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Elite Persistence in Old Babylonian Nippur & Ur (2026–1700 BCE) examines two cities in Southern Iraq at a time described as destabilized and violent. Rather than study them through the eyes of the state, I focus on decisions made by local households, through which a different history emerges.

Social power in the Middle Bronze Age was a collective, negotiable process. Although kings claimed de jure power, local organizations and households exercised de facto power through economic and legal institutions and the social networks embedded within them.

This negotiation was most tangible in major city institutions managed by temples, ports, and civic assemblies. Instead of appearing destabilized and violent, cities appeared attentive to local interests and economic opportunities. Sometimes the state helped with these initiatives, other times not.