西方文明史

Chapter Assignment
Chapter One
The Ancient Near East: The Cradle of
Civilization
姓名：__ 郭亚静_____________
学号：____20153206668__________
日期：____2016年4月2号______
What did the peoples in the Ancient Near East (Mesopotamian, Egyptians and the other early peoples) chiefly contribute to the Western Civilization? And what do you think of their contributions?
When we talk about the Western Civilization, we have to mention the great Ancient Near East Civilization. It mainly includes the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Hittite, Hebrew, Assyrian and Persian Civilization. They do chiefly contribute to the Western Civilization.
The Mesopotamian invented written form--cuneiform(wedge-shaped impression). On the other hand, they build temples on the top of a massive stepped tower –ziggurat. Moreover, great achievements were also made in mathematics and astronomy. (a number system--time reckoning, they can add, subtract, multiple and divide, accurate information about stars and chart of the heavenly constellations. M ost important of all, Hammurabi was one of the commanding figures of Mesopotamian history, and best remembered today for his law code. It reveals a society with a system o f strict justice, a principle of retaliation—an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth was fundamental to this system of justice.
Egyptian invented the Hieroglyph in writing. In literature, lyric poetry, tales emerged around the nation. In artistic, sculpture was the supporter of religion for the relief and statue. In art, It was formulaic，the combination of profile, semi-profile and the frontal views of the human body. Last but most great is the tomb building --pyramid.
Hittites added native elements t o what they borrowed, including a way to smelt iron. Hebrew created The Old Testament for the most early religious, Assyrians were not creative in cultural activity,they made a notable contribution through imitations. Persians contributed to setting the excellent road system.
From above all, as far as I am concerned, all the civilization in the Ancient Near East is the source of the Western Civilization. They developed c ities and struggled with the problems of organized states. They developed writing to keep records and created literature. They constructed monumental architecture to please their gods, symbolize their power, and preserve their culture for all time. They developed new political, military, social, and religious structures to deal with the basic problems of human existence and organization. These first literate civilizations left detailed records that allow us to view how they grappled with three of the fundamental problems that humans have pondered: the nature of human relationships, the nature of the universe, and the role of divine forces in the cosmos. Human history began with these two civilizations.。