Water is one of the most important elements necessary for the maintenance of life. Some ancient civilizations struggled to maintain a constant supply of usable water, while others gained constant access, and those that succeeded prospered. Nonetheless, these civilizations, whether they failed or succeeded, depended on water for drinking and irritating their crops; without it, they suffered food shortages and starvation. Ancient civilizations such as China, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Rome were among those whose progress benefited from the successful cultivation of water. Although man began as hunter and gatherer, once he acquired the knowledge of growing his own food and domesticating plants, civilizations are thought to have formed and thus become dependent on agriculture and water. Water was the engine of growth for ancient civilizations. A reliable source of water impacted the development of economies, influenced religious views, shaped political and legal discussions, and influenced the advancement of technologies in various civilizations that shared a common bond, the need for water. water to support life. But we cannot consider “water” in the monolithic sense, because not all water can be used for drinking or irrigation. Usable water can be defined, in this case, as a source that is reliable, constant, and clean enough to be drunk or used for irrigation. This includes rivers, lakes and wells, but does not include oceans or contaminated water. In some circumstances, initially promising water may subsequently become contaminated; Stagnant water in irrigation ditches can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other disease carriers. Additionally, overuse or diversion of water can impact its quality, creating heavy water... middle of paper ...... a significant amount of flash flooding. This contrasts with Egypt, which received even less rainfall than Mesopotamia and was therefore totally dependent on the Nile for watering crops. The Nile was regularly flooded, allowing easy irrigation of the basins. Finally, unlike Egypt, Rome developed on the banks of a river, the Tiber, but the significant natural rainfall in the region made intensive irrigation for agricultural purposes unnecessary. Rome's main water problem was the lack of drinking water; The Tiber was often brackish and unpleasant, so the Romans had to build aqueducts. All of these civilizations had a distinct relationship with water, and so each had its own way of managing its conditions. Rooted in water source conditions, reliable water has not only impacted the formation of economies but also helped them thrive..