ART 1A Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Medes, Ashurnasirpal Ii, Israelites
Discussion Forums Chapter 2 – Mesopotamia and Persia
Part 2
The Hittites
1. Who were the Hittites and were was their homeland?
-Anatolian people from the capital of Hattusa near modern Boghazkoy, Turkey
2. From the lectures, how large was their empire and how powerful were they?
-Very large and very powerful
3. What was their relationship with Egypt? (from Lecture)
-First they were at war with one another while trying to conquer lands, then the fight beat
down Ramses and he fled. After that they made a peace treaty.
Elam and Susa
1. What did the Elamites do in the 2nd/2 of the Second Millennium? (Lecture)
-they reached the height of their political and military power and plundered Babylonia where
they stole the stelae of Naram-Sin and Hammurabi.
2. What did they take to their capital in Susa?
-The stele of Naram-Sin and Hammurabi
Assyria
1. Where was the capital of the Assyrians?
-Susa, which they conquered in 641 BCE
2. Where did they take their name from?
-Assur, the city on the Tigris River dedicated to the god Ashur
3. What are the dates for the height of their Civilization?
-612 BC?
a. What was the geographical extent of their empire?
-their empire extended from the Tigris River to the Nile and from the Persian Gulf to Asia
Minor during the height of their power
4. Sargon II
a. What are the dates for Sargon II?
- 721-705 BCE
b. What is a Lamassu?
-Winged, man-headed bulls that served to ward off the kings enemies
c. Where were Lamassu placed at Sargon II’s palace at Dur Sharrukin?
-they were guarding the entrance gate
i.How did this affect the artists’ depictures of the Lamassu?
-because the sculpture wanted to present a complete picture of the lamassu from
both the front and the side the artist gave it five legs
d. What are they made of and how large are they?
-limestone, 13’ 10”
i.Why were the Assyrians able to make monumental stone sculptures and the Sumerians were
not?
-Because they figured out how to transport them?
5. Ashurnasirpal II
a. What are the dates for Ashurnasirpal II?
- 883-859 BCE
b. How is Ashurnasirpal II depicted sacrificing to the Gods on the glazed brick?
i.How is the composition structured?
-In a register on a ground line, and there is a hierarchy of scale
ii.How is the king depicted?
-He is more in profile while the others are more in composite view
