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The rise of cities in the ancient Near East during the fourth millennium BC (4000-3000 BC) is a key event in the history of the world, as urban patterns that first arose there became patterns inherited in many societies, including in the West. Cities in the ancient Near East were the first to develop major temples, palaces, large urban dwelling areas, city walls, governments, and religious authorities that become features seen in later cities. Furthermore, these cities drew long-distance trade that created both great wealth for them but also led to the rise of economic systems that created greater social inequality, characteristics that we have also inherited.

==The Motives of Trade==

Among the earliest regions we see large-scale urbanism develop is in southern Mesopotamia, a region located in modern day southern Iraq (Figure 1). Increasingly in the early fourth millennium BC, urban patterns began to form in southern Mesopotamia, including in places such as Eridu, located near ancient Ur, where one of the first large temples from this period is evident.<ref>For a discussion on the development of Eridu (pg. 135) see: Maisels, Charles Keith. 1999. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415096596/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0415096596&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=c6682a192fb0650be063c649cf853b25 The Emergence of Civilization: From Hunting and Gathering to Agriculture, Cities, and the State in the Near East]''. Repr. London: Routledge.</ref>

Perhaps, though, the first true great city that developed in this time frame was Uruk. This town grew to about 250 hectares in size in this period, which is about the size of downtown London, with two large temple districts that were devoted to major gods of the city (Figures 2 and 3).<ref>See (pg. 103) Algaze, Guillermo. 2008. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/022614237X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=022614237X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=6fb3eb342739f61d36ea83b58b29670c Ancient Mesopotamia at the Dawn of Civilization: The Evolution of an Urban Landscape]''. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.</ref> This growth was largely fueled by Uruk’s abilities, through its connections along developing canals and riverine systems, to access trade from far away regions in Anatolia (modern Turkey), Iran, the Persian Gulf, and elsewhere. As the region around Uruk was resource poor, except for being agriculturally fertile, precious stones, timber, gold, and even stone building materials were needed from areas outside of southern Mesopotamia. Thus, trade and location were critical in why the city was able to grow.

[[File:Anu_district.svg.png|thumbnail|300px|Plan of the Anu District in Uruk, which was initially established in the fourth millennium BC]]

Trade seems to have been so important for urban growth that by the late fourth millennium BC we begin to see the expansion of urban colonies to other regions. One example is the site of Habuba Kabira, a modern day name for an ancient city that was build in the late fourth millennium BC in northern Syria on the Euphrates River. Although writing was still scarce in this period, the city was clearly built by people from southern Mesopotamia, as all of its cultural remains such as architecture, pottery, and other objects indicate the people who settled there did not have cultural markers from the native populations in Syria. Rather, the site of Habuba Kabira represents a colony that was placed next to the Euphrates to control trade coming down to southern Mesopotamia.<ref>Habuba Kabira has been described as a near exact footprint of southern Mesopotamian cities due to its material culture resembling items from that region. See: Strommenger, Eva. 1980. "Habuba Kabira: Eine Stadt Vor 5000 Jahren: Ausgrabungen Der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft Am Euphrat in Habuba Kabira, Syrien." ''Sendschrift Der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft 12''. Mainz am Rhein: von Zabern.</ref> Therefore, it was not simply passive trade that brought goods to southern Mesopotamia but colonies were sometimes established to bring in raw materials.

Trade could have been crucial not just in attracting wealth to the urban areas such as Uruk but also motivating warfare through competition among early cities and areas where early cities tried to expand for trade or wealth access.<ref>Hamblin, William James. 2006. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OT7W4E/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000OT7W4E&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=6c31d09452318b117ef698781be3982c Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC: Holy Warriors at the Dawn of History: Warfare and History]''. London ; New York: Routledge.</ref> We begin to see art showing scenes of war and war leaders that may reflect a new type of competition emerging among early urban centers.<ref>See Baizerman, Michael. 2015. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1504936116/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1504936116&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=2cc2715915a145719ef73e6632ce13dd Dawn and Sunset: A Tale of the Oldest Cities in the Near East]''.</ref> This likely also reflects the rise of kings and early rulers who began to lead the new cities, while war may have led to people fleeing to cities in greater numbers for protection.