[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.00,0:00:04.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[Mystical music]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.19,0:00:38.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In Sumer, part of the ancient land of Mesopotamia,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.87,0:00:41.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there was a famous city state called Nippur.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.50,0:00:43.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One day a teacher in Nippur
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.70,0:00:47.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,asked his students to start a journal about their lives and their country.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.98,0:00:52.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is the story of one student, Nisaba, and her journal.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.99,0:00:58.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay here we go. Nisaba's journal, entry one.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.50,0:01:01.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Teacher wants us to write about our life.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.91,0:01:04.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What is my life like here in Sumer?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.11,0:01:09.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think I'll tell the story of my people from the very beginning.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.01,0:01:14.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My grandfather knows all about it.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.38,0:01:17.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He says the first thing we Sumerians did
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.87,0:01:20.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was get really good at farming.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.84,0:01:26.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My ancestors used to make their living by hunting wild animals for food.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.55,0:01:29.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They were constantly on the move following the herds.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.63,0:01:35.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As they travelled they would also gather wild berries, nuts and green seeds.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.67,0:01:41.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But they often didn't know where their next meal would come from.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.48,0:01:43.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was a hard way to live.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.68,0:01:49.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then they discovered they could plant and harvest
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.36,0:01:52.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the kind of wheat they found growing wild
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.77,0:01:57.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they also found out how to tame wild goats and sheep
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.75,0:01:59.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and raise them for food.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.03,0:02:02.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Grandfather calls that 'domestication'.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.94,0:02:07.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It meant they didn't have to hunt for food anymore.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.15,0:02:09.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They could grow it themselves
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.35,0:02:13.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and so my ancestors stopped wandering and stayed here.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.16,0:02:17.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They discovered that food grows better here than almost anywhere else.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.97,0:02:24.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's because we're in a river valley, right between two rivers in fact.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.44,0:02:28.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mesopotamia actually means 'land between the rivers'.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.13,0:02:33.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One river is the Tigris and the other is the Euphrates.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.69,0:02:41.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My grandfather says it's easy to grow food because the soil here is so fertile
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.46,0:02:44.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and only that is because of the mountains up north.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.46,0:02:47.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It snows alot up there in the winter.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.05,0:02:51.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When the snow melts, all that water runs down into the valley and the rivers.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.90,0:02:57.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then the rivers rise over their banks and flood the valley
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.63,0:03:00.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they dump alot of really good dirt on the land.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.86,0:03:03.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's great for growing food in.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.06,0:03:07.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So now we eat really well.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.28,0:03:09.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We grow barley and wheat,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.15,0:03:12.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lots of beans and fresh vegetables,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.10,0:03:16.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and fruits like melons, dates, apples, figs and grapes.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.79,0:03:22.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our animals give us milk, cheese and meat
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.93,0:03:28.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and there are always plenty of fish in the rivers.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.03,0:03:30.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When my ancestors first started farming here
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.97,0:03:34.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their biggest problem was never knowing when a flood might come
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.49,0:03:36.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and wash away their crop.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.65,0:03:41.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even if the crop survived that, they might die in the summer
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.12,0:03:43.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when it's so hot and there's not enough water.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.28,0:03:47.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But my people didn't give up.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.09,0:03:51.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Instead, we actually invented a way to control the river.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.97,0:03:54.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,First we learned how to build levees.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.01,0:03:57.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Those are big piles of earth between the fields and the river.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.64,0:04:01.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're too tall for the river to get over so they prevent the floods.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.87,0:04:07.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then we made gated ditches around the fields
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.18,0:04:10.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and when the crops needed water in the summer, we'd just open the gates
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.74,0:04:13.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and let the river water flow in.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.06,0:04:26.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To plant our crops we use a great tool called a plough.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.49,0:04:29.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a Sumerian invention!
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.02,0:04:33.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we use an ox to pull the plough, another of our great ideas.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.74,0:04:39.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some of our smartest people invented a calendar based on the moon and stars.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.46,0:04:43.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My grandfather says nobody had ever thought of a way
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.60,0:04:45.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to measure time like that before.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.73,0:04:48.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It helps us know when the floods will come.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:49.95,0:04:54.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In our calendar, each year has 12 months and each month has 30 days.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.48,0:05:00.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Each month is represented by one of the constellations in the sky.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:00.28,0:05:02.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're called the Zodiac.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.05,0:05:06.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our priests watch the Zodiac to know which month it is.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.07,0:05:10.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That way, they know when the floods from the mountains will arrive.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:13.30,0:05:15.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We Sumerians also invented writing.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.100,0:05:20.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My grandfather says that in the old days nobody knew how to write.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.48,0:05:25.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, if you can't write, how do you keep track of how many animals you sold?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.84,0:05:28.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What are you supposed to do, paint them on caved walls?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.08,0:05:33.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No, we're much more modern here in Sumer.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.97,0:05:36.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We figured out how to write on clay pallets.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.98,0:05:40.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You just take a piece of reed and cut a stylus from it.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.46,0:05:43.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's a sort of hard, pointed tool.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.28,0:05:48.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You press the point into some wet clay and pretty soon you're writing.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.12,0:05:52.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our style of writing is called Cunieform.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:53.58,0:05:56.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,With writing you can keep records of everything you do.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:57.31,0:06:00.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's great cause then you don't have to remember it all!
