The Life and Times of Ea-nasir, Bronze Age Babylonia's Most Notorious Businessman (c. 1750 BC)

You've heard the name and seen the memes, but who was Ea-nasir, what was life like during his time, and why has he been regarded by many as being the most notorious businessman of the Bronze Age (at least that has appeared in the archaeological record)? This video will hopefully give you some insight into Ea-nasir and his world.
Contents:
00:00 Introduction
03:00 The Complaint Tablet to Ea-nasir
06:28 Ea-nasir's World
08:24 What Happened to Ea-nasir?
09:19 Thank You and Patrons
Related Videos:
Babylon: The City at the Center of the World - The Concise History of Babylonia (2000-539 BC)
• Babylon: The City at t...
Trade in the Early Bronze Age: Ancient Mesopotamia and the East (Harappan Civilization, Oxus & Elam)
• Trade in the Early Bro...
The Complete and Concise History of the Sumerians and Early Bronze Age Mesopotamia (7000-2000 BC)
• The Complete and Conci...
Sources and Suggested Reading:
The Ancient Near East: History, Society and Economy - Mario Liverani
A History of Babylon, 2200 BC - AD 75 - Paul-Alain Beaulieu
Journey to the City: A Companion to the Middle East Galleries at the Penn Museum - Steve Tinney and Karen Sonik
Weavers, Scribes, and Kings: A New History of the Ancient Near East - Amanda H. Podany
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#mesopotamia #bronzeage #ancienthistory

[@HistorywithCy]

Sorry one typo... at 07:25 the caption should read "Samsu-iluna" and not "Samsu-luna." Thanks!

[@beepboop204]

good thing you addressed it or else the internet would have been furious 😛

[@carriekelly4186]

I knew dat 😉

[@melltelae3557]

how phawking dare u

[@bettylaselli2048]

Don't worry!

[@beutyindetail]

no one would notice. but thanks

[@theicepickthatkilledtrotsk658]

Ea-Nasir has now become as famous as Gilgamesh through his ability to sell terrible copper. Amazing.

[@HistorywithCy]

🤣 yeah that's pretty funny actually. One was an godlike hero and the other a crappy copper dealer. Due to the memes I think more kids today know the name Ea-nasir than Gilgamesh, though I could be wrong. Thanks for watching!

[@mateuszchoda5560]

Golden boy Gil has his place in memes, although it's specifically the Fate version. So degenerate weebs only.

[@carl8703]

Wonder what Ea-Nasir would think if someone went back in time and told him that, one day, he would be remembered with the same reknown as Gilgamesh.

[@stormshadow5283]

I bet Ea-Nasir was the one who gave Gilgamesh the false plant of immortality....thats why Ea-Nasir is immortal

[@vazak11]

Fate//Zero should take advantage of this XD

[@craniusdominus8234]

Ea-Nasir. The man, the myth, the legend.

[@mintoo2cool]

justice for nani!

[@cobsonhater]

​@@mintoo2cool☝🏻🤓

[@ariefakmalmuhammadzulkifli7662]

Ea nasir is not myth?

[@doomtrooper3184]

​@@ariefakmalmuhammadzulkifli7662 The quality of his copper was though.

[@walker1812]

Some men may always be thinking about Rome, but any of us who have been on the raw end of a deal think of Ea-Nasir.

[@HistorywithCy]

Haha...while I probably do think about the Roman Empire more than most, I'd have to say I think about those a further to the east a bit more lol. Thanks for watching!

[@gmv3354]

Now I know who truly inspired the business practices of EA (Electronic Arts)

[@HistorywithCy]

🤣🤣🤣

[@experience741]

Lmao

[@stormshadow5283]

Truly the legendary founder of the company

[@redjirachi1]

Nanni tried to warn us of EA 37 centuries in advance and we didn't listen

[@ansaz14]

This comment, should be immortalized on a clay tablet

[@uxorioushornet]

I once saw a writing prompt that read: "when you die, you get to see the number of people who know about you, and talk about you. Only a few decades after your death, the number says zero. You figure it will stay there forever, but a few millenia later, the number skyrockets into the millions." The best response to the prompt just said "and they all know I sold really shitty copper."

