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A day in the life of an ancient Babylonian business mogul - Soraya Field Fiorio

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TEDEd Animation

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It’s 1762 BCE. As dawn breaks in the Babylonian city of Sippar, Beltani— a priestess and businesswoman— receives an urgent visit from her brother. He makes a troubling accusation: her tavern keeper has been undermining the business Beltani relies on in her old age. Now she has just a few short hours to find out the truth. Soraya Field Fiorio details a day in the life of a Babylonian naditu.

In ancient Babylon, payments were frequently made in grain. Grain could be traded for textiles, oils, and other commodities. What are some benefits and downfalls of an economic system that relies primarily on bartering?

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Soraya Field Fiorio
  • Director Keegan Thornhill
  • Narrator Susan Zimmerman
  • Storyboard Artist Keegan Thornhill
  • Animator Tammy Rossouw, Keegan Thornhill
  • Background Artist Dwayne de Kock
  • Sound Designer Weston Fonger
  • Music Jarrett Farkas
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma

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