GALLERY 2

The First Great Powers

Kingdoms began to appear in the fertile valleys of the Tigris, Euphrates, Nile, Indus and Yellow River around 3000 BCE. The emergence of these first great powers was accompanied by the spread of bronze weapons and axes, swords and armour became emblems of prestige and splendour for the powerful. This new warrior elite also began to ride horses, a development that spurred long-distance exchange, increased the size of kingdoms and broadened the horizons of communities. The first cities developed in kingdoms in Mesopotamia and Egypt, a crucial event in the history of humanity, the result of increasing populations and the emergence of powerful hierarchies. This made the first cities social and cultural melting pots that encouraged exchange and innovations such as writing, which facilitated transactions and helped legitimise state power.