ANCIENT HEBREW EMPIRE

CATEGORY
1. POLITICAL SYSTEM

DESCRIPTION
Organization:
Initially, the Israelites formed a loose confederation of
twelve tribes.
National leaders, called judges, emerged from time to time
to deal with particular crises.
However, by 1000 BC the Israelites had established a
kingdom, under their famous king, David.
He and his son, Solomon, established their capital
at Jerusalem, which also became the chief centre
of the Israelite religion after Solomon built the
only permitted temple there.
The kingdom shortly divided into two halves, and, thus
weakened, the Israelites fell victim to the great powers of
the region.
Political leader:
King

2. SOCIAL STRUCTURE

How it is developed?
Originally, the Israelites had been organized along tribal
lines, but a new social structure had evolved by the time of
the monarchy as the Israelites settled in towns and

3. SOCIAL CLASS

villages.
There were conspicuous "divisions of the population."
Social Class:
The ancient Jewish hierarchy was a well-organized
structure in the society.
1. Men of Rank and Influence
- Occupy the top tier of the pyramid.
- the most powerful and influential class and commanded a
-

lot of supremacy from the other class

comprised of the following:
a) Kings - held the topmost position among the men
of rank and influence.
b) Officials of the kings - They also enjoyed the

rights bestowed on the Royal class.

c) Military and Civil Officers - enjoyed all the
privileges and benefits for being the men of rank
and influence.
d) Rabbis or state leaders - word Rabbis has a
Hebrew origin and it means master. The Rabbis
were regarded as the religious and traditional
leaders of the Jewish society and the ultimate
arbitrators of community decision.
e) Heads of rich families - were also considered to be
the men of honour, class and influence.
2. Common/Civilized Jews
Had the basic rights of being the citizens of the land or
society.
Rights included the basic necessities like food, water,
shelter, free land and a level of authority.
Not powerful and influential as the men of influence and
rank but still were respected and were responsible for the
betterment of the society.
3. Non-Hebrew Residents
They were the free men who had settled in the Jewish land
from outside and were not born there.
As a result they did not enjoy the benefits and privileges
granted to the Jewish citizens as they were considered as
foreigners and not local citizens.
4. Slaves
Ill-treated and denied the basic human right of freedom.
Controlled by their masters who were either the common
Jewish people or the men of rank and influence.
Were bought as bonded labourers and expected to live on
their masters whims and fancies.
Sometimes the slaves were set free by their masters after
they completed a period of seven years as slaves.
People acquired the slavery status by birth and sometimes
as a punishment for committing a crime or if any
individual was unable to pay off a debt, he could be made
a slave to the person he owed the debt.
5. ECONOMY/TRADE
SYSTEM

The economy of the ancient Hebrews was that of an Iron

Age nomadic population where wealth was measured by

how many goats, sheep, cattle or camels one possessed.

Metalworking and pottery crafts produced knives,
weapons, tools and jewellery that might have been traded
for other goods
6. TECHNOLOGIES
7. KNOWLEDGE/
INVENTIONS/WRITINGS

The ancient texts known as the Dead Sea Scrolls

Hebrews written language has 22 letters made up of
consonants and vowels
The Torah was the first five books of the Hebrew bible and
is how we know of them today.
The Ten Commandments is also an example of their

8. RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

language
What they believed?
The Hebrew worship only one God known as Yahweh.
They believed that Yahweh had power over everyone.
Those who did evil on the Earth will be made to suffer- if
not on this world, then in the one to come.
Religious practices:
They follow a set of rigid rules given to Moses buy
Yahweh from Mount Sinai, which is known later to the
Jews and Christians as the Ten Commandments.
God:
Yahweh regarded by his follower as the enforcer of
correct ethical action.

9. ART AND
ARCHITECTURE

Art
Zodiac Mosaic of Beth Alpha synagogue
Mosaics of Beth Alpha synagogue
The Bible, as the foundation and repository of Jewrys
collective memory, features many descriptions of work of
sculptures and figurative art.
Architectures
Solomons Temple in Jerusalem that was richly decorated
in gold and bronze.
The mountaintop fortress of Masada overlooking the Dead
Sea

10. RIVER SYSTEM

The Hebrew become a nation in another foreign land, Egypt.

Rich with the water and soil carried by the Nile River, Egypt
grew quickly into a great commercial and military power;

the Egyptians created the longest continual culture outside of

Asia. Punctuated by periods of decline and even foreign rule,
the Egyptians had learned by the New Kingdom to ruthlessly
control and subdue the foreign peoples surrounding their
country. The Hebrew come into existence during this last
powerful burst of power and creativity in Egypt.
11. CITY-STATE

The Hebrews settled in the second area, the central hill

country, a backbone of mountains running from north to
south between the coastal areas and the Jordan River valley.
Dry and rocky, the central hills are a very difficult place to
live, but the spectacle of Hebrew history mainly takes place
in this hill country: Galilee, Samaria, Megiddo, Shechem,
Judah, Jerusalem, Hebron, Beer-sheba. To the west of the
hills is the Jordan River valley. In Hebrew, the word Jordan
means "the descender," for it begins at Mount Hermon in the
north at about 200 feet above sea level, and literally
plummets to the Sea (actually a lake) of Galilee ten miles
south at 700 feet below sea level, and from there another two
hundred miles to the Dead or Salt Sea at 1300 feet below sea
level (the lowest piece of land on earth and a mightily
inhospitable place to live). Along this valley and around the
Sea of Galilee are rich farmlands yielding grains and fruit as
well as wealthy fishing in the river and the Sea of Galilee. To
the west of the Jordan River valley are the Transjordan
Highlands (about 1500 feet above sea level). The climate can
be harsh, but several rivers allow for rich agriculture. This
area was largely occupied by non-Hebrews; in the
Transjordan Highlands were the kingdoms of Edom (south),
Moab (center), and Ammon (center).

References:
http://www.timemaps.com/civilisation-ancient-israel
http://www.religion.ucsb.edu/faculty/thomas/classes/rgst80a/spielvogel.html
http://www.hierarchystructure.com/ancient-jewish-hierarchy/
http://www.ask.com/world-view/ancient-hebrew-economy-like-d1e25687a740063a
http://jewish-art.org/ancient-jewish-art.html
https://prezi.com/xpsikzvcdyju/ancient-civilizations-and-empires-the-hebrews/
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/jewish-art-in-the-ancient-world/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persepolis