Egyptian and Mesopotamian religion and society were similar, but their system of government was different. The religions in Egypt and Mesopotamia were similar because both were polytheistic, believing in an afterlife, as did the priests who were part of the higher levels of the social hierarchy. Social similarities between Egypt and Mesopotamia included: rigid social structure, reliance on slavery, and authoritative religious structure. However, the government system was different because Egyptian society was ruled by a theocratic monarchy, while Mesopotamia was ruled by a traditional monarchy. The Mesopotamian and Egyptian religions shared two key similarities: polytheism and priestly authority. The religions in Mesopotamia and Egypt were both polytheistic. Their religions were polytheistic because the Mesopotamians and Egyptians could not explain many things that happened in their lives. Therefore, they assumed that there were different gods for everything. This means that the religion had many gods for different things. In Egypt and Mesopotamia priests were part of the wealthy classes and were very important in the daily lives of civilians. Priests were part of the upper class because they were thought to have the ability to communicate with the gods. In Mesopotamia the priests held the greatest authority in the religious structure. Egyptian priests were not as powerful in government as Mesopotamian priests were, but they still had significant power. Egypt's highest religious and military leader was encapsulated in the position of pharaoh. The pharaoh was at the top of all social classes and was considered a god-like figure. Mesopotamia and Egypt had similar societies. In both Mesopotamian and Egyptian societies, Egyptian and Mesopotamian religion and society were similar, but their government/leadership was different. Religion in Egypt and Mesopotamia was very similar because both faiths were polytheistic and had priestly authority. Both cultures had powerful priests, both believed in an afterlife, and religion was part of their daily lives. Both societies had similar rigid social classes and relied on slavery; both also had a religion that played an important role in their daily lives. Although their societies were very common, they still had some differences in governance. In Egypt the government was a theocracy, while in Mesopotamia the government was run by a monarchy. Despite their similarities, the differences between these two civilizations were most likely the result of unique geographic and topographical conditions.