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.01,0:06:05.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can also make things permanent when you write them down.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.28,0:06:08.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example we were the first people to write down our laws.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:11.38,0:06:14.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But this is maybe the best thing we invented.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.27,0:06:16.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The wheel.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.27,0:06:19.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You think somebody back in the old days would've thought of it sooner
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.39,0:06:21.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but we were the first!
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.17,0:06:25.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Before carts and wheels we used to just drag things around.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.55,0:06:27.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That was hard!
Dialogue: 0,0:06:29.01,0:06:32.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But like I said, we're very modern here in Sumer.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.71,0:06:40.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My grandfather says that in the old days,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.45,0:06:43.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,most everybody had to work at farming the land.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.72,0:06:48.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But not anymore. We Sumerians got so good at growing food
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.01,0:06:51.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,some people could quit farming and let others grow enough for everybody.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.03,0:06:55.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Of course you had to be neighbours for that to work.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.81,0:06:59.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So people settled down close to each other in villages
Dialogue: 0,0:06:59.31,0:07:02.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the villages grew into city states.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:02.55,0:07:08.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Each city state has its own king and each one is sacred to one of the gods.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:08.70,0:07:11.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My city state is called Nippur.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:11.36,0:07:16.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's on the banks of the Euphrates River and it's the most holy city in Sumer.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:18.14,0:07:22.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nippur is sacred to the god Enlil - our greatest god.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.06,0:07:26.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,His temple, the ziggurat, is right in the middle of the city.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.49,0:07:33.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our ziggurat is Eduranki, which means the house binding heaven and earth.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.02,0:07:37.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The ziggurat is a huge, square building, sort of like a pyramid.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:37.30,0:07:40.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's made of several layers, or storeys.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.89,0:07:45.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As you go higher up, each storey is smaller than the one below.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:45.84,0:07:49.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The very top storey is the temple where the god lives.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.46,0:07:53.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Around the ziggurat are houses where the wealthy people live
Dialogue: 0,0:07:53.92,0:07:56.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like priests and merchants for instance.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.06,0:07:58.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They live in two-storey houses.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:59.96,0:08:02.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Further away from the temple are one-storey houses
Dialogue: 0,0:08:02.56,0:08:04.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where shopkeepers and craftspeople live
Dialogue: 0,0:08:06.44,0:08:09.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and beyond them live the farmers and fishermen.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:11.20,0:08:13.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All the land outside the city belongs to the city state too
Dialogue: 0,0:08:13.90,0:08:16.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but most people live inside the city walls.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:19.89,0:08:22.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We are very good at making bricks out of mud.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:22.48,0:08:25.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's a good thing cause there's a lot of mud here!
Dialogue: 0,0:08:26.56,0:08:30.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We gather a bunch of mud, pat it into square molds,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:31.43,0:08:33.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and bake the mud bricks in the sun until they're dry.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:34.78,0:08:37.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We use them to make all of our buildings.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:38.93,0:08:40.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here's my house!
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.65,0:08:44.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My family live in one of the two-storey houses close to the ziggurat.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:46.36,0:08:48.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's because my dad works for the king.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.79,0:08:53.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My mum runs the house. Our slaves do the actual work
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.85,0:08:55.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but my mum supervises them.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:56.41,0:09:00.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They prepare meals, keep the house clean and do other household chores.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:01.90,0:09:05.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mother also weaves beautiful cloths to make clothing.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:07.03,0:09:10.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Her cloth is made of fine wool from our own sheep.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:10.28,0:09:13.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She sells alot of them to the trader's caravans.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:14.71,0:09:17.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My younger sisters help my mother spin yarn and weave cloth
Dialogue: 0,0:09:19.42,0:09:22.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I begged my dad to send me to tablet school.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.88,0:09:27.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm learning to write so I can be a scribe.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.02,0:09:29.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a really important job.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:29.30,0:09:31.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are alot of other jobs in Sumer,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:32.63,0:09:35.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like being a potter or a fisherman.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:36.49,0:09:39.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some people grind grain into flour and brew beer,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.85,0:09:42.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,some are traders and some just play music.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:42.60,0:09:44.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hey, that wouldn't be so bad!
