Living together in communities enabled there to be specialisation , the development of particular skills e.g the blacksmith, the trader, the priest, the healer. A man was rewarded for his skill and knowledge as much or more than for his strength and courage in battle.

Work was either unskilled or at best semi-skilled where a man was employed for his strength and flexibility in performing several manual tasks or he was a skilled worker following a long training, usually by apprenticeship.Skilled workers formed themselves together into Guilds and enjoyed power,prestige and patronage.