[@HistorywithCy]

Interesting prompt... very true in a lot of cases. Thanks for watching, appreciate it!

[@HansWurst1569]

I laughed so hard at this. Holy shit

[@_HMCB_]

Can you explain what you mean by “prompt?” You mean an ancient artifact or AI? Sorry for my ignorance.

[@HansWurst1569]

a writing prompt is basicaly a short introductory 'story' to write a larger story. It's bascialy the fundament of a larger story. The word prompt can also be use as "to start *something*" As example: I was /prompted/ to write a story with that comment. Hope it helps :)@@_HMCB_

[@maymunity7942]

​@@_HMCB_ A writing prompt. You have subreddits and other sites dedicated to giving people a prompt and then they write a short story

[@craniusdominus8234]

Legend has it, Ea-nasir would eventually found what is now known as the first customer support center

[@craniusdominus8234]

And that a copy of this tablet is present in the corporate headquarters of both Verizon and AT&T, who have proudly carried on his legacy of selling low quality copper to this very day.

[@HistorywithCy]

🤣🤣🤣

[@craniusdominus8234]

@@HistorywithCy In retrospect, I probably should have just went for a single comment in the style of the old Top Gear. Something like "The man, the myth, the legend. Some say he would eventually found the first recorded call center in history, and that a copy of this tablet is present in the corporate HQs of Verizon and AT&T, both of whom have proudly carried his legacy of selling low quality copper into the 21st century. All we know is he's called Ea-Nasir" But at the very least, I hope that multiple comments will actually help you with the algorithm.

[@AncientAmericas]

Ah yes, our favorite sleazy bronze age salesman, Ea-Nasir.

[@HistorywithCy]

True, but we're still talking about him... haha thanks for watching, appreciate it!

[@AncientAmericas]

@@HistorywithCy Anytime!

[@selkie76]

Reminding me of one of my favourite two-sentence horror stories... "The damage to the time machine wasn't so bad - it looked like I'd be able to get back home after all. I just needed to find somebody in ancient Sumer who could sell me some high quality copper wire."

[@Vexcenot]

That's 3 sentences

[@maxtew6521]

I like how Ea-Nasir just collected complaint tablets in his home. Dude loved getting one over on poor schmucks. What a scoundrel.

[@LittleWhole]

It was postulated that his house was burned down by people he ripped off, so the clay tablets that he collected became fired and therefore preserved enough for us to get our hands on it and translate it 37 centuries later.

[@Xizor15]

The whole channel's history has been leading to this video.

[@HistorywithCy]

🤣 it's definitely been on the list of topics to cover for a while...thanks for watching!

[@personzorz]

The whole of written human history has been leading to this video

[@ReZel80657]

First CEO of EA Games

[@HistorywithCy]

🤣🤣🤣

[@Tzimiskes3506]

This is a certified "Ud reeeaaaa!" moment.

[@LudosErgoSum]

«The smartest man in every room, is Ea-Nasir.» - Nasir fanboi c. 1750

[@Ethan-cz8xq]

I always love learning about these more mundane, petty disputes in history. There's something so endearing about a situation you can relate too in ancient times

[@anggi8699]

Me to, I love history but the majority of it is always about wars, the life of kings. I'm very curious about the life of ordinary people from the past. So, mundane story like this is much more interesting to me. 😊

[@goldenfiberwheat238]

@@anggi8699the people paying historians to write their stuff down were the people with money. Mostly kings and nobles. And most commoners throughout history were illiterate which is why wars and geopolitics are what you usually hear about

[@gothkrispies4349]

From Gregory of Tours's History of the Franks: "Amalaberg, the wife of Hermanfrid, was a wicked and cruel woman: it was she who sowed the seeds of civil war between the two remaining brothers. One day when her husband came in to have a meal, he found only half the table laid. When he asked Amalaberg what she meant by this, she answered: 'A king who is deprived of half his kingdom deserves to find half his table bare.'" In another part of this book, a king had to flee his home because he couldn't keep it in his pants, and was welcomed into the home of another king...whose wife he promptly slept with.

