HISTORY 1M03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Dorian Invasion, Thalassocracy, Economic Surplus
15 Jan 2018
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Document Summary
Called it a historia" - an inquiry or investigation. Civilization is a complex society w/ agriculture, settlement in cities/urbanization. Mesopotamia (middle east) = start of civilization. 1500 years before greeks began to form organized societies. 3400/3000 bc: first civilizations in sumer valley and egypt (along nile delta) Near major river systems - seasonal flooding makes the land very fertile. Population therefore increases, comes w/ social changes. Creation of specialized economy, politics (people can do things other than growing food) Allows for the conditions of complex socio-political organization as well as socio-economic inequality. Monarch = divine figurehead (oversees taxation, reallocation etc) Not much distinction between priests and civic servants. Highly centralized political economy - essence of mesopotamian state. Highly bureaucratized economy of collection and redistribution. Dozens during bronze age ( named after most important metal - not naturally occuring, a combination of copper and tin) Agriculture isn"t as easy, civilizations therefore come later. Cyprus = great source of copper, no tin.
