The Babylonian World (Routledge Worlds)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THE OLD BABYLONIAN

ECONOMY



Anne Goddeeris

INTRODUCTION

T

he Old Babylonian period witnesses some fascinating economic developments,
which deserve a separate treatment in this volume. For the first time in Babylonian
history, the three traditional sectors of the economy, palace, temple and private
citizenry, are well represented in the written documentation. However, many of the
private citizens keeping an archive had connections with one of the patrimonial
households.
Thus, despite the numerous ‘private’ contracts that are known from this period,
this chapter will chiefly focus on the characteristic ways in which the Old Babylonian
rulers attempted to integrate the existing self-sufficient households into a patrimonial
economy. Therefore, I will first establish the political framework before addressing
the economic institutions. Although the characteristic institutions discussed at the
end of this chapter existed in both regions, the north and south of Babylonia are
treated separately because the ecological factors were different and they had a different
historical outset and outcome.

THE POINT OF DEPARTURE: THE THIRD

MILLENNIUM

In the course of the fourth and third millennia BC, one can observe a gradual central-
ization of economic resources by temple and palace households in the archaeological
and textual evidence. In order to manage these resources and provide their power
with an economic basis, the households developed organizational and administrative
structures. However, after two or three generations, the systems always seem to have
disintegrated into local entities centred around city-states. Of course, the new
administrative institutions remained embedded in these city-states and played a role
when a ruler made a fresh attempt towards centralization.
At the end of the fourth millennium BC, the Uruk state and its colonies reached
a first high point in this development. In the frame of this system, which was controlled
by the temple complex of Uruk, the cuneiform writing system developed. After the
Uruk state disintegrated, the city-states in southern Babylonia were managed by their