How societies evolved into fear-dominated goliaths – then collapsed
We think of ancient civilisations as operating very differently from the way our economy works today. Yet the Assyrians, around 3,000 years ago, began the basis of modern capitalism, in a region spanning most of modern-day Iraq, eastern Syria and southeastern Turkey.
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"Cuneiform writing, the oldest in the world, records evidence of credit, loans and debits as “virtual money” and the rise of elite merchants holding monopolies on trade. They traded Afghanistan tin from the city of Kanesh (in modern Turkey) throughout their empire, working as multinational corporations do today.
The Assyrian business community also had the first businesswomen and female investors. Generous tax breaks were given to merchants who promoted good business. The famous Code of Hammurabi reads like the fine print of a business deal, stating rules for granting credit and imposing taxes and tariffs on trade."
The results of a study show that scribes did not always refine their clay, barely used fire to harden the texts, and that tablets made in the workshop coexisted with others brought from outside.
Matti Matti grew up in Ankawa, an Assyrian area outside of Erbil. He’s witnessed the town change dramatically as Iraq’s Assyrian population has collapsed.
The Assyrian Foundation of America (AFA) has announced a five-year financial commitment to the Assyrian Studies Association (ASA), pledging $30,000 annually through 2031 in support of the organization's academic and cultural work.
As investment in Tur Abdin continues, ensuring quality and trust in the construction sector is becoming an increasingly important concern for Assyrians seeking to preserve and rebuild their historic villages.
The results of a study show that scribes did not always refine their clay, barely used fire to harden the texts, and that tablets made in the workshop coexisted with others brought from outside.
John Long
