Uruk and Corinth in Ancient Times - Term Paper Example

Uruk and Corinth in Ancient Times Introduction Civilization is not a concept of modern times; it is as old as man. History does not only depict the past events of man, but it also tells about civilizations and the people present at that time. The cities of Uruk and Corinth are examples of early civilizations that illustrate the magnificence of their individual periods. These cities surpassed the expectations of their past by hosting more than 50,000 people that was a large population at that time. This paper analyzes the various factors that made these cities rise to prosperity and emerge as pinnacles of success. Thesis Cities, in ancient times, arise either because of trade or because of agriculture. The cities of Uruk and Corinth are no different. Body There is usually a correlation between the existence of ancient cities and mythology. The two cities of Uruk and Corinth are no exception. The Epic of Gilgamesh mentions the city of Uruk while the city of Corinth is mentioned in the Epic of Sisyphus. In the epic of Gilgamesh, the king Gilgamesh is a demigod. In the epic, he is the son of the goddess Ninsun the Holy Mother and the Great Queen while his father is Lugalbanda, a Priest-King. Gilgamesh, according to historical records, is the fifth king of Uruk, and he had divine status among the citizens of Uruk. The influence of Gilgamesh was profound as his deeds were divine; as written in the epic of Gilgamesh (Rothman 4). The divine king gets mentioned in the story of Inanna and Huluppu Tree, a Sumerian tale. In the tale, Gilgamesh assists the goddess Inanna in fighting off pests, in the form of a snake and a bird, which had infested her Huluppu tree. These stories are engraved in the walls of Uruk depicting the existence of the city (Rothman 6). The city of Corinth, on the other hand, gets mentioned in the story of Sisyphus, the king of Corinth. In the story, Medea gives Sisyphus the city. In addition to being given the city, Sisyphus was cunning individual; widely known for his trick on Hades, the god of Death. Lang states that after escaping the clutches of the underworld, Sisyphus returns to rule Corinth together with his wife (13). However, when Hades catches up with Sisyphus, he grants his a never-ending duty of rolling a boulder uphill. Once Sisyphus reaches the top of the hill, the boulder slips from his hands and rolls down; making the task everlasting (Lang 14). In addition to being mentioned in literature, the two cities were religious cities. Religious, in that, they both boasted several high profile temples that hosted distinguished gods and goddesses of that period. In Corinth, for example, the temple of Aphrodite was the most mentionable. The Christian Bible alludes to this temple in the book of Corinthians. The temple was a sanctuary for the cult of the goddess and a hetarai – priestesses; making the cult the most notable in the ancient world (Rothaus 9). Other notable religious centres include the temple of Asklepieioin, the Archaic temple among many others. These temples offered a place of solace for the Corinth natives (Rothaus 11). Uruk, being the first city it existence was heavily linked to a deity. The Sumerians dedicated the city to the god of the Sky, their chief deity. The city of Uruk comprises of several temples, each dedicated to individual divine guardians of the Sumerians. Rothman states that the temple of the sky god An and another one for the goddess of love and war Inanna (12). The temples form the centre of the city and access to them was restricted. Mountainous structures known as ziggurats enable the Sumerians to see the temple despite the view being restricted. Gilgamesh, previously mentioned, ordered the construction of the temples converting Uruk into a religious hub of the ancient world. The city of Uruk is among the most important cities during ancient Mesopotamia. King Enmerkar, the fist king of Uruk, founded the city around 4500 BCE. The city’s location is in the present day Warka in Iraq; at the time, the region was Sumer’s southern region (Liverani 5). The Euphrates River formed the background of the city and the river spurred the agriculture as an economic activity for this city. Liverani continues to state that this rise of agriculture led to the civilization of the city and ultimately created the largest city of the time (7). Agriculture assured that the city could hold and sustain more people. The early Mesopotamians used irrigation to harvest water from the Euphrates River and water their plants. The continued flooding of the river led to the increased fertility of the topsoil in the area (Liverani 8). This together with the presence of fish in the river contributed to the city’s prosperity. In addition to agriculture, king Gilgamesh erected walls that ensured the city’s fortification during wars and attacks. The presence of food, stability and security ensured the continued prominence and expansion of the city of Uruk (Rothman 14). On the other hand, the location of Corinth is in the isthmus connecting Peloponnese to the mainland. Lang asserts that the city of Corinth attributes its power and prestige to its strategic location (20). This strategic location enables the city to become a trading hub in ancient Greece; between the mainland and Peloponnese. All the trade between these locations passes through the city of Corinth. Ancient Greeks created roads that ran across Corinth connecting various cities. According to Rothaus, the roads ran from Arcardia to south of Acrocorinth, another road connects the towns of Sikyon, Achaea and to the