[@DarDarBinks1986]

Ea-Nasir sure kept rules 1 and 239 of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition: 1) Once you have their money, never give it back; and 2) never be afraid to mislabel a product.

[@arthurbriand2175]

I would love an Uncut gems type movie about Ia-Nasir bamboozling and lying to all his business partners and it's just a very stressful day in Ur.

[@goldenfiberwheat238]

Like wolf of Wall Street

[@EdrickBluebeard]

I love that we have pretty much accepted that the derpiest Bronze Age figurine is Ea Nasir. No argument, you see it, you know it. That's the look of a merchant who is rude to messengers and servants.

[@hermescarraro3393]

Imagine being so AWFUL, that your name endures far longer than the the names of countless BETTER people around you. The literall equivalent of a modern day used car salesman achieving immortality. 😂

[@HistorywithCy]

Yeah, funny how things work out. Offhand I can't name one honest, capable or good businessman or merchant from 1750 BC. Thanks for watching!

[@martinbassi7457]

Absolutely amazing in that never in Ea-Nasir and Nanni's wildest dreams could they ever have imagined we would be learning about them over 3500 years later not on cuneiform tablets but on our cell phones via KZbin in places in the world they never knew existed!

[@joemachine4714]

In other words learning about their dispute on a magic crystal

[@stellabee2026]

the chain of specific events that had to occur to turn Ea-Nasir into a meme 3500 years later could make a decent sized book

[@nunyabiznes33]

On our obsidian tablets

[@Argacyan]

I've been bamboozled by Ea-nasir!

[@StMiBll]

It is always amazing to get this intimate perspective of the lives of the ancients. Makes one feel much more connected to the past.

[@Yatagurusu]

Personally what makes me tear up is this little toy horse on wheels that was found in mesopotamia dates around 1500 BC. theres a hole in the nose where we think a string once went through to pull along the horse. And this just makes me feel that there was once a little kid, whose parents worked hard enough to buy/make for him a toy, a toy that was similar to one that I had, and that child was probably loved, and that child maybe even grew up, maybe even passed down the toy. And day by day 3000 years went by, and all trace of him is gone, except that toy.

[@goldenfiberwheat238]

@@Yatagurusuah jeez that’s sad. Kinda teared up a bit. Let’s lighten the mood. EA NASIR GIVE ME BACK MY SILVER YOUR COPPER IS TERRIBLE

[@Cropak_Napeik]

If you are interested in more ancient kids stories, they found in the old russian city of Novgorod serveral carvings on wood dating from the 11th century. They were drawings made by a child (I think his name was Orfinn). From what I remember, some of them include the boy playing with his friends on the classroom, several symbols and random drawings of creatures, and the boy looking at a knight riding a horse

[@brandenmanuel2037]

A video about Ea-Nasir This should be good

[@HistorywithCy]

Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for watching!

[@chrisdooley1184]

I’d like to see you cover the new discovery at Lagash. They found the roof of a restaurant’ and once they wiggled inside they found beaten tin plates for service still stacked on the shelves as well as cups and vessels which held drinks and tables etc. The pictures taken are amazing because they show social life from something like 5,000BCE. I’d like to see more videos on everyday living. For example Irving Finkle once read from a seal that came from a man who’s business was constructing homes for others. That would be fascinating to hear about! Great video as always Cy

[@melltelae3557]

beer FTW!

[@DieLuftwaffel]

Link to this find?

[@auraajah3072]

Is good

[@stormshadow5283]

Ah yes! Ea-Nasir.....the progenitor of EA company

[@nulnoh219]

4000 years from now, some future historian finds an intact AWS server. The only data that are not corrupted they could decrypt were customer reviews.

