THE SUMER / SUMERIANA / SULU CITY-STATE (Ints 101)

Introduction

Sumer (also spelled Sumeria) was one of the earliest known civilizations of the ancient Near East, located in the southern part of Mesopotamia, an area known today as southeastern Iraq. From the mid-millenium (around 4500–4000 BC) until its decline and the rise of Babylon, Sumer stood as a center of human civilization. The term Sumerian refers to the people who spoke the Sumerian language, one of the world’s earliest written tongues.

Sumer, together with Ancient Egypt and the Indus Valley Civilization, is regarded as one of the first truly settled societies in world history. It exhibited all the basic features of civilization, organized government, art, commerce, architecture, religion, and especially writing. The emergence of city-states in Sumer marked a great transformation in human society, enabling complex political, social, and economic organization.

THE SUMERIAN CITY-STATE

The Sumerians are credited with inventing writing (cuneiform script) and establishing laws that helped maintain order within their city-states. Historians classify human development into two main stages: Pre-history and History.

Cuneiform writing on a wall

• Pre-history refers to the period before written records — when humans existed without any documented social, political, or religious information.
• The Historical Period began with the advent of writing and is divided into three stages:

  1. Ancient Period (c. 3000 BC – 500 BC)

  2. Medieval Period

  3. Modern Period

The Sumerian city-state system was the earliest known city system in recorded history. The Sumerians settled in the fertile valleys between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, hence the region (Mesopotamia) is often called “the cradle of civilization.”

Cuneiform writing on a stone

WHY SUMER IS CLASSIFIED AS A CITY-STATE

Sumer is considered a city-state because it possessed all the essential characteristics of one:

1. Existence of a definite geographical territory (modern-day Iraq).

2. Some form of sovereignty — the power to govern itself.

3. A sizeable population — whose members enjoyed civil rights and owed allegiance to the state.

4. Sovereignty (definition): The supreme and legal authority to make laws and decisions on behalf of the people without external control.

TRIBES AND NATIONS OF SUMER

The word “Sumerian” is an exonym (a name given by outsiders), first used by the Akkadians. The Sumerians referred to themselves as “the black-headed people” (Sag-gi-ga) and their land as “the land of civilized lords” (Ki-en-gir).

Statue of King Nimrud of Sumer

By the end of the 4th millennium BC, Sumer had developed into twelve independent city-states, each separated by canals and boundary stones. Every city-state was centered around a temple dedicated to a patron god or goddess and ruled by a priest-king known as Ensi (priest) or Lugal (king). Religion was deeply integrated into governance and social life.

FACTORS THAT DETERMINED THE EMERGENCE OF THE CITY-STATE

Sumerian's Artwork 

1. Trade: Economic activities, especially agriculture, led to food surplus and population growth, creating large permanent settlements. Trade networks with neighboring regions encouraged further urban development.

2. Religion: Created social bonds and played a major role in the personal and communal life of the people.

3. Language, Blood Ties, and Geography: Common language and kinship united the people, while fertile land supported settlement.

4. Organized System of Government: The existence of laws and leadership structures promoted stability and coordination.

DECLINE AND FALL OF THE SUMERIAN CITY-STATE SYSTEM

Several factors led to the fall of the Sumerian civilization:

1. Continuous Conflicts and Wars: External attacks and wars weakened the city-states, allowing more powerful empires to conquer them.

2. Internal Disunity and Rivalries: Competition and conflict among the city-states themselves led to fragmentation.

3. Conquest by Superior States: Sumer was eventually overrun and absorbed by stronger powers such as the Akkadian Empire (under Sargon of Akkad) and later the Babylonian Empire.

Conclusion

The Sumerian Civilization stands as one of humanity’s earliest and most influential societies. Its city-state structure, invention of writing, and organized governance laid the foundation for later civilizations in Mesopotamia and beyond. Though it declined due to wars and internal weaknesses, the legacy of Sumer, in law, writing, architecture, and governance, remains a cornerstone in the story of human civilization.

References 

U24PS/IS Ints 101 note

Wikipedia contributors