Mesopotamia primarily acquired enslaved people through the following means:
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From War with Other Areas: Many enslaved individuals were captured during military conflicts and conquests. When one city-state or kingdom conquered another, they often enslaved the defeated population.
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From Local Households: In some cases, individuals may have been enslaved as a result of debt or the inability to pay back loans. Families could also sell their members into slavery if they were in financial distress.
While slave markets in other countries did exist, and some enslaved individuals may have been acquired through trade, the most significant sources of slavery in ancient Mesopotamia were through warfare and local societal practices.
So, in summary, the key responses are:
- From war with other areas
- From local households