[@vvvci]

We today in "modern" times underestimate the TRADE NETWORKS which were long and well connected 2,000+ bce.... despite all the hazards and perils! Tin - rare, and essential for making (most alloys of) bronze came from as far away as Wales (British isles) for millennia. Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan mountains, cedar logs from Lebanon, and of course gold and silver from rare mines always made their way in to trade routes. And it is astounding how bold the NOMADIC TRADERS were, as the tablet says, there was always the chance of pirates, raiders, or falling in to enemy territory... yet, despite these hazards, the traders proliferated, the trade routes continued and grew

[@goldenfiberwheat238]

That’s the indomitable will of the human spirit for you

[@glacier68]

Gotta love how so much preserved cuneiform is business correspondence. Like the one from a trader advising his servants to hide ingots in their undergarments to avoid tariffs, or many that are essentially, "This is your second billing, If you have already sent your payment, please disregard this tablet."

[@notreallymyname3736]

I'd just find it hilarious if Ea-Nasir is hanging out in the afterlife; and watching this all go down. "Why do they keep talking about my customer complaints!? Nani was a major Karen, and just liked to show off that he had a scribe on retainer. I can't help it that the copper I bought was trash, I'm just a middle man. Haven't they found all the records of my charitable giving to the temple?!".

[@megawutt]

Let’s not jump to conclusions. I would like to hear Ea-Nasir’s side of the story.

[@MatthewCampbell765]

I believe they actually did find an apology letter written by him but I can't recall. They did also found what they believe to be Ea-Nasir's house, which contained a lot of similar complaint tablets addressed to him. As such, in my opinion, there's sufficient evidence to fairly conclude that Ea-Nasir was at best incompetent, and at worst actively a swindler.

[@MrPhange]

I've waited for this video for almost 4000 years

[@HistorywithCy]

Yeah I've been meaning to make this one...glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching!

[@nahnnan1265]

"He was the best guy around" What about the poeple he treated with contempt? "What contempt?"

[@gleann_cuilinn]

So Nani just glossed over the fact that he owes Ea-Nasir two mina of silver 🤔 maybe we've been too hard on old Ea... I wanna know why Nani expects his money bag when he owes Ea all that silver!

[@kellyezebra]

My two favorite things about ancient history-Ea-Nasir and History With Cy-go so great together! Very excited!

[@HistorywithCy]

Thank you! Lol never thought my name would be in the same sentence as Ea-nasir... I don't know if I should be honored or concerned? Thanks for watching, appreciate it!

[@Fermillon9181]

Ayyy Ea-nasir, the guy

[@MKfanmomo]

This unfortunate merchant helped scholars understand a little bit about his time period, which is fascinating. Long live the cuneiform tablets may archeologists discover more !

[@RhondaFizzleflint]

Amazon Market Place, ca. 1750 BC

[@mintoo2cool]

this is the best kind of history in my opinion. it’s cool to learn about history of kings and queens and empires and wars etc. but this is so much more fun, relatable and interesting.

[@PersonManManManMan]

This is it, this is huge

[@HistorywithCy]

Thank you!

[@AntoniusTyas]

Ea-nasir. Truly one of the businessman in Babylonia.

[@bradmyst1339]

I hope that we all have had a chance to see the modern day meme that someone put together because of this guy. Truly wondrous

[@ericconnor8251]

Classic Ea-Nasir, always swindling his customers with substandard copper. The ghost of Nanni probably wishes that he had had clay tablet style Yelp reviews during the First Babylonian Dynasty, to spread awareness and get a boycott going against his arch nemesis.

[@livingjoke3083]

One of my favorite sayings of Ea-nasir: "Iltam zumra rashuptim elatim"

[@BiggestCorvid]

This is practically a holiday special episode. I'm so happy. Thanks for the quality content

[@Artur_M.]

I came here to write something witty but there's so many great comments already! Ea-nasir really is a legend. 😂

[@user-fc7is6jo2e]

Outstanding Presentation! I always love your posts. I am also commenting to help your channel with the algorithm.

[@minaw6618]

🤓

[@liisahmanni]

​@@minaw6618Was it "algorithm"?

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks, really appreciate the support and glad you enjoyed the video!

[@silververnallbells191]

@@liisahmanni When you leave a comment or a like it pops it up in the AI algorithm that this is a video people are watching so the algorithm will recommend it more to different people or similar videos... whatever you watch or hit like on especially if you comment - that's how recommended videos are generated.

