This paper explains that Mesopotamia, named "land between two rivers" by the Greeks, is the generic name for many different
civilizations that existed in this area over a long period, but were relatively similar in their cultures, religions, and societies. The oldest is the Sumerian, followed by Akkadian, Babylonian, and the Assyrian
civilizations. The author points out that the importance of religion in the lives of the ancient Mesopotamian people was overwhelming and affected all aspects of their lives because, in the absence of other fields of intellectual discourse that are available to the modern man, only religion could provide the Mesopotamians an explanation of the forces that governed their existence. The paper relates that, although women's position in the society varied between city-states and changed over time, the Mesopotamian society basically was highly
patriarchal, with the wife's position in the household firmly below that of her husband. Table of Contents Religion Importance Sources of Information Sumerian Beliefs Developmental Stages of the Mesopotamian Religion Mesopotamian Religion Temples Mesopotamian Society Caste System A Patriarchal Society