How Did Beer Influence Mesopotamia

Describe how beer was influential to the development of Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Mesopotamia and Egypt were two of the first civilizations in the world., and they set a precedent for many civilizations to come. The well known beverage beer was greatly influential to the development of these civilizations. As early civilizations, Mesopotamia and Egypt were inhabited by some of the first people to transition from hunting and gathering to farming and domestication. Beer can credited with this switch. The cereal crops used to make beer were originally wild, and abundant in this region (15). They could gather and store large quantities, but the grains couldn’t be left unguarded, and this led to the first permanent settlements (13). Once beer was discovered, it’s gaining popularity and the people’s limited mobility called for a way to ensure a steady supply of grain. It’s possible farming was adopted to do just that (21). The vitamin B in beer made up for the lack of meat as hunting decreased (21). The switch to agriculture …show more content…
When wine was first discovered, it’s scarcity and high price made it worthy of consumption by the gods, a test not many foods passed (49). The ancient Greeks and Romans found it essential to properly treat for their gods, because they believed the gods cared for them in life and after death. Athenian tradition was to pour one liberation of wine to the gods, one to fallen heroes, and one to Zeus, the ruler of the Greek gods (57). Unfortunately, two centuries after it’s introduction wine was easier to make and was no longer expensive or exotic, therefore no longer worthy of the gods (49). Though it became less significant in Greek culture, wine continued to play a role in religion. Many religions, such as the Christianity of Rome, still regarded wine as a form of sacred communion with God (85). While some wine related traditions might have passed, each helped to develop the religions, which in part developed the