“美索不达米亚”括的是幼发拉底河和底格里斯河之间的广大地区,大体上位于现在的伊拉克共和国境内。美索不达米亚一词出自希腊语,意思是“两河间的地方”。公元前5000年左右,惯于农耕的苏美尔人在这里建立了众多的定居点,并逐步发展成一个拥有独立法律和宗教信仰的 “Mesopotamia” refers to the vast area between the Euphrates and the Tigris, and is generally located in the present Republic of Iraq. The word Mesopotamia comes from the Greek word meaning “a place between two rivers.” Around 5,000 BC, the Sumerians used to farming established numerous settlements here and gradually developed into an independent law and religion.