Mesopotamic - Definition and Overview

This is an article about the ancient middle eastern region. For the region in modern times, see Iraq, Syria. See also Mesopotamia, Ohio.

Mesopotamia (Greek: Μεσοποταμία, translated from Old Persian Miyanrudan "the Land between the Rivers" or the Aramaic name Beth-Nahrin "two rivers") is a region of Southwest Asia. Strictly speaking, it is the alluvial plain lying between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in modern Iraq and Syria). More commonly, the term includes these river plains in totality as well as the surrounding lowland territories bounded by the Arabian Desert to the west and south, the Persian Gulf to the immediate south, the Zagros Mountains and the Caucasus mountains to the north.

Writings from Mesopotamia (Uruk, modern Warka) are the earliest written work in the world, giving Mesopotamia the reputation of being the "Cradle of Civilization".

Mesopotamia was settled by, and conquered by, numerous ancient civilizations, including the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians and the Persian Empire. Peoples who threatened or invaded these lands include the Hittites and the Elamites. During the time of the Persian Empire of Sassanids this area was called Dil-i Iranshahr meaning "Iran's Heart" and the metropol Ctesiphon, the capital of Persia was situated in Mesopotamia.

These civilizations arose from earlier settlements and cultures which were among the first to make use of agriculture.

• Neolithic settlements e.g., Jarmo, Tell Abu Hureyra
• Hassuna period
• Halaf period (or Halafian)
• Samarra period (or Samarran), e.g., Choga Mami
• Ubaid period, e.g., Eridu
• Uruk period, named after the city Uruk.
• Sumerian Early Dynastic period

Early cities in this region include:

• lower Mesopotamia / Sumer
  • Ur
  • Uruk
  • Isin
  • Lagash
• Akkad
  • Agade
  • Babylon
  • Kish
  • Nippur
• upper Mesopotamia
  • Assur
  • Ninive
  • Mari

References in popular culture

The pop music band The B-52's had a song called Mesopotamia, which appears to be about wishing to travel to ancient Mesopotamia.

According to trent reznor Mesopotamia is a very "in" thing. All the cool people think Mesopotamia is hip, so you should too.

See also

• Ancient Near East
• Fertile Crescent
• Anatolia
• Levant, History of the Levant
• Sumerian king list
• Chaldean mythology
• Parthians
• Iraq, History of Iraq
• Syria, History of Syria

Further reading

• A DWELLER IN MESOPOTAMIA (http://fax.libs.uga.edu/DS49x2xM465D/), being the adventures of an official artist in the garden of Eden, by Donald Maxwell, 1921
• MESOPOTAMIAN ARCHAEOLOGY (http://fax.libs.uga.edu/DS69x5xH236M/), by Percy S. P. Handcock, 1912