Feature 3: Complex Institutions

Our government was in a very specific order. It was a theocracy, so everybody obeyed the gods, but after them was the pharaoh.

We pharaohs were considered pharaoh-gods in the eyes of the people. The gods appointed us to rule their subjects and do their will.  We pharaohs had almost unlimited power. Whatever we wanted the people would provide for us - no matter what the cost. After all we were gods how could they deny us?

After us came the vizier. The vizier was appointed by the current pharaoh and was much like a prime minister of Egypt. They supervised the running of the country and made sure that the pharaoh's laws were carried out. The vizier was also in charge of the security and safety of the pharaoh and the palace. In other words it was a very intimidating, stressful, and nerve racking position to be in.

Below them were the nobles and the priests. The nobles didn't do much. All they had to do was be born. However, the priests were highly important. Being a theocracy priests were very important to the government. They spoke to the gods and made sacrifices. Without them the government would not have even existed.

The next level was the scribes and the soldiers. The scribes were in charge of the record keeping. You all can thank them, because without them you would not know nearly as much about us as you do now. The soldiers fought off armies and secured the protection of the country. Without them our power would not have lasted as long as it did. Actually, as soon as it started getting powerful it probably would have fallen without our soldiers to protect it.

After the scribes and the soldiers came the craftsmen. They didn't have much money, but they were still very important to our society. Without them everybody would have to make their own things. Our people would not have as much time to perfect the country if we didn't have the craftsmen to come up with and make the things that we needed.

Much like the craftsmen the last level although also poor was also very important. Farmers and slaves made up most of the population. They did not have much money at all and they spent their whole lives working, but without them the country would not have been the same. We would not have had the pyramids. We would not have enough food. We would not have enough time and money if we didn't have them.

You see, our government needed all of its people to make it work. If one level went missing the whole country would have fallen apart.


Pharaoh Hammurabi
Author of Hammurabi's Code

Government Pyramid