culture differences between egypt and mesopotamia
Comparing Mesopotamia to Egypt The source of the many differences between Mesopotamia and Egypt can be found in the geographic locations of these civilizations. Egypt, protected by natural barriers on all sides, remained uninfluenced for many years. ... Thus, they developed much differently politically and socially compared to Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was constantly invaded by foreigners who would incorporate their culture into their newly conquered society and form a new one by force. ... Egypt’s social structure consisted of the pharaoh, priests, farmers, merchants, and craftsmen. ... Not only did he govern Egypt, but he was an immortal (or a god). ... Otherwise the gods would “cease to smile upon Egypt”. Priests were important to Egyptians but were not terribly powerful (like they were in Mesopotamia). ... In these villages, the merchants and craftsmen could also be found, but Egypt had no real cities. The capital cities in Egypt served as royal palaces for the wealthy or for social entertainment. ... Unlike many other civilizations, the cities of Egypt were not used as major trade or control centers among villages.