Ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian Cultures Around the time 4,000-1,000 BC
there were two major western civilizations. Those civilizations were the Ancient
Egyptians and the Mesopotamians. Many similarities exist between the
civilizations of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, as well as many differences.
Both Egypt and Mesopotamia were polytheistic, that is, they believed their
worlds were ruled by more than one god. Both cultures also believed that they
themselves were created for the purpose of serving their gods. Their
similarities include the existence of educational systems and codes of law.
Their differences are found partly in those similarities, as well as their
medical practices and their interpretations of the great floods. There are many
patterns that are common of the civilizations of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia,
which shows that there were some patterns of development that might be common to
early civilizations, but they probably didn’t have very much contact with each
other. Both of the civilizations believed in education. The people of Sumer were
expected to do what was asked of them and to behave properly while in school. If
the pupils were late for school or failed to complete their assignments, they
would be beaten with a stick, or caned. One story about a Sumerian boy, who was
not doing well in school, tells of the kinds of small things children would be
punished for, such as poor penmanship. This story shows us how common this sort
of discipline was: “Who was in charge of drawing said ‘Why when I was not here
did you stand up?’ caned me. My teacher said ‘Your hand is not good,’ caned me.”
(A Sumerian Schoolboy, SPV 15). It seams that if they misbehaved at all during
school they would be punished by being by a cane. The school children of Egypt
were advised by their fathers to be men of pride and to listen to their people.
The advice that a father gave to his son was very important, telling that son
how to behave to make both himself and his family proud. “Take counsel with the
ignorant, as well as the wise” (A Father’s Advice, SPV 31) advises that wisdom
may be found from the lips of all people; not only from the scholars or
artisans, but from the slaves and common folk as well. The Ancient Egyptians and
Mesopotamians had different theories as to how they came about and why they were
created.
Both civilizations believed that the gods created them. The Mesopotamians
believed that the mightier gods forced the lesser gods into slavery, and that
the Mesopotamian people were created to take over for those lesser gods when
they revolted. “When the gods, like man, bore the work, carried the
labor-basket—the labor-basket of the great gods—the work was heavy, much was the
distress...” (A Creation Myth: “Let Man Carry the Labor-Basket of the Gods, SPV
13) is saying that the lesser gods had to do the hard labor before man was
created. “While Nintu is present, let the birth-goddess create the offspring,
let man bear the labor-basket of the gods” was what Enlil said after he agreed
to create humans to do the physical labor. “I have removed your heavy labor,
have placed your labor-basket on man,” is what he said to the gods after humans
were created. (A Creation Myth: “Let Man Carry the Labor-Basket of the Gods, SPV
13). The Egyptian creation theory is different from that of the Mesopotamians.
The Egyptians thought that Khepri created all the humans and created the other
gods as well. It was believed the Kherpi created the lesser gods from his spit
and humans from his semen. “I planned in my own heart, and there came into being
a multitude of forms of beings, the forms of children and the forms of their
children. I was the one who copulated with my fist, I masturbated with my hand.
Then I spewed with my own mouth: I spat out what was Shu, and I sputtered out
what was Tefnut.” (The Book of Knowing the Creations, HD #5). The Code of
Hammurabi is the Mesopotamian written code of law. It is a very complete and
specific code of law, which allowed specific punishment for almost every crime
that could be committed against the Mesopotamian people. The laws are also very
severe when it comes to punishment. Law number twenty-two states that, “If a man
has robbed and has been captured, that man shall be put to death.” Law number
twenty-five say that “If a fire broke out in a man’s house and a man who has
come to extinguish the fire has lifted up his eyes to the property of the
householder and has taken the property of the householder, that man shall be
thrown into the fire.” Law number fifty-three states that “If a man has
neglected to strengthen the dyke of his canal, and a breach has opened in his
dyke, and the waters have ravaged the meadow, the man in whose dyke the breach
has been opened shall make good the corn that he caused to be lost.” (The Code
of Hammurabi, ARC 5).
