What type of government did Sumer have?

The government of Sumer is best described as a theocracy. In Sumer, city-states were governed by a combination of religious and political authority. The rulers were often seen as representatives of the gods, which meant that their authority was legitimized through divine sanction. This intertwining of religion and governance is a hallmark of theocratic systems.

In Sumerian society, priests held significant power, and many of the rulers were also high priests, serving dual functions that reinforced their authority. The laws and civic duties of the land were often seen as guided by the gods' will, leading to a social structure where religious leaders were integral to political decisions. Hence, theocracy accurately reflects how Sumer organized governance, with rulers deriving their power from religious belief and practice rather than from democratic elections, hereditary monarchy, or the power of a small elite as seen in other forms of government.