday and cultural development of all the fores of Asia. After long wars, the relative world was finally established here.

The whole Middle East was divided between three great powers - Babylonia, mussel and. They preserved wary, even hostile relationships, but the large redistribution of the spheres of influence no longer happened.

The half has passed, and the new threat to prosperity came from the east. In 553 BC e. The war between the mussel and its rebelted subjects began - persians.

Babylon in the era of the Novovavilon Kingdom of the VI century. BC. reconstruction

Babylon hit the imagination of the ingenians with their architecture. One of the seven wonders of the world - the hanging gardens of the semi-amides were built on artificial terraces, where palm trees, figs and other trees were planted. Queen Semiramid In fact, there was no relation to them. Gardens built Nebuchadnezzar for his wife Nitocris, who suffered from the stuffy climate of Mesopotamia, away from their native mountains and forests, where she was from. The Babylonian Queen Nitocris has gone to himself thanks to the construction of dams, irrigation channels and a large divorce bridge, which combined two parts of the capital. The bridge was complicated from large ne-made stones fastened by a special solution and lead. His middle part made from Breus, disassembled overnight.

In 312 BC e. One of the commander of Alexander Macedonsky - Selevk, who became the ruler of an extensive Middle Eastern Empire, moved most of the residents of the "Eternal City" into his new capital Seleucia, located near Babylon. And the ancient world capital has lost its former position and after a few centuries it was finally buried under the dust of the centuries.