The "Neolithic Revolution" radically changed human society and economy. Within a relatively short time ("only" some 5,000 years later!) the first cities emerged. The "Urban Revolution" once again transformed human society and we have lived in an urban society ever since. The Urban Revolution resulted not only in the growth of the first cities, but also such institutions as the state, warfare, monumental architecture, and writing. The causes and the nature of the Urban Revolution are highly controversial and poorly understood even today.

1. At one time it was assumed that cities came into being at one point and in one place--Mesopotamia, ca. 3500 B.C.

2. Now most scholars agree that cities probably developed independently in several different times and places:

a. Proto-cities such as Catalhoyuk and Jericho, dating from as early as 7,000-8,000 B.C.

b. These places look like cities in their size and complexity, but none of them continued as cities down into historical times (i.e., they seem like "one-time wonders").

c. "Real" cities in other areas

-- Proto-Elamites (Iran)

-- Egyptians

-- Harappans (Mohenjo-Daro in the Indus Valey)

-- Persian Gulf islands

-- China

3. Cities in most of these areas developed in river valleys.

B. Developments in Mesopotamia

1. Ca. 10,000-8,000 B.C. the Neolithic Revolution

2. People did not live in the valleys, but on the hillsides--sites such as Jarmo and Eridu.

3. Ca. 4,500 B.C. people began to move into the valleys that were then starting to dry out.

4. Ca. 4,000 B.C. al Ubaid and Ubaid culture: large villages that began to share common culture and larger buildings.

5. Ca. 3500 B.C. the first cities in Sumeria.

C. Causes and characteristics of urbanism

1. The pre-condition of cities is an agricultural surpluss, but how does this come about and is it enough to explain the emergence of cities? In other words, does village life lead inevitably to the emergence of cities? Most authorities have said it does not.

2. Irrigation -- Hydraulic Civilizations -- the Wittvogel Theory

a. Most early cities developed in river valleys.

b. The soil of Mesopotamia is fertile, but requires irrigation to produce anything.

c. Irrigation requires political control on a large scale--a political system.

d. In this view, organization led to cities; organization created greater agricultural surpluss and this led to larger cities.

e. This is a reasonable, but the problem is that the evidence suggests that irrigation came only after the emergence of cities.

3. Control of rivers as a scarce resourse.

a. A variant on this suggests that the people who lived close to the river had better land and therefore got richer--this is something that always seems to happen.

b. This meant that the old equality of the Neolithic village was replaced by a situation in which some individuals became much wealthier and more powerful than their neighbors.

c. These people wanted more and more and they created social and political organization in order to increase their power--but this organization led to greater wealth for all (although they gained the greatest wealth of all).

4. Religion as a means of control and organization.

a. Evidence suggests that priests (not prostitutes!) made up the first profession.

b. The priests did not have to farm, and people brought wealth to them in order to please the gods that were thought to be necessary in order to secure a good harvest.

c. The temples became warehouses for surpluss foodstuffs and the priests came to redistribute wealth--real political power.

d. In this scenario the priests became the first politicians.

5. Another view points to kings (as the wielders of force) as the leading figure in the growth of cities.

a. In this view, kings were strongmen (physically strong) who could bully others into doing what he wanted.

b. The king provided organization in order to enforce his will and increase his wealth.

c. Nonetheless, this organization led to greater wealth and the creation of urban structures.

 

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