[@AloisWeimar]

Crazy Ea-nasir his prices are low they are Insane !

[@buddycharley2413]

The most interesting man in history still boggles my mind how we aren't so different thousands of years ago

[@madderhat5852]

Apparently he also went on to sell used chariots at insane prices.

[@HistorywithCy]

With bad copper parts I'd imagine lol. Thanks for watching!

[@madderhat5852]

😆@@HistorywithCy

[@sonarbangla8711]

An extremely important recovery of an ancient correspondence between Nana and Nasir. I am sure such correspondences between Sumeria and India or reference. This might open a new chapter of ancient history.

[@AndersonNSilva-mw7kl]

You just know that future Civilization games will have a technology discovery quotation about Ae-Nasir and his shenanigans. Probably about copper, I bet.

[@silververnallbells191]

Imagine being 4,000 yrs in the future from now and people deciphering the internet and find obsession with thousands of years prior...

[@johnnyboeck8952]

He has returned

[@shaider1982]

EA Nasir, it's in the copper.

[@nedwardmumford7525]

Amazing video. Thank you!

[@facoulac]

Loved the meme, and the episode too!

[@EdrickBluebeard]

Also, I love your work, sir. Looking forward to the next.

[@IranTalk]

Excellent video, as usual. Keep it up my friend!

[@vazak11]

Fascinating, I am so happy to see this covered and the added context explains so much!

[@Numba003]

I love seeing these very human relationships preserved in ancient documents, from myths and stories to histories and legal records lol. Thank you for another excellent video. God be with you out there everybody. ✝️ :)

[@roykay4709]

Wonderful exposition on Trade in ancient Mesopotamia. This reminds me that Dilmun was much later claimed to be conquered by Assyria. That would have been during the times of the Vedic City States. What was traded, most likely through Dilmun at that time.

[@stormshadow5283]

Dilmun is in India?

[@roykay4709]

@@stormshadow5283 - No. It seems to be the same area as Bahrain. Dilmun seemed to be the trading center between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley.

[@JustGrowingUp84]

I love this kind of video, shedding light on the lives of regular people!

[@emom358]

Really enjoyed this. Thanks.

[@HistorywithCy]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!

[@geraldmeehan8942]

Thank you Cy. Keep up the good work!

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks for watching, appreciate it!

[@Angayasse]

Thanks a million Cy. Your videos are always top notch. Your channel is my to go in all history matters.

[@PopGoesTheology]

Thank you much for your hard work, Cy!

[@HistorywithCy]

My pleasure, thanks for watching!

[@ravensthatflywiththenightm7319]

Been sick all day yesterday. Revisited that Voyager episode "False Profits". And then this shows up on my notifications. Crom truly works in mysterious ways 🍻

[@Error_-qz2zr]

" I shall exercise my right of rejection" Sumerian speech is something

[@erraticonteuse]

Next do Sin-gamil's unheeded calls for more water for his sesame fields. THE SESAME WAS VISIBLY DYING, not that Sin-id-dinam cared😡

[@Melody_Raventress]

Ibbi-Ilabrat saw it!

[@JulienCohenMusic]

Amazing insight

[@HistorywithCy]

Thank you, glad this was useful!

[@JulienCohenMusic]

@@HistorywithCy yes because Abraham and his dad were living in Ur in this period, and the reason of the wealth of Abraham was that he was honest, among dishonest people. This story fits the biblical account beautifully

[@MalayArcher]

I thought this was another bronze age shitpost but i just realised its Cy’s video 😅

[@HistorywithCy]

Lol yeah hopefully it's better than the memes! Thanks for watching!

[@jayjohn9893]

Such an interesting peak into the past, very interesting story

[@larrytuft9782]

Thanks!

[@HistorywithCy]

Thank you, appreciate it!

[@_HMCB_]

I was waiting for the hat to drop and the gentleman to say “I’m sending down by thugs and you better have my money beatch” 😂😂😂 I can see this scene happen as if it were today. Thank you for amazing content. 🙏🏽

[@pinchevulpes]

Gudea of Lagash still my fav despot, built a city on his own and took on the big boys

[@HistorywithCy]

Yeah Gudea is in my list of top 5 rulers of ancient Mesopotamia. Thanks for watching!

