Bronze Age Mesopotamian Comparison to Egyptian and Mycenaean Cultures
From a modern view, Bronze Age Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Mycenaean religious beliefs, politics, and government provoke thoughts of restricted lifestyles to make even the most conservative human seem unorthodox. In comparison with each other, however, the three civilizations vary to degrees so drastically different that when examined further, no one civilization can be proven to be the most important or dominant. Though Bronze Age Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Mycenae are completely different in structure, the basis of human interaction leading to division of government and establishment of religion both keep the three slightly similar in ideals. The most obvious common characteristic of the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Mycenaean civilizations is a belief in a theocratic system of government. ... This is specifically apparent when viewing the Stele of Djet from Abydos, created around the time of establishment of the Egyptian civilization. ... Another pharaoh commonly viewed as a god was the king Akhenaten, who was considered the direct descendent of the Egyptian god Aten (Hymn to the Sun 27). ... Though little is known about the relationship between Mycenaean government and religion, it can be assumed by archaeological artifacts excavated that there was a spiritual belief within the palaces of Mycenae, directly reflecting to the Mycenaean population and its religious views. ... However, considering the amount of documentation given by Mesopotamians and Egyptians in comparison with that of Mycenaean origin, it seems as if Mycenaean citizens tended to view kings less as gods and more like that which they obviously were- Mycenaean governmental figures alone. ... In the first written set of laws, as etched on a stele, known as the Code of Hammurabi (issued between 1792-1750 BC), such laws are established that demand an adjustment in Mesopotamian lifestyles. ... It has an effect on Mesopotamian lifestyle because citizens are forced to be violent and warlike in a time of conflict. ... Mesopotamian governmental cruelty has established a principle of supposed justice with the phrase “an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” as well. ... As before, with Mesopotamian kings, fear is the first instinct of the people governed with terror. ... Colin Walters describes the advancement in his text “Ancient Egypt” in the Penguin Encyclopedia of Ancient Civilizations by the following: “The lands subdued by the Egyptian army were policed by small garrisons, but in general terms Egyptian interests were looked after by civil officials, the most important of whom were the provincial governors. Control of the larger centres of population was left in the hands of the local princes, whose sons were removed to Egypt as a guarantee of loyalty…A royal messenger acted as an intermediary between the Egyptian court and the Asiatic provinces, from whom annual tribute was assiduously exacted” (28). ... In southern and central Greece during the late Bronze Age (around 1600-1000 BC), the Mycenaean culture was established with a complex economic system and a high degree of centralized and controlled inspection (Hooker 210).