Arnold 1
Laura Arnold
Professor Johnson
Hist 1110-001
25 October 2006
Today, civilizations tend to be more secular and most rulers claim no particular religious or spiritual authority. Modern states are oriented towards this world and are based on the principle that the rightful power derives exclusively from the people. Nevertheless, the earliest civilizations were all considered sacred states, where authorities claimed to govern by divine command. Such rulers were perceived as gods themselves or governed in the name of some heavenly authority. Among the world's ancient civilizations, a variety of religious beliefs, along with political and social institutions, were found. However, these people shared a common view: that authority is divine. In other words, they saw no difference between the state's secular and sacred functions. A small minority of priests, bureaucrats, and soldiers- gained power and oppressed the many. These rulers maintained power by merely using the......
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Approximate Word Count: 561
Approximate Pages: 3 (260 words per double-spaced page) |