2. How was it practiced in Sumer?

In government, one group or individual rules over the masses; the people in control must convince the masses that they are fit to rule. The legitimation of authority was necessary in Sumer, as the leader wielded much power. The first states of human history in Sumer were ruled by a priest-king; the common people believed that he was chosen by the divine. Later on in the history of Sumer, the common people were led to believe that "the monarch himself was divine and worthy of worship." [1] Around 1900 BC, when the Amorites took control of the Mesopotamian region, they invested much more power in the monarch. Power that had formerly belonged to cities was taken by the new centralized government; the monarch was the head of this government. Additionally, the monarch had the power to tax and force people into the army. This power had to be justified by the government, so the people were led to believe that the monarch was a god. (Manual 77)

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Source

"Chapter 4: Mesopotamia and Assyria." Cultural Foundations of Ancient Eastern Civilizations. Compiled by Rosie Beniretto. Published in Houston, Texas by St. John's School 2013-2014

Edited by Jacob Brown

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