🌎 Mesopotamia: Politics

Learning Objective

I will learn how Ancient Mesopotamia was governed.

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 Assignment Instructions

How was Mesopotamia governed?

Examine This close-up from the top of the stone pillar:

This stone pillar is known as the Stele of Hammurabi.  A stele was an upright stone with important carvings used by ancient kings to impart important information.   The Stele of Hammurabi is covered on all sides by laws written in cuneiform.  The figure on the right is the sun god Shamash.  Various symbols in the image show he is important.  He has a crown of thorns that indicates he is powerful like a bull.  He has rays of light coming from his shoulders indicating he is a god.  Shamesh is holding a scepter which is a symbol of authority and power.   He is also seated on a throne.  The figure on the left is King Hammurabi.  He is smaller in size (imagine Shamesh standing up).  He also holds his arms in a position of reverence used in ancient times.  Today, people might bow their heads or fold their harms.   Hammurabi is shown as receiving the laws from the god.  This would tell the people of his kingdom that his authority to create the laws came directly from the sun god.

Read some of the laws (translated into English) in the document below. 

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