The energy of the Western Semite and his perpetuation of a dying culture--His age one of transition--Contemporaneous evidence on social and political conditions--The three grades in the social scale of Babylon--The nobles a racial aristocracy--Origin and rights of the middle class--Condition of slaves--Pastoral and agricultural life in early Babylonia--Regulations sanction long-established custom--The _corvée_ for public works--Canals and fishing-rights--Methods of irrigation and their modern equivalents--Survival of the Babylonian plough and grain-drill--Importance of the date-palm and encouragement of plantations--Methods of transport by water--The commercial activities of Babylon and the larger cities--Partnerships for foreign trade--Life in the towns--Family life in early Babylonia--The position of women--Privileges enjoyed by votaries--The administration of justice--Relation of the crown and the priestly hierarchy under the Western Semites--The royal regulation of the calendar and the naming of the year--System of administration--Changes in the religious sphere and revision of the pantheon--Literary activity--The complete semitization of the country unaccompanied by any break in culture--Babylon's later civilization moulded by Hammurabi's age CHAPTER VI THE CLOSE OF THE FIRST DYNASTY OF BABYLON AND THE KINGS FROM THE COUNTRY OF THE SEA Condition of the empire on Samsu-iluna's accession--Early Kassite raid the signal for revolt, assisted by Elamite invasion--Resources of Babylon strained in suppressing the rebellion--Rise of an independent kingdom in the Sea-Country on the littoral of the Persian Gulf--Capacity of the Sea-Country for defence and as a base for offensive operations--Sumerian elements in its population--Babylon's loss of territory and her struggle with the Sea-Country kings--Symptoms of decadence under the later West-Semitic kings of Babylon--The deification of royalty and increased luxury of ritual--Evidence of Babylon's growing wealth and artistic progress under foreign influence--Temporary restoration of Babylon's power under Ammi-ditana--Renewed activity of the Sea-Country followed by gradual decline of Babylon--The close of the West-Semitic dynasty brought about or hastened by Hittite invasion--Period of local dynasties following the fall of Babylon--Continued succession of the Sea-Country kings CHAPTER VII THE KASSITE DYNASTY AND ITS RELATIONS WITH EGYPT AND THE HITTITE EMPIRE