Iddin-Sin's Letter to Mom

Around 1800 BCE, a Babylonian student named Iddin-Sin wrote a clay letter to his mother, Zinu, griping that she'd sent him shabby clothes while all the other boys were dressed better. He compared his outfit to one of his classmates, who was the adopted son of one of his father's servants, yet he still had newer garments. The tablet reveals not just ancient parent-child drama but also that even in Hammurabi's time, appearances mattered.

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