Final answer:
The correct answer is c) Standardization of currency and trade was a significant aspect of the Mesopotamian economy, as evidence suggests the Mesopotamians traded extensively using standardized weights and forms of currency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The topic related to economics during the Mesopotamian empire that we are exploring is the standardization of currency and trade. The correct option is c) Standardization of currency and trade was a significant aspect of the Mesopotamian economy. This assertion is supported by historical findings that indicate the Mesopotamians engaged in complex trade networks, utilizing mechanisms like standardized weights and a form of currency for trade and taxation purposes.
Long-distance trade was imperative to the Mesopotamian civilization due to the lack of local resources such as timber and precious metals. The establishment of merchant colonies and the strategic use of tribute payments facilitated the exchange of goods like copper and tin, which were critical for making bronze. Throughout the region, a redistributive economic system was employed, with goods collected as taxes and redistributed to various members of society.
Furthermore, the introduction of money revolutionized economic activities, moving from a barter system to a cash economy with objects of agreed symbolic value used as a medium of exchange. The development of coinage, as indicated in historical references to the Lydians using shekels, is another example of the early trend towards currency standardization that facilitated broader trade networks and strengthened the economic systems of ancient empires.