Ancient Semitic-speaking peoples

Long, long, long time ago, many people lived in a place called the Middle East. They spoke a language called Semitic. They were called the ancient Semitic-speaking peoples.

There were many different groups of these people, but they all had some things in common, like their language and culture. Some of these groups were the Babylonians, who created the famous Hanging Gardens, and the Phoenicians, who were really good at sailing and trading.

They had their own gods and goddesses, like Baal and Asherah, who they believed were in charge of things like the weather and crops. They also had different ways of writing, some used cuneiform, which is kind of like pictures, and others used alphabets.

These ancient Semitic-speaking peoples lived in really big cities, like Ur and Nineveh, and they built really impressive things, like ziggurats and temples. They also had wars with each other and with people who lived in different places.

Eventually, some of these groups disappeared and others changed over time, but their language, culture, and history have influenced many of the societies in the Middle East and beyond.