1. Who ruled Sumer? Priests and Kings
Priests had power because they “knew how to please the gods” and keep the city safe.
Sumerians began by choosing a strong warrior to lead them into battle. These leaders eventually became kings. Kings became a hereditary position.

2. Polytheism- A belief in many gods
The Sumerians were polytheists. They believed that their gods were a lot like them except they were immortal and all-powerful.
Anu- “God of Heaven”
Enlil- “God of Clouds and Air”
Ea- “God of Water and Floods.
Afterlife: Sumerians believed that their souls went to “the land of no return,” a gloomy place between the earth’s crust and the ancient sea.

3. Religious Beliefs
Believed that gods intervened in human affairs and survival depended on pleasing the gods
Each city has its own gods that they held in higher esteem than the others
A temple was dedicated to the special gods: ziggurats were pyramids constructed of bricks and ramps
Priests devoted their lives to the local gods. Ziggurats were dedicated to local god

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The Ziggurat of Ur
©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. *

5. Mesopotamia: Religious Beliefs
Priests passed their positions and knowledge to their sons
High priest performed ritual and others performed music, exorcised evil spirits and interpreted dreams
Amulets were worn by people to protect from evil spirits
Religious festivals were a regular occurrence

6. Mesopotamia: Social Distinctions
Three rigid social classes in Mesopotamia in the 18th century B.C.E.
Free land-owning class, royal family, priests, warriors, high government officials, some merchants
Farmers and craftsmen
Slaves that did domestic work and less desirable jobs outside the home
Usually POWs and debtors
Not as important as Rome and Greece
Identified by hairstyles
Could be freed in a few years

7. Mesopotamia: Social Distinctions
Women lost social standing and freedom with spread of agriculture
With food surplus, large families were possible and women stayed home
Women could own property, control dowries, and participate in trade
Women’s status went down during 2nd millennium B.C.E. as urbanization and private wealth increased
Women wearing veils dates back to the Mesopotamian era.
Men controlled political and religious life
Men could take a second wife to get a child; wealthy men had several wives
Noble men and women married to increase wealth and status

8. SOCIAL CLASSES IN SUMER
Priests and Kings
Wealthy Merchants
*Women had more rights than women in many later civilizations.
Artisans and Farmers
Slaves: By working obediently day and night…they could hope to earn their freedom.

9. The Earliest Civilizations
Created small competing city-states (larger city controls surrounding countryside).
The Sumerians’ power was cemented in trade resulting from conquest which created economic ties.
Sumerians’ early history was characterized by warfare and competition for control of irrigated lands.

10. Mesopotamia: Political Development
Sumerian city-states not unified until about 2300 B.C.E. when an invading Semitic group led by Sargon the Great conquered the area
Founded the Akkadian Empire dominated by Akkad
As a result of political conquest, cultural diffusion of Sumerian ways spread throughout the area

11. Mesopotamia: Political Development
Before Sargon, city states were theocracies (governed by gods or priests )
Sargon changed this so that cities were ruled by kings: first empire (priest revered by kings)
Temples in the center of city and king’s palace on the outskirts shows this relationship

12. Mesopotamia: Political Development
Due to constant warfare, warrior kings soon took over control of the temples, defense, irrigation, and system of justice
Sargon gave land to soldiers to keep them loyal.
Akkadian Empire only lasted about 100 years; the city-state of Ur rose and replaced Akkad power

13. Mesopotamia: Political Development
Once the city-state of Ur rose to replace Akkad government bureaucracy (gov’t jobs) grew
Set up a system of roads and messengers for communication
1700s B.C.E. Hammurabi led the Babylonians to conquer Mesopotamia
1500s B.C.E. Hittites
900s B.C.E. Assyrians

14. Turning Point In History: “Hammurabi’s Code”
Around 2,000 B.C.E., a group of nomadic warriors invaded Mesopotamia.
They established Babylon as their capital city.
Hammurabi ( B.C.) was a powerful and influential king.
Babylon’s civilization was becoming so complex that there was a need for written laws to help resolve disputes.
Hammurabi established a collection of laws that became known as “Hammurabi’s Code.”
Carving shows the sun god Shamash giving the laws to Hammurabi.

15. Hammurabi’s Code
Hammurabi recognized that a single, uniform code of laws would help to unify the diverse groups within his empire.
He collected existing rules, judgments, and laws into the Code of Hammurabi.

16. Purpose of Hammurabi’s Code
“To cause justice to prevail in the land, to destroy the wicked & evil, and to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak…to enlighten the land and to further the welfare of the people.”
There are 282 specific laws.
88 Laws deal with marriage, family, property.
3 Fundamental Principles:
1. Principle of Retaliation to punish crimes (“Eye for an Eye”)
2. Principle of Punishment (double standards existed between social classes)
3. Principle that the government had a responsibility for what occurred in society