Civilization first emerged in the fertile floodplains of Mesopotamia - present-day Iraq - with priest-kings and cities full of temples and ziggurats, pictographs and cuneiform writing. But what were the conditions and processes that led up to this complex of developments? How and why did it happen, and why there?Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory.Support us by supporting our sponsors! Plush Care - Go to PlushCare.com/tides to start your FREE 30-day trial. Theragun - Try Theragun for 30 days starting at only $199 dollars. Go to Theragun.com/TIDES RIGHT NOW and get your Gen 4 Theragun TODAY.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.