When we look back at the daily life of these ancient people, who thousands of years ago lived in ancient Mesopotamia, it is easy to be impressed.
The Sumerians were the first settlers in the land between two rivers. They were the inventors with so many firsts - the first sailboat, the first written language, the first super hero, and many more. Much of Sumerian daily life was spent trying to keep their gloomy gods happy.
As the Sumerian civilization declined, two other civilizations rose to power, the Babylonians in the south and the Assyrians in the north.
The Babylonians had a great deal in common with the Sumerians. They too were deeply religious, but their daily life was dictated more by law. It was the Babylonians who wrote the laws down. These laws, the same laws for the rich and the poor, clearly stated how you had to behave and what your punishment would be if you did not behave correctly.
The Assyrians in the north were also deeply religious, but they not interested in equality under the law. They were interested in war. Much of their daily life was spent preparing for war or actually being involved in war. Still, one of the greatest Assyrian achievements was the creation of the library at Nineveh.