west of Peloponnese (26). These roads ensure that Corinth is the crossroads of ancient world and an important trade route between the Greek states. All the trade occurring between the east, west, north and south passed through this Isthmus of Corinth (Rothaus 29). In addition to trade occurring inland, the city of Corinth supported maritime trading. Trade occurred between the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean seas. The isthmus offers a safer option for vessels that wished to cross over to either sea. Sailors prefer crossing Corinth than sailing around Peloponnese. The prosperity of Corinth ensured that the city held the Isthmian games; a part of the famous Greek Olympics (Lang 33). Other economic activities supported by this city were pottery, sculpturing, agriculture, bronze work among various economic activities that support the Corinth populace. These aforementioned activities, together with many others, made Corinth very rich and in the ancient world ‘Corinth’ was associated with wealth. The significance of Uruk is emphasized by being the first city in ancient times. Moreover, the period revolves around the rise and decline of this city. The Ubaid period, starting from 5000 - 4100 BCE, is the first period that signifies the migration of the Ubaid people into the Sumer region (Liverani 15). The Uruk period, when the city became prominent, followed shortly beginning from 4100 – 2900 BCE. During the Uruk period, other cities spring up around Mesopotamia but Uruk remains as the most influential (Rothman 17). There is a further division of the Uruk period into time zones depicting the rise and fall of the city. Archaeologists determine these periods on the number of ruins they excavate. The city is most prominent and influential during 4100 to 3000 BCE. Its prominence during this period is because of it becoming the largest urban centre in the Mesopotamia region (Liverani 17). Furthermore, it is also the administration centre of the area and the trade hub. Urbanization and innovation in the city led to its prominence and dominance over the Mesopotamia region. The Urukian population was the first to invent the pottery wheel, grow wheat in a large-scale, division of time into sixty units and finally it was the first region to write (Liverani 29). Moreover, the city is the first example of ecological devastation due to over-cultivation; leading to its decline. The city is without a doubt the leader of the ancient world and enjoys this status until the end of the third millennium BC. Similarly, the city of Corinth follows the same trajectory. Archaeologists estimate the first human settlements in Corinth occur around 4000BC, also known as the Early Bronze Age (Rothaus 51). However, this settlement did not progress as expected as a cataclysmic event destroyed. This event took place in the years around 2000 BC. The Dorian Greeks followed shortly, in 1000 BC, occupying this land. After the settlement of these Greeks, the land remained settled for the next 1500 years (Lang 53). The Dorian Greeks who first occupy Corinth maintain political and social stability. This bundled with its location spurs its growth as a premier city in ancient Greece. The Greeks, pioneers in democracy, ruled this city well further leading to its prominence (Rothaus 74). The leaders and merchants worked hand in hand to ensure its success; the leaders’ work was to anticipate changes while the merchants’ was to diversify the economy. In ancient Greece, the city was renowned for its pottery, shipbuilding, architecture, bronze work and textiles. Rothaus further states that its strategic location ensures that the creators of these marvels can ship their products all over the globe (77). A leader known as Periander, during 585 BC, spurred the growth of the city. During his reign, he unsuccessfully attempts to create a canal across the Corinth. To remedy this, Periander successfully builds a road across the Isthmus (Rothaus 89). The paved road was the ‘diolkos’ allowed small vessels to be hauled across Corinth to the either sea. The city survives several wars and conflicts during its lifetime: the Peloponnesian war of 431 – 404 BC and the Corinthian war of 395 – 387 BC (Rothaus 95). Despite its resilience, the city does not survive the onslaught of the Romans during 147 BC. The wealthy and prominent Corinth fell in the hands of the Romans who destroyed the city and slaughtered all of its male inhabitants. The women and child were all sold to slavery. Conclusion The ancient cities of Uruk and Corinth were magnificent for their time and showed promise. They were the forefronts of civilizations during their individual periods. However, both declined due to various reasons. Uruk fell due to ecological devastations while Corinth declined due to warring with the Romans and other Greek states. These two cities form a repository of towns and cities that underwent all the highs and lows modern cities undergo. They give us subtle warnings on what might lead to the decline of the present civilization. Works Cited Lang, Mabel L. Cure and Cult in Ancient Corinth: A Guide to the Asklepieion. Princeton, N.J: American School of Classical Studies at Athens, 1977. Print. Liverani, Mario. Uruk: The First City. Oakville, CT: Equinox Pub, 2006. Print. Rothaus, Richard M. Corinth, the First City of Greece: An Urban History of Late Antique Cult and Religion. Leiden: Brill, 2000. Print. Rothman, Mitchell S. Uruk Mesopotamia & Its Neighbors: Cross-cultural Interactions & Their Consequences in the Era of State Formation. Santa Fe, N.M: School of American Research Press, 2001. Print. Read More