First Cities Decoded

What made Uruk a city and not just a large village? Specialization. For the first time in human history, most residents produced no food at all. The Eanna district held massive temples where thousands of offerings were processed daily. The city had distinct neighborhoods: a temple district, residential quarters, workshops for potters and metalworkers, and warehouses.

Urban life forced inventions we now take for granted: standardized weights so a merchant in the market got a fair deal, written contracts so disputes had evidence, and professional soldiers because a city of strangers needed rules enforced by people whose only job was enforcement.