All of Mesopotamia's social classes lived in the city, including the nobility, the royals and their families, priests and priestesses, free commoners, clients of the nobility or temples and slaves.
1. Social conditions:
The Mesopotamian society was divided into four levels.
- The Royals
- The Priests
- Rich landlords and Merchants
- Slaves
Nobles enjoyed powers by heredity. They commanded great prestige and power in Administration and Army. Priests and scribes held high posts in the administration. They enjoyed a high status in the society. Farmers, artists, craftsmen, shopkeepers, and merchants for pied the third strata and slaves were at the lowest level. They could be bought and sold. Women enjoyed considerable freedom with right to property. They had social, religious and economic freedom.
2. Economic condition: Agriculture was their main occupation, followed by cattle rearing and dairy farming. They used water wisely by digging canals from both Euphrates and Tigris. Mesopotamians also built dykes, embankments and storage basins to utilise water throughout the year. It is believed that the Shadoof was developed by them, for artificial irrigation.
Wheat, barley, fruits, and dates were grown in abundance and exported. Initially, they had a barter system but later started using metal coins. They exported wooden and fiber clothes, hides, dates, etc. They imported various metals. They had trade relations with India and Egypt. Horses and asses were used as means of transport.
