Though they shared the Sumerian language as a form of communication, these city-states shared little else, and were in a constant state of warfare, often battling each other for control over water supplies and the fertile land. A typical Sumerian city was well fortified with thick, tall walls, which the king was responsible for maintaining, in hopes of deterring would-be attackers. Within a Sumerian city’s walls were avenues that were used for religious processionals, and high, stepped temples know as ziggurats. Sumerian cities often had several ziggurats, each dedicated to a different god or goddess.