What was Western Asia in ancient times? Territory, development, people

Orientalism is the name of science that studies the history of the Ancient East. In this case, this term is not a geographic area. This is a cultural region that covers both the Asian territory and North Africa, where even now, as in the East, Islam is practiced. However, Western Asia in antiquity was completely different from what we see today. It had a completely different religion, culture, traditions and way of life. We will now consider in detail how the map of Western Asia was in ancient times, what customs there were in the course and how people lived in those times.

Geographical boundaries

To begin with, we will consider those lands that were part of the region of the Ancient East. It is the peninsula of Asia Minor, where Turkey, the Eastern Mediterranean, Mesopotamia (the territory of present-day Iraq), the Sinai Peninsula, the Nile Valley are now located. Sometimes the map of Western Asia in antiquity also includes the territories of modern Iran, which were then one of the world's development centers. However, from a geographic point of view, these objects belong to the central part of the continent, and even the culture of that time differed significantly from all the others listed above. Over the years, these boundaries have expanded both towards west Africa, and to the north and south of the Middle East. Culture spread and assimilated with the northern peoples.

Periodization and chronology

The history of Western Asia dates back to 3100 BC. When the Early Kingdom was formed in Egypt. Initially, the country was divided into North and South, Lower and Upper Egypt, and its settlements (cities they could not be named) were located exclusively in the Nile Valley. In 3060, the first came to power (which is listed in the documentation, before it, of course, there were other rulers), the pharaoh - Mina, or Menes. He united all the peoples and territories and began to issue reforms, to which every inhabitant of his domains was subordinate.

The second greatest civilization of the Middle East is the Sumerians and Akkadians, who lived in Mesopotamia. Their chronology begins a little later - in 2900 BC. E. People here lived about as in Egypt - on the banks of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. A characteristic feature of the locals was their race. The Sumerians are a people that are now considered extinct. They were small stature, a dense physique. Akkadtsy are considered the ancestors of modern Arabs - tall, slender, swarthy. These tribes on their lands lived for a long time as if separately, and in the 21st century BC. E. They united in Shumero-Akkadian kingdom under the rule of the first king - Uruinimgins.

Egypt and its way of development

After the first pharaoh Mina came to power in the country, a unified system of government, administrative structure and borders was established. It also begins the countdown of dynasties, which lasted until the early decades of a new era. A characteristic feature of Ancient Egypt was the structure of the pyramids, which were sarcophagi for the dead Pharaohs. It is also worth noting that West Asia in ancient times was a pagan region, and this country was not an exception. The Egyptians deified natural phenomena, animals and their rulers. It is also important that Egypt was the only country in this region that was unified, and all settlements were subordinated to the central government.

Mesopotamia and its features

Western Asia in antiquity is most often associated with us precisely with the region of Mesopotamia, where the fragments of Babylon and Nineveh now rest. In contrast to centralized Egypt, city-states prevailed here. Some of them united in something like the country, but in the early periods of general power there was not. In terms of development, the peoples of Western Asia, who lived in the territory of Mesopotamia, have made great strides forward. They used the irrigation system for housekeeping, they had public fields, farms and even armies. The appearance of the latter was promoted by constant confrontations, which were between Sumerians and Akkadts. After the Shumero-Akkadian kingdom collapsed, Mesopotamia divided into two areas: the Babylonian kingdom appeared in the south , and Assyria in the north. These largest civilizations are still a problem of perpetual controversy and a mystery for historians.

Anatolia and the Eastern Mediterranean

A little later than Egypt and Mesopotamia, the city-states that were located on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean began to develop. As for Anatolia (Turkey), the Hittite kingdom was formed here - a single and strong state, which was in dense relations with both North Africa and Mesopotamia. Western Asia in ancient times waged constant wars, and these nations confronted each other. Thanks to the constant seizures of territories, people assimilated. After this forced centuries-old migration a Semito-Hamitic racial family was formed, which is known to us today. It consists mainly of Arabs who inhabit the same region of the Middle East, which covers the geographic region of West Asia and North Africa.