Final answer:
Mesopotamian society was patriarchal, insisting on women's submission to male authority. This reflected a broader historical pattern where men dominated public and political life, with some cultures initially having more egalitarian or matriarchal structures that eventually transitioned to patriarchal systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mesopotamian society was patriarchal towards women while insisting on their submission to the unquestioned authority of men. The correct answer is c) Patriarchal. This is indicative of a societal structure where men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control of property. In various Mesopotamian societies, similar to many other ancient cultures, women's roles were primarily confined to the domestic sphere, and their opportunities for participation in the public and political arenas were greatly limited.
Gender roles varied substantially across ancient cultures. For instance, according to Friedrich Engels and other 19th-century scholars, societies might have been matriarchal originally, changing over time to patriarchal systems. In contrast, the societies of the European Neolithic, as described by archaeologist Marija Gimbutas, were more egalitarian and woman-centered before being supplanted by patriarchal Indo-European pastoralists. In Ancient Greece during the Classical Age, despite advancements in democratic governance and philosophy, society was deeply unequal with women largely relegated to subservient roles. Similar patterns of patriarchy were also identified in Germanic societies and ancient India.
Throughout history, forms of patriarchy have evolved to different degrees and expressions. Despite instances of matriarchal or matrilineal societies, the overarching trend in large state-building societies was the development of patriarchal structures that relegated women to positions of domesticity and subordination.