Compare and Contrast Egypt and Mesopotamia free essay sample

Egypt And Mesopotamia Although the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations paved the way modern civilizations, they have more differences that are illustrated in the areas of military, agriculture society, and government types. Egypt spent most of its history as a unified monarchy, whereas Mesopotamia seems to have begun as a collection of city-states (known as Sumeria) and continued to be dominated by a pair of mutually hostile powers: Assyria and Babylon. As a result, Mesopotamias history is significantly more conflict-based than that of Egypt, because Mesopotamia was only united when conquered by a major empire (Egyptian under Thutmose III or Chaldean/Neo-Babylonian under Nabopolassar)However, On the subject of war and armies, the Egyptian army was more effective for longer than its Mesopotamian counterparts, but it was Assyria, an innovative Mesopotamian power, that had the greatest impact on warfare (and indeed the surrounding region), even though its successes were largely limited to the last three centuries of its existence. We will write a custom essay sample on Compare and Contrast Egypt and Mesopotamia or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Both Egypt and Mesopotamia were occupied by agricultural societies relying upon irrigation for crop yield. In Egypt, the Nile River overflowed its banks annually, depositing rich natural fertilizing elements that enabled Egyptians to grow wheat and barley, often providing a surplus. While the yearly rise of the Nile in Egypt was predictable, this was not the case in Mesopotamia. As a result, Mesopotamian cultures had to develop a system of canals to control flooding and redistribute the water over a greater area because the floods were unpredictable. Both countries also had a hot, dry climate and fertile soil, good for supporting large populations. Politically, Mesopotamia culture created compact self-governing political units (the city-states). By the third millennium B. C. E. the concept of king developed, possibly because of increased quarrels over resources. The power of religious leaders was undermined by the increase of the kings power. And although the kings took over control of temples, Mesopotamian kings did not claim divine power. Political changes occurred in Mesopotamia because of the succession of people that followed the initial Sumerian people who established their temporary political dominance. The longest dynastic rule in Mesopotamian history is that of Sargon I that lasted but 150 years. By 1750 B. C. E. Hammurabis Code, the written law or code of King Hammurabi, was used to maintain political authority and continuity. In sharp contrast is the continuity of political history in ancient Egypt. The legendary King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt into one nation that lasted with continuity of culture from 3,100-1070 B. C. E. with thirty dynasties. Unlike Mesopotamian kings, the Egyptian king was represented as Horus and as the son of Re. As Egypt’s chief priest, he intervened with the gods on behalf of his people and land. No written law or code was developed in Egypt. Egypt was substantially more self-sufficient than Mesopotamia with copper and turquoise deposits in the Sinai desert to the east and gold from Nubia to the south were within reach. The pharaoh governed the country through a large but efficient bureaucracy. Egypt and Mesopotamia are among the oldest civilizations recognized today and when compared Egypt stands out as the greater civilization. However, though they differ greatly, their reliance on rivers, arid climate, and establishment of great civilizations demonstrate their few but significant similarities.