来自《耶鲁大学开放课程：古希腊历史简介第2集第2集》

all the economic activity

拥有所有经济活动的控制权
that we find--and our best example

正如我们所发现的那样
of what I'm about to say

我要说
is in Mesopotamia--

其中最好的一个例子是在美索不达米亚
in the cities of Tigress-Euphrates Valley. The ruler there,

在底格里斯河和幼发拉底河流域的城市
from his palace, assisted by vast groups of bureaucrats

那里的统治者通过众多官僚的协助
directed the economy of his land

在他的宫殿中
entirely and fully.

就可以完全地布画国家经济
Agriculture was overwhelmingly the activity,

绝大多数经济活动是农业活动
the most important activity

农业对该地区
of the people of that area,

甚至任何地区的人民来说
of any area.

都是最重要的活动