Summary
Highlights
John Green introduces the video, noting that Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, gave rise to writing and taxes. He briefly quips about the origin of the saying, "the only certainties are death and taxes."
Around 5000 years ago, cities emerged in Mesopotamia, similar to the Indus River Valley. These cities practiced a form of proto-socialism where farmers contributed crops to public storehouses, and workers were paid in uniform grain stipends. This system allowed for specialized labor beyond farming and ensured basic sustenance for city dwellers.
A significant legacy of Mesopotamia is the ongoing conflict between rural and urban life, exemplified in the Epic of Gilgamesh. The story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu illustrates the triumph of city over the wild. Uruk, Gilgamesh's hometown, is described as a walled city with a canal system and ziggurats.
Initially, priests held significant power in Mesopotamia due to their perceived ability to communicate with the gods. Mesopotamian gods were seen as capricious and harsh, influenced by the unpredictable nature of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Around 1000 years after the first temples, palaces emerged, indicating a shift in power from priests to kings, who often took on quasi-religious roles, engaging in "sacred marriages" with high priestesses.
Mesopotamia is credited with inventing cuneiform, a writing system initially used for recording economic transactions, particularly involving grain and goats. Writing created class distinctions, marked the beginning of true history, and made possible professions like John Green's.
Trade necessitated Mesopotamia's development of the world's first territorial kingdoms. Around 2000 BCE, city-states declined due to drought, leading to nomadic conquerors forming new city-states. These new governmental structures shifted from proto-socialism to systems resembling private enterprise with taxation. Kings, like Hammurabi of Babylon, became prominent, establishing the famous Code of Hammurabi, known for its strict "eye for an eye" justice and the early concept of presumption of innocence.
The Assyrians emerged as a brutal force in Mesopotamia, establishing the first true empire around 911 BCE. They conquered vast territories using a highly efficient and ruthless meritocratic army, equipped with iron weapons and chariots. Their rule was characterized by forced deportations, mutilations, and widespread violence, all justified in the name of their god Ashur, with the king as his divine regent.
The Assyrian Empire eventually collapsed due to overextension and the destabilizing belief that losing a single battle would lead to the apocalypse. The fall of Nineveh in 612 BCE marked the end of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but the concept of empire had just begun.
John Green concludes the episode, promising to discuss Ancient Egypt next. He also includes the weekly 'Open Letter' segment and acknowledges the production team.