Water and the Ancient Western World
The western world was a very dry land. It was a place where deserts were very prominent, and water was scarce. Thus, the people who lived in this time needed to dwell near water. When the population in these areas increased, there was a need to expand. With this expanse, they moved farther away from the rivers and water sources. This meant that there needed to be some advancement that would allow them to move the water from the source to the outskirts of their civilization.Robert MaC. Adams used a map in "Heartland of Cities; Surveys of Ancient Settlements and Land Use on the Central Floodplains
Dikes decided which fields the water flowed to and which ones they did not go to. In Vetruvius's Description of the Roman Aqueduct System, he tells of where the supply of water came from. All these things show how the need for a steady supply of water affected life and the development of ancient western civilizations. These levees did not just appear though. They needed water and had to use science and invention to survive. There could not be too steep of a rise on the pipes and the amount of water passing through them was to be regulated. This is an example of how the ancient people had to make inventions to help themselves survive. The Code of Hammurabi spends a good amount of energy and time on the importance, maintenance and effectiveness of dikes and canals. So, the maintenance of the dikes was very important. The people in the ancient western world were rewarded by their inventions and were able to expand their societies because of a fundamental need. If your dike broke, you were to be responsible for whatever damage the floods caused. It was a slow process of invention and resourcefulness that allowed them to make the adjustments needed to farm and to grow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------**Bibliography**. " The structures were to be very solid and sturdy. of the Euphrates" showing the ancient levees that were found between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Common topics in this essay:
Aqueduct System,
Code Hammurabi,
,
Tigris Euphrates,
Floodplains Euphrates,
MaC Adams,
supply water,
aqueduct system,
western world,
ancient western,
|
Acceptance Essays
