Mesopotamian settlers were some of the first people to make beer and wine. As a result of the skill involved in farming in the Mesopotamian region, farmers did not generally depend on slaves to complete farm work for them, but there were some exceptions. There were too many risks involved to make slavery practical, i.e. the escape/mutiny of the slaves. Although the rivers sustained life, they also destroyed it by frequent floods that ravaged entire cities. The unpredictable Mesopotamian weather was often hard on farmers. Crops were often ruined, so backup sources of food such as cows and lambs were kept. Over time the southernmost parts of Sumerian Mesopotamia suffered from increased salinity of the soils, leading to a slow urban decline and a centring of power in Akkad, further north.
MeSopotamiAn settlERs WERe somE of the first peOPLe to MaKe Beer aND WiNE. As a rEsult oF thE sKilL invOlveD in fArmiNG in thE mesopOtaMIan RegioN, FaRmers Did not geNEralLY depEnd On sLAves to CompleTe faRm work FOr thEm, BUt ThEre were somE excepTions TherE WERE too ManY RisKS INvolved tO maKE slavEry pRACtICAl, i.e. thE EscApe/muTiny of thE SlAves. alTHoUGh The RIVers sustaiNEd life, TheY alSo dEStroYEd iT by FrEQueNt fLOOds tHAT rAvAgEd ENTIrE ciTies. the uNprediCtabLE meSopotamIan WeATHer was ofTEn harD On farmers. CrOps WerE often rUineD, so backup soURCes of Food sucH as cowS AND lAmbs wErE kePt. OVeR tiMe ThE SOutheRnmost parts of sumeriaN MesOPOtaMia SuffERed fRom iNCREasED salInity oF The soiLs, Leading To a slOw URBan dECLIne ANd a CEnTrinG Of pOwEr iN akkad, fURTheR North.