Daily Life

Life in Mesopotamia was both exciting and hard. Farmers worked from sunrise to sunset, often fighting against heat, floods, and insects to grow enough food. The soil was rich but the work was never easy.

Scribes were among the most respected people. Boys who wanted to become scribes started school around age 8, where they learned to write cuneiform on clay tablets. They spent years practicing until they could write perfectly — then worked for temples, kings, or merchants, recording trade, laws, and letters.

People loved music, storytelling, and games. One popular game, the Royal Game of Ur, was played with dice and tiny carved pieces. Festivals were big events filled with feasts, dancing, and music. One of the most famous was the New Year Festival of Babylon, which lasted 12 days and celebrated the spring planting season and the god Marduk.