Until recently, most historians viewed civilization as a complex human society that had achieved a high level of culture, agriculture, industry and government. But this definition is problematic for archeologists and anthropologists because it contains an overt value judgment that “civilization” is better or more advanced than other forms of human society. In addition, it obscures important differences between civilizations and other human groups.
The earliest civilizations were temple towns that developed around religious centers in places with good water supply and fertile soil. Over time these towns grew into city-states that were considered to be the first true civilizations. City-states were ruled by leaders called ensis. They controlled the city’s irrigation systems and cultivated enough food to provide jobs for farmers, craftspeople, priests, artists, etc.
With stable food supplies, people were able to focus more of their energy on other activities. This led to a variety of new jobs, and the people who were best at these jobs were known as “big men” because they had more of certain things (such as food). As agriculture and trade became easier, big men started to have many of the same needs as everyone else, so they formed classes. These new positions, ranging from the wealthy merchants of Europe to the “nobility” of Polynesia, eventually evolved into religions and other social structures.
Early civilizations also created a system of record keeping. Often this involved writing, though it could be done in any way that worked for the group. Initially these records were used for accounting and taxation, but as the ability to write improved, the process expanded to include legal documents, science and history.
The invention of a system of writing allowed people to share information across large distances. The spread of knowledge and trade was a fundamental driving force behind the rise of civilizations.
Despite their wealth, power and complexity, early civilizations were often short-lived. This is likely due to the fact that many of them began on the edge of the world and were vulnerable to war, disease and climate change.
It is hard to know how early civilizations should be defined, as different cultures have had their own ideas about what it takes for a place to be considered civilized. Regardless, most experts agree that there are certain characteristics that civilizations must have: a city, a form of government, the presence of religions, solid culture and art, and defined social structures. It is also important that civilizations develop a record of past events. This record can help future generations learn from the successes and failures of their ancestors. This is one of the great contributions that civilizations make to the world, and a reason why they should be valued.