This is fascinating to think about how long Ur lasted, I suspect more due to the constancy of forces at work than any kingly/priestly/technical virtues or state

This is fascinating to think about how long Ur lasted, I suspect more due to the constancy of forces at work than any kingly/priestly/technical virtues or statecraft. Their clay writings are like the proverbial big lamp-post directing our attention to what we can see. Most of Ur's records report details of a system of work and taxation/distribution, with workers paid in beer. The usual scaling of size/wealth lead to some dominating others, with corresponding religions and stories to buttress their authority. Typical to our minds. Long before Ur was Eridu [1], from ~5,000 to ~600 (episodically). Founded by a god of sweet underground water at the confluence of salt marsh and grassland, water sharing seems to have lead to peace between shepherds, fishermen, and farmers from three different cultures - diversity leading to enduring resilience. Temples seemed to be market places, where trade could proceed in peace, protected by that god. Ur and the Sumerian cities had many of the same features as Eridu, but stories there tell of increased consolidation and militarization, first to keep out the dangerous mountain wanderers/hunters who (gasp!) had no homes, and next to maintain their assets against neighboring cities who might have designs on them. Any actual threats were amplified by fear- and war-mongering military class competing with the priestly class for control over production and distribution. Society to us is largely variations on these protection rackets, of the have's fearing those who have nothing to lose. Perhaps Eridu was saved from that by lack of neighbors or marauders, if their sheer numbers dissuaded any small band who ventured near. I wonder if there's any undiscovered line of evidence that could help. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eridu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eridu