Question

As if it was human, the god/goddess was housed, fed, and clothed by a retinue of priests. This created social cohesion and legitimized the ruler's authority, with local religions eventually giving way to the state religion of the rulers. As a result, the ____ were very powerful members of Mesopotamian society.

a) Merchants
b) Commoners
c) Kings
d) Priests

Answer 1

In ancient Mesopotamia, priests played a crucial role in maintaining social order and supporting the ruler's authority by overseeing religious practices and asserting control over trade and economics. The correct answer is (d) Priests.

Step-by-step explanation:

As if it were human, the god/goddess was looked after by a retinue of priests. These individuals were integral in maintaining social cohesion and legitimizing the ruler's authority in ancient Mesopotamian society. Over time, local religions were subsumed into the state religion of the rulers, strengthening the connection between the divine and the political. Consequently, the priests emerged as very powerful members of Mesopotamian society. Answering the question, the priests were the influential group, which made them (d) Priests, according to the given options.