Lesson 3: The Babylonian Empire

Activity: Exploring the Babylonian Empire

Setup:
Divide learners into four groups and assign each group to a station. Each station will focus on a different aspect of the Babylonian Empire through a lens of context. Learners will use their passports to record what they discover. Set a timer for 5 minutes. When time is up, groups rotate to the next station.

Station 1: History (5 minutes)

Let’s discover the story of the Babylonian Empire!

1. Read Together: Start by reading the information provided about the Babylonian Empire.

2. Timeline Activity:

• Open your passport to the timeline section.

• Mark when the Babylonian Empire began and ended.

• Draw a line connecting these dates to show how long the empire lasted.

3. Word Puzzle:

• Use the clues in your passport to solve the crossword puzzle. Work as a team to find the correct answers based on the reading.

The Babylonian Empire

The Neo-Babylonian era was from 626-539 BC, a time when the Babylonian Empire became very powerful. It was ruled by famous kings, who built amazing things like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. During this time, Babylon became a center of art, science, and learning. 

The Babylonians were skilled in math and astronomy, and they used a calendar based on the moon, which divided each month into 30 days and a year into 12 months. Their priests studied the moon, planets, and stars very carefully in order to predict the future. 

The city of Babylon itself was very impressive, with huge walls and beautiful palaces. The wall around the city was 56 miles long. That means it would take about an hour to drive around it in a car. In the center of the city was a ziggurat temple that resembled a pyramid. It was almost 300 feet tall, the same size as the Statue of Liberty!

Babylonians produced a variety of crops. One of the crops they grew was pistachios. They worshipped multiple gods and goddesses, but their chief god was Marduk.

The Babylonians conquered the Southern Kingdom of Israel in 597 BC, under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar. They took the prominent citizens, including Daniel and his friends, to Babylon where they lived for seventy years. In 587 BC, the Babylonians destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. The Babylonian Empire fell to the Persians in 539 BC, and the Jews were allowed to return their land. 

Puzzle Questions and Answers: 

Down: 

1. The Babylonian Empire fell to the ____________.

2. One of the crops grown by the Babylonians were  ____________.

5. The Israelites lived in Babylon for  ____________ years.

7. ___________ was a prominent citizen of Israel taken to Babylon.

Across: 

1. The chief God of Babylon was ____________.

2. The wall around Babylon was 56 ____________ long. 

6. Babylon is famous for its’ hanging ____________.

8. The Babylonian calendar was based off of the ____________.

Station 2: Geography (5 minutes)

Let’s explore the map! The Babylonian Empire was in Southern Mesopotamia, which we now call Iraq. The city of Babylon was built on the Euphrates River.

1. Find Your Home and Iraq:

   • Look at a globe or map. Can you find where you live?

   • Now, find Iraq! That’s where the Babylonian Empire was located.

2. Color the Babylonian Empire:

• On the map in your passport, color in the area where the Babylonian Empire once ruled. Use bright colors to show how big it was!

Station 3: Linguistic (5 minutes)

Let’s learn about language! Babylonians and Assyrians both spoke a language called Akkadian. It was the same language, but Babylonian Akkadian sounded a little different from Assyrian Akkadian.

1. Practice Speaking Akkadian!
   The Babylonian Akkadian word for “Hello” is šulmum (SHOOL-moom). If you want to say “Greetings to You,” you can say: šulmum ana kâšim (SHOOL-moom AH-nah KAH-sheem).

   • Turn to the person next to you and say “Hello” or “Greetings to You” in Akkadian!

   • Take turns practicing until you both feel like experts in ancient Babylonian greetings.

2. Write in Cuneiform!

Akkadian was written using cuneiform, which means "wedge-shaped." These marks were pressed into clay tablets with sharp tools.

• Use the tip of a pencil and clay provided to write your name in cuneiform, just like a Babylonian scribe.

• If you need a reminder, look at the cuneiform alphabet from the last lesson to see how your name looks in wedges.

Station 4: Culture (5 minutes)

Let’s dig into the past through artifacts! Archaeologists are like detectives of history. They learn about ancient empires and the people who lived in them by studying special objects, called artifacts, that are buried in the ground. These artifacts tell us amazing stories about life long ago.

1. Read through the artifact posters together.

2. Pick an Artifact:

   • Choose one of the artifacts described in the reading.

   • Look closely at what makes it special and imagine what it was used for.

3. Draw It:
   In your passport, draw a picture of the artifact you chose. Be creative and add lots of detail!

4. Write One Cool Fact:
   Write down one interesting thing you learned about the artifact. 

Ishtar Gate: The Ishtar Gate was one of the most famous entrances into the inner city of Babylon, the capital of the Babylonian Empire. It was the eighth gate leading into the city and was made from strong mud bricks. This incredible gate was decorated with carved bulls and dragons, which were believed to protect the city from evil. To make it even more stunning, the bricks were glazed in bright, vibrant colors like blue, red, and yellow.

Code of Hammurabi: The Babylonian King Hammurabi is remembered for creating one of history’s first sets of written laws: the Code of Hammurabi. These laws were carved in cuneiform on a tall stone monument that stood seven feet, four inches high! The Code of Hammurabi was used to govern the Babylonian Empire and is famous for the idea of “an eye for an eye.” This means that punishments should match the crimes committed, aiming to create fairness and justice.

Babylon Head Sculpture: Sculptures from the Babylonian Empire give us clues about how the people looked and dressed! Both men and women wore tunics and draped themselves in shawls with tassels. They loved wearing their hair long and curly. Men grew long beards and curled them too, making them look fancy! For headwear, they often wore caps made of wool, felt, or leather.