Employment And Lease Contracts Developments in Mesopotamia During The Persian Achaemenid Period (539-331 B.C) ‏"Models From The Murašû Archive"

Document Type : Original Article

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Faculty of Arts, South Valley University

Abstract

‏          This study explores the developments in employment and lease contracts in Mesopotamia during the  Persian  Achaemenid period, as reflected in "Models from the Murašû Archive." It provides a concise overview of the economic policies of the Persian rule in Mesopotamia, which are clearly illustrated through the agricultural sector that served the Persian interests, particularly in imposing taxes on crops and livestock. ‏Accordingly, the evolution of the feudal system in Iraq is centered on the transition from royal family estates to military feudalism, supported by business figures loyal to the Persian regime. The study focuses primarily on the Murašû family and its impact on the Iraqi economy during the Achaemenid period. Furthermore, the research is limited to lease contracts, especially those concerning agricultural land, which constitute the majority of the archive of this family, as well as labor contracts that also pertain to agricultural lands. The study also reveals numerous findings that expose the nature of the Persian economic policy in Mesopotamia and the extent to which the rights of Iraqi citizens to their land deteriorated as a result of this system. Additionally, the research concludes with several legal and tax additions that the Persian regime intentionally incorporated into contracts to serve its interests.

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