Interesting history thread here…
"In the previous lecture, we discussed the reign of Hammurabi, who began as ruler of the city-state of Babylon, not particularly powerful in the early part of his reign. He spent most of his time, giving his attention to reinforcing the infrastructure of the state. Then, as he grew stronger, he led his army against the powerful states of Elam and Larsa. His success there, created a large regional state, which Hammurabi governed with the same attention to detail that he had given to Babylon earlier in his reign.
Recall that we did not discuss the last major campaign of Hammurabi against the rich state of Mari, in part because there are so many sources for this era that they merit a more detailed study. Another reason is that during this attack, Mari was destroyed, ending the long history of this trading post.
In this lecture, we will discuss the turbulent last few decades of Mari's history, in which it was controlled, first, by the Assyrians, and then by its last ruler Zimri-Lim. The city of Mari was located on the northern Euphrates River, in a position that controlled key trade routes between east and west. Mari was a very important power in the Early Dynastic period c.2900-2350 BCE, but it is the city that dates to the 18th century that is best preserved.
One reason for Mari's prosperity was that the city collected taxes on all goods that traveled between Syria and Mesopotamia along the Euphrates River. We've come to understand what sort of income this might provide, in connection with the Old Assyrian traders. Recall that they paid taxes to the local rulers in order to try and protect their donkey caravans. The rulers had to ensure that they would not be robbed along he way, and if so, they had to give the merchants some recompense for the loss…"
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Amicalement
Armand
finally paints the first of his Gauls...
