I believe that ancient Near Eastern literature is quite significant for our society today. Not only is Mesopotamia the basis for such influential religions such as Judaism and Christianity but it can also be seen as the birthplace of modern civilization. The Bible is the most obvious source of significance from the works we have read given that there are literally billions of people that follow these two religions. The content of the Bible is therefore truly significant in modern society as it has shaped and guided many societies’ and peoples’ morals, values, actions, etc for thousands of years.

In general, all of these ancient works can be seen as crucial for their respective cultures which are the founding civilizations of the modern world. It can then be extrapolated that their views on divinity, power, respect, etc have evolved into our present views. The idea of kings being chosen by gods was a common theme in many cultures until (relatively) recently. The idea of prophets or a select chosen few who were chosen by the gods to lead the people can also be seen in numerous civilizations throughout history. While many of these former norms seem to have dwindled in our current US society, they were no doubt the foundation for the societies that have evolved into ours.

There are a few direct correlations between contemporary society and ancient Mesopotamian works as well. One example is that we seem to find comfort in strong looking rulers, though obviously not to the extent of Gilgamesh. We can also find parallels with many of Hammurabi’s laws such as the necessity of proof and witnesses against the accused. The peace treaty between Egypt and the Hittites reflects the idea of nations who are friendly to each other and offer conditional support. To conclude, I believe that these ancient Near Eastern works are worth studying and can even help us learn more about our society today.