Priests had a high influence over the middle class religiously which led to the them having a large amount of power over the Mesopatamian people and the government. Although, since the economy was thriving thanks to the specialized workers, the normal class consisting of peasants, farmers and artisans, they were influenced, but not "controlled" by any higher class. The only class which was controlled by the people were the lowest class, slaves. These slaves were foreigners who had been captured during war or were Sumerians who had been sold into slavery as children to pay the debts which their poor parents withheld. "Debt slaves" had the ability to eventually buy their freedom if they were able to accumulate enough money. These social classes ruined the lives for both genders and gave these entitled** rich merchants, priests and nobles the ability to make a human their legal property, forced to obey their every command.
