Temple Factor in the Sumerian Economy

The Sumerian temples played an active role in the economy. Within this context, the temple economy model has been suggested in Sumerians. On the basis of this, Scientists have indicated that temples operates as a bank. Temples that looks like a religious places have given the goods or silver to the people in need with high interest rates. They have resorted to enslave people by timing repayment period to unproductive harvest season. Consequently, they have encountered with government for certain periods. These encounters have resulted in conflicts occasionally. Although Akkadians had an effect on the dissolution of Sumerian Empire, temples' role of weakening state mechanism is a factor that cannot be ignored