[@christopherthrawn1333]

Well done here

[@beepboop204]

im relentlessly playing KOTOR (i know im like 20 years after the fact) so seeing you post something new gives me an excuse to pause them game and have a snack while i learn something

[@HistorywithCy]

Haha still the best star wars game out there... all hail Darth Revan!!!!!!!

[@usergiodmsilva1983PT]

Imagine the Life and Times of Tim, but in Mesopotamia. And Ea-nasir could be someone ike Saul in Breaking Bad xD

[@joemachine4714]

"If it weren't for that pesky messenger i'd have gotten away with it too" 🧔‍♂️

[@usergiodmsilva1983PT]

Wait... there are more complaint tablets?!

[@HistorywithCy]

Yes but they're not as scathing as the one from Nanni. The others are more of "when will I be getting my copper" vs "...I will not accept here any copper from you that is not of fine quality. I shall from now on select and take the ingots individually in my own yard, and I shall exercise against you my right of rejection because you have treated me with contempt..." etc. Thanks for watching!

[@marginbuu212]

In the next Terminator movie, I want him to go back in time and save Ea Nasir. And in the process of doing so, Ea Nasir recognizes the errors of his ways and changes as a merchant.

[@silverchairsg]

I just realized no one has tried a facial reconstruction of Ea-Nasir. It's beyond time. 😁

[@ScarletImp]

And to think this all started because of a complaint inscription in the British Museum.

[@kkupsky6321]

I wondered were cy was. I was in Vermont. Lovely country. I hope nothing in history changed while I was gone… good show mate.

[@firstaidsack]

UDREEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAA

[@huhwhatnow2063]

Yes

[@LuDux]

Maybe his house didn't look so rich because he held his riches in Ea-nasir Tower

[@Krypto137]

I won't allow anyone to say the name Ea-Nasir without the title 𐏋

[@juanjuri6127]

Ea-Nasir my beloved

[@shockwavesteve]

I feel like these old tablet translations are always sound repetitive because their language was probably structured like “(in-past-time) (you-give) (copper) (me) (and) (show-me) (bad)” which then probably gets thrown in as “you have have given me bad copper and treated me with discontent.”

[@void2240]

Assistant: Ea-Nasir, someone sent a clay tablet. Ea-Nasir: Nanni!?

[@Electra-AI1605]

EA nasir is a true Legend !

[@8-piecechickenstripbucket812]

I can imagine bro writing that complaint tablet with his stick so pissed

[@egillskallagrimson5879]

It is kinda a dickmove to owe money to a friend/business partner and keep it behind enemy lines... think about it today may seem meaningless as for the majority of us there is no real danger but think in that friend you always are lending money and making favours only for him to ultimately move to a really dangerous place so you really don't feel in the mood to go get your money. I will totally send him a clay tablet very upset xD

[@JenniferinIllinois]

Ea-Nasir - dude was a total scammer. If he could only imagine that 3800 years later people would still be talking about him and his shady business practices. 🤣🤣🤣

[@LauftFafa]

the only EA who matter

[@noahlogue]

This is where we developed the technology known as constructive criticism .😂

[@andybunn5780]

It seems like it could be just as reasonable that during this civil war there was a hike in the copper market due to it's use in war materials (lowered supply). It could be a symptom of something like that instead of demonizing some guy we never met from 5000 years ago. He was apparently able to keep being a merchant somehow, despite his reputation.

[@nadMoZzzg]

Do you get to the Cloud☁️District very often?

[@florinivan6907]

This does raise questions about literacy though. If Ea Nasir could read and write and presumably he wasn't the richest merchant then we can assume literacy was at least common among the 'middle class'. Merchants richer peasants people working in administration would almost always have had some basic literacy.

[@hippiehillape]

Dude lives on through history

[@HistorywithCy]

Haha for all the wrong reasons...but we're still talking about him today. Thanks for watching, really appreciate it!