Geography of the Ancient Middle East

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Across
  1. 2. ____ Gulf; large body of water into which the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flow
  2. 3. Sumerian city-state famous for its clash with the city of Umma
  3. 6. name of the capital of the Hittite Empire
  4. 9. an early kingdom in Syria known for being a major commercial center; in the mid-3rd Millennium, it was unique for electing rulers for seven-year periods of time.
  5. 11. large desert region filled with mostly nomadic tribes, would later be the region where Islam was founded
  6. 13. ancient city in Syria situated on the bank of the Mediterranean Sea; also the site where a number of cuneiform texts were discovered in 1928
  7. 16. name of the narrow region on the eastern bank of the Mediterranean Sea
  8. 18. ancient Sumerian city that was the religious center of Mesopotamia and seat of the god Enlil
  9. 21. region situated on the northern part of the Mediterranean Sea, composed of numerous islands and a mountainous mainland
  10. 22. region today known as Turkey, land of the Hittites
  11. 25. capital of Egypt for most of the Old Kingdom period
  12. 26. major capital city of the Assyrian Empire, founded by Ashurnasirpal II; possibly the actual site of the famous Hanging Gardens
  13. 27. one of the earliest city-states in Mesopotamia, considered by the Sumerians to be the first city in the world; home of the god Enki
  14. 30. major capital of the Assyrian Empire
  15. 32. a once-coastal city that was very influential during the mid-3rd millennium until about 500 BCE; site of the famed Great Ziggurat built by Ur-Nammu and Shulgi
  16. 33. capital city of the Babylonian Empire; supposed site of famous Hanging Gardens, city of luxury and advanced living
  17. 34. Sea large body of water to the north of Anatolia
  18. 36. region to the east of the Zagros Mountains, today known as Iran
  19. 37. ancient name of the southern region of Mesopotamia
Down
  1. 1. Egyptian site of the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx
  2. 4. capital of the Elamite kingdom and of the Achaemenid Empire
  3. 5. ____ River; one of the two rivers that forms the river valley in which the region of Mesopotamia is situated; this one is the western river
  4. 7. capital of Egypt for most of the Middle and New Kingdom periods
  5. 8. southern region of Mesopotamia, was known by another name for over a thousand years
  6. 9. region in northeast Africa, known for its pyramids and situated on the Nile River
  7. 10. ____ River; the north-flowing river along which the region of Egypt is situated
  8. 12. capital of the Akkadian Empire
  9. 14. city founded by Akhenaten to be the capital of the Egyptian Empire during his attempt to make Egypt a monotheistic theocracy
  10. 15. ____ Sea; large body of water to the northeast of Persia
  11. 17. ____ River; one of the two rivers that forms the river valley in which the region of Mesopotamia is situated; this one is the eastern river
  12. 19. ____ Sea; large body of water to the east of Egypt, famed for having been the river Moses allegedly led the Hebrews through
  13. 20. ____ Sea; largest body of water in the ancient Near East, on the banks of which numerous famous ancient civilizations flourished
  14. 23. northern region of Mesopotamia
  15. 24. city in the Levant, site of a major battle against the Egyptians which resulted in the coining of the term “Armageddon”
  16. 28. ____ Mountains; mountain range that delineates the boundary between Mesopotamia and Persia
  17. 29. considered the first major metropolitan city in the world, it boasted a population of around 40,000 people within the city limits in 3100 BCE
  18. 31. island just off the western coast of the Levant in the eastern Mediterranean Sea
  19. 35. early civilization just west of the Zagros Mountains, a major thorn in the side of most Mesopotamian civilizations