Ancient Mesopotamia

Sumerian Civilization

• The Sumerians developed the cuneiform writing system, one of the earliest forms of written communication.
• Sumer was composed of several city-states, including Uruk, Ur, and Nippur.

Social Structure of Uruk

• The social pyramid of Uruk consisted of a king at the top, followed by nobles, priests, and then commoners, with slaves at the bottom.

Akkadian Society

• The leader of Akkadian society was Sargon the Great, who united the city-states of Sumer and established the Akkadian Empire.

Religions

• Polytheistic religions, such as those practiced in ancient Sumer and Akkad, involve the worship of multiple gods and goddesses, each with their own roles and responsibilities.
• Monotheistic religions, on the other hand, involve the worship of a single, all-powerful deity.

Architecture

• A ziggurat was a type of stepped pyramid structure used in ancient Mesopotamian cities for religious worship and ceremonial purposes.

City-State of Babylon

• The social pyramid of Babylon had four levels: the king, nobles and officials, free citizens, and slaves.
• The leader associated with the law code of Hammurabi is King Hammurabi of Babylon, who established a comprehensive code of laws to govern his society.

Epic Literature

• The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest surviving works of literature and tells the story of Gilgamesh, a king of Uruk, and his adventures and quests.