Dialogue: 0,0:09:47.54,0:09:50.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it would be bad to be a slave.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.35,0:09:52.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some slaves were captured in war
Dialogue: 0,0:09:52.49,0:09:55.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and others became slaves because they owed money.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:56.12,0:09:59.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They have to work for three years, often in the grain fields
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.100,0:10:01.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then they are set free.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:03.21,0:10:05.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Besides the king and his family
Dialogue: 0,0:10:05.12,0:10:07.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the people with the highest positions are the priests.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:09.99,0:10:12.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They care for the gods and make sure they're happy.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:15.77,0:10:19.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That reminds me, I should write something about our religion.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:20.46,0:10:22.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It plays a big part in our life!
Dialogue: 0,0:10:23.10,0:10:26.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We believe in seven great gods:
Dialogue: 0,0:10:26.09,0:10:27.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the earth,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:28.41,0:10:29.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sky,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:29.79,0:10:30.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sun,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:31.77,0:10:32.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,moon,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:32.77,0:10:34.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,salt water,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:34.81,0:10:36.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fresh water,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:36.39,0:10:38.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and wind.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:38.38,0:10:43.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My city, Nippur, is protected by the god Enlil, the god of wind.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:44.01,0:10:47.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We believe he lives in his temple on top of the ziggurat.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:47.96,0:10:51.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We spend alot of time praying to our god.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:51.34,0:10:55.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Alot of people even make a little statue of themselves praying
Dialogue: 0,0:10:55.66,0:10:56.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and leave it in the temple.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:56.98,0:11:01.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The statues keep on praying while the people go about their daily chores.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.51,0:11:07.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our priests hold ceremonies to honour the gods and offer them food twice a day.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.37,0:11:11.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My older brother, Shulgi, is a priest in the ziggurat.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:11.76,0:11:13.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Only priests are allowed inside.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:13.89,0:11:17.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Shulgi reminds me of that every chance he gets!
Dialogue: 0,0:11:19.70,0:11:23.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We believe the gods own the land and everything on it,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:23.85,0:11:26.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so we give the gods everything we grow,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:26.54,0:11:29.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then the priests share it with all the people.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.36,0:11:32.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They make sure everyone gets enough.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:35.70,0:11:38.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Each city state in Sumer has a king, called an enki.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.42,0:11:43.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We believe he was chosen by the gods to rule us
Dialogue: 0,0:11:43.31,0:11:46.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then it was the gods who gave us our laws.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:46.78,0:11:49.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our king makes judgements when people have arguments.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:50.40,0:11:53.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He's in charge of all our trade with other cities.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:54.56,0:11:57.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He decides who gets to farm our fields
Dialogue: 0,0:11:58.52,0:12:01.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he makes sure that gods' temples are in good repair
Dialogue: 0,0:12:01.96,0:12:03.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that all the right offerings are made.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:03.81,0:12:05.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He's got a whole lot to do!
Dialogue: 0,0:12:07.21,0:12:10.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So obviously he needs other people to help him do it.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:10.41,0:12:14.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My dad is one of them, and of course my brother helps cause he's a priest.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:15.90,0:12:18.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe I'll work there too when I'm older.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:18.58,0:12:22.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Scribes keep records on clay tablets of everything that happens each year.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:23.99,0:12:26.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The king and the priests all work in the ziggurat.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:26.30,0:12:29.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's full of offices, work rooms and storage spaces.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:31.52,0:12:35.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To support the king and the priests, our people pay taxes throughout the year.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:36.52,0:12:40.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Usually it's something like a couple of sheep or bags of grain.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:40.56,0:12:43.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But there are taxes on almost everything!
Dialogue: 0,0:12:44.26,0:12:47.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We get taxed on the livestock we own and on the fish we catch.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:48.55,0:12:51.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We even get taxed on our funerals.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:53.74,0:12:56.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In our city every man who is head of a household
Dialogue: 0,0:12:56.38,0:12:58.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has to pay a tax, called 'the burden'.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:59.80,0:13:03.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's not the usual kind of tax, it's time not goods.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:04.88,0:13:07.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The men have to spend time working for the government
Dialogue: 0,0:13:07.26,0:13:09.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,doing things that help or protect the city.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:10.53,0:13:14.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example, my uncle helped to harvest the barley crops.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:15.58,0:13:19.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Other men have to go dig out the irrigation ditches to keep them clear.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:20.58,0:13:23.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our neighbour sent one of his slaves to do his work.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:23.78,0:13:28.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My dad says you're not supposed to but people do it if they can afford it.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:28.54,0:13:31.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All the taxes go to the king.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:31.30,0:13:34.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They pay for our army, which is pretty expensive
Dialogue: 0,0:13:34.22,0:13:37.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and also for our repairs and improvements to our city.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:37.50,0:13:42.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My grandfather always say, "There are priests and there are kings,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:42.79,0:13:46.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bu the taxman is the one you should be afraid of."
Dialogue: 0,0:13:47.14,0:13:49.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, that's my journal entry for today.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:50.06,0:13:57.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think it's a pretty good picture of who we Sumerians are and how we live.