write a note on Family Life in Mesopotamian society.
Answers
Family Life
In ancient Mesopotamia families were very important. The family was the basic unit of society and there were certain things that could and could not be done. For example, a woman living in Mesopotamia could do or go anywhere she wanted as long as she had her husband's permission. In the case of a divorce, both the man and the woman would pay a fine, and if there were no children, the divorce was easy. If the couple did have children, the woman faced severe penalties. The children in a family had to respect their parents because disrespecting parental figures was considered a grave sin. If the family was in a incredibly bad financial situation, then the children would be sold even though selling children was considered a bad omen. Males were the prefered gender in ancient Mesopotamia and the men in Mesopotamia were far more powerful than the women.
Society
Ancient Mesopotamia had a complex society. The Mesopotamian society was hierarchic. In a Mesopotamian society, there were three social classes: nobility, free citizens, and slaves. The nobility class included priests, and priest-kings. The priest-kings were believed to be the representative of the cities patron God or Goddess. They lived in temples and were the city's tax collectors. All people of the nobility class were in charge of matinence, construction, and organization of the canals. The free people class was a combination of a modern day middle and lower class. The middle class was made up of merchants, craftsmen, and anyone who was involved in trade. The middle classmen lived in the city. Farmers, fishermen, shepherds, and hunters made up the lower class. These people lived on the outskirts of the city and were responsible for the food supply. The slave class was the lowest class, made up of prisoners of war, and theses slaves could be bought or sold. The slaves were allowed to marry and have a family if they wished.
Explanation:
In ancient Mesopotamia the family was the basic
unit of society that was governed by specific
patriarchal rules. Monogamy was the rule, even
though the nobility could have concubines.
The purchase of wives from their fathers was
common, but the practice became less common
after 3000 BC.
The woman was allowed to do anything and go
anywhere, including conducting business, as
long as her husband permitted it, or she was a
widow. In the case of a divorce, both partners
had to pay a fine. Nonetheless the husband was
at an advantage: A childless wife was could be
divorced easily, and a wife who left her husband
faced severe penalties. Conceiving children
was the main purpose of marriage. As it is still
the case in many societies today, boys were
preferred.