The situation of slaves in the countries of the Ancient East was less difficult compared to the situation of slaves in ancient Greece and Rome. Royal and temple slaves could have small property, a family, sometimes the law gave them some legal protection. According to their social status, slaves stood between persons and things. Nevertheless, the bulk of the slaves were absolutely disenfranchised. The property right of the slaveholder was heavily protected by law.

Slaves were most often exploited on the royal lands; they performed the duties of servants for the major nobility, officials and priests, etc. There was also domestic slavery. The main source of replenishment of the number of slaves was military captivity, debt bondage existed almost everywhere. Slaves were bought and sold in the market. Forced people were transferred by will along with other property. The capture of prisoners to sell them into slavery was one of the main incentives for military campaigns. Slaves were often killed in sacrifices. After the death of the king, his servants-slaves were killed and laid next to his tomb. The children of slaves were considered slaves. For killing someone else's slave, a fine was usually paid to his master. Slaves engaged in agriculture, handicraft, sometimes could have their own family. Over time, in some states, slaves began to be given plots of land for temporary use.

In ancient Egypt, slaves were considered the property of the state. The murder of a slave was regarded as damage to state property. Pharaoh gave slaves to temples, important officials.

The ancient Eastern states, by their class essence, belong to the slave-owning type. The main functions of these states were the suppression of the oppressed masses, the defense of the country, the seizure of neighboring lands and the organization of public works. With the help of the priests, the ideological enslavement of the oppressed masses was carried out.

The most common form of government was despotism, a bureaucratic monarchy, strictly centralized, with a large administrative apparatus. The economic basis of the despot's power was state ownership of land, taxes, captured loot during wars. Unlimited tsarist power was based on an army, sometimes hired, on an extensive, centralized apparatus of officials. Under bureaucratic centralism, governance was based on complete and unconditional subordination up the vertical; any disobedience, disobedience to the tsar and the nobles was punishable by death. In the countries of the Ancient East, the royal power, as a rule, was deified. The orders of the despot were equated with divine decrees.

However, the relatively small territory of these countries affected the structure of the state apparatus. The court was not separated from the administration.

Having unlimited power, the despot considered the interests of the upper nobility, fulfilled the will of the ruling class of slaveholders. A despot could not stay in power if he did not enjoy the support of the ruling class, did not rely on the army, bureaucracy, priesthood. The head of state in the countries of the Ancient East was called differently: in Ancient Egypt – Pharaoh, in Babylon – Ancient Mesopotamia – lugal or patesi, in China – wang, in India – raja.

The most typical ancient Eastern despotism existed in ancient Egypt. The history of the ancient Egyptian state is divided into 4 major periods: the ancient kingdom – from the end of the fourth to the middle of the second millennium BC, the middle – to the middle of the XVII century BC, the new – to the middle of the XV century BC, later – to the I century BC.

In ancient Egypt, the power of the pharaoh was unlimited, he himself was considered a person of divine origin, the son of the Sun. His name couldn't be said out loud. Pharaoh means "high house". In an official address to him, he should have been called in the third person. The decisions of the Pharaoh on management, finance, command of the army, and the court had the highest force. He appointed his own successor. Colossal pyramid tombs were built for him, the construction of which was carried out for decades and took away the main material and human resources of the country.

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