The Economy and Social Structure of Ancient Babylon
Economy and social structure are a huge part of any civilization’s lives. This is the way that people live on an everyday basis and so, to understand the culture, one must first be able to understand what they did and how they went about their daily routines. The houses that Babylonians lived in were gathered around the temples and they were constructed of brick that had been dried by the sun. Although there is no way to determine how many people occupied any specific Babylonian city because there was no census taken, it’s estimated that each city housed approximately ten to fifty thousand people.
The average home in Babylon was small and only one-storey while the two-storey homes were reserved for the wealthier residents. Most homes had the rooms centered around a courtyard. Items that would be used around the home were usually made of clay, stone, copper and bronze and they often used baskets constructed of reed and wood. Their tables were generally fairly low and their chairs had high backs. Beds were constructed out of wooden frames. Floors and walls were often covered with animal skin, reed mats, and hangings made from wool. Below the homes there was usually a mausoleum, where those that died within the family would be buried. Because the Babylonians believed that after death on earth, the buried would travel to the Netherworld and continue life there, any possessions they had in life were usually buried with the deceased.
That which grew in the field was the main basis for the economy of Ancient Babylon. The main crops that were grown were barley, wheat, fruit, vegetables, and cattle and sheep were their main sources of meat. Irrigation was crucial to the survival of the Babylonians. Because the amount of land that they had that was naturally fertile, they relied on irrigation to fertilize the rest of the land. If they did not irrigate, the land would turn to swamp and no crops would be possible.
Not having banks available to them in ancient Babylon, the temples acted as financial institutions and the palace was considered to be a prime institution for financial matters as well. Both were responsible for these important functions as they generally owned the most land and were also highly involved in manufacturing and trade. There were however some private business firms and private landholders but these were very few. Although the currency of ancient Babylon was silver, they rarely used it, instead working on a barter system that did not require the exchange of money. The king was ultimately responsible for the price of things although the price of an item would often increase or decrease, depending on the current supply and demand.
It’s interesting to see that although some principles are very different in the way that ancient Babylonians lived their daily loves, there are some things that are very similar as well. A bad crop today could also devastate a city, state, or even country, depending on the area and their specialty. It’s also interesting to note that the way that supply and demand affects our economy today is also centuries old.
