Akkadian Empire
Akkadian Empire | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 2334 – c. 2154 BC | |||||||||
Map of the Akkadian Empire (brown) and the directions in which military campaigns were conducted (yellow arrows) | |||||||||
| Capital | Akkad | ||||||||
| Official languages | |||||||||
| Common languages | |||||||||
| Religion | Ancient Mesopotamian Polytheism | ||||||||
| Government | Imperial Monarchy | ||||||||
| Šarrum (Kings) | |||||||||
• c. 2334–2279 BC | Sargon (first) | ||||||||
• c. 2168–2154 BC | Shu-turul (last) | ||||||||
| Historical era | Bronze Age | ||||||||
• Established | c. 2334 BC | ||||||||
• Conquests of Sargon of Akkad | c. 2340 – c. 2284 BC | ||||||||
• Disestablished | c. 2154 BC | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
| 2350 BC[1] | 30,000 km2 (12,000 sq mi) | ||||||||
| 2300 BC[1] | 650,000 km2 (250,000 sq mi) | ||||||||
| 2250 BC[1] | 800,000 km2 (310,000 sq mi) | ||||||||
| 2200 BC[1] | 250,000 km2 (97,000 sq mi) | ||||||||
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| Today part of | |||||||||
The Akkadian Empire (/əˈkeɪdiən/)[2] was the first known empire,[3] succeeding the long-lived city-states of Sumer. Centered on the city of Akkad (/ˈækæd/ or /ˈɑːkɑːd/)[4] and its surrounding region, the empire united the Semitic Akkadian and Sumerian speakers under one rule and exercised significant influence across Mesopotamia, the Levant, Iran and Anatolia, sending military expeditions as far south as Dilmun and Magan (modern United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman) in the Arabian Peninsula.[5]
Established by Sargon of Akkad after defeating the Sumerian king Lugal-zage-si, it replaced the system of independent Sumero-Akkadian city-states and unified a vast region, stretching from the Mediterranean to Iran and from Anatolia to the Persian Gulf, under a centralized government. Sargon and his successors, especially his grandson Naram-Sin, expanded the empire through military conquest, administrative reforms, and cultural integration. Naram-Sin took the unprecedented step of declaring himself a living god and adopted the title "King of the Four Quarters." The Semitic Akkadian language became the empire’s lingua franca, although Sumerian (a language isolate) remained important in religion and literature. The empire was documented through inscriptions, administrative tablets, and seals, including notable sources like the Bassetki Statue. Enheduanna, Sargon’s daughter, served as high priestess and is recognized as the first known named author in history.
The Akkadian Empire reached its political peak between the 24th and 22nd centuries BC, following the conquests by its founder Sargon. Under Sargon and his successors, the Akkadian language was briefly imposed on neighbouring conquered states such as Elam, Lullubi Hatti and Gutium. Akkad is sometimes regarded as the first empire in history, though the meaning of this term is not precise, and there are earlier Sumerian claimants.[6][7]
The Akkadian state was characterized by a planned economy supported by agriculture, taxation, and conquest. It also saw developments in art, technology, and long-distance trade, including connections with the Indus Valley. Despite its strength, the empire faced internal revolts, dynastic instability, and external threats. Sargon’s sons, Rimush and Manishtushu, struggled to maintain control; both died violently. Naram-Sin’s successors were weaker, leading to fragmentation and vulnerability. The empire eventually collapsed due to a combination of internal unrest and severe environmental and economic stress caused by a major drought associated with the 4.2-kiloyear climate event led to crop failures, famine, urban decline, and population displacement, followed by an invasion by the Gutians.
- ^ a b c d Taagepera, Rein (1978). "Size and Duration of Empires Growth-Decline Curves, 3000 to 600 B.C." (PDF). Social Science Research: 186. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022.
- ^ Akkadian: URUAkkad KI; Hittite cuneiform: KUR A.GA.DÈ.KI "land of Akkad"; Biblical Hebrew: אַכַּד Akkad.
- ^ Kirby, Mayson (2018). History of Civilizations. EDTECH. p. 116. ISBN 978-1-83947-277-0.
- ^ Sumerian: Agade
- "Akkad". Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins.
- "Akkad". Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d.
- ^ Mish, Frederick C., Editor in Chief. "Akkad" Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary. ninth ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster 1985. ISBN 0-87779-508-8).
- ^ F Leo Oppenhiem – Ancient Mesopotamia
- ^ Liverani (1993), p. 3. "The factual criticism is that empires existed even before Akkad: or more properly that the term and concept of 'empire' has been recently applied (on not worse grounds than in the case of Akkad) to other older cases, from the Uruk of the late-Uruk period to the Ebla of the royal archives, to the very state formations of the Sumerian south in the period called in fact 'proto-imperial'. In no case is the Akkad empire an absolute novelty [...] 'Akkad the first empire' is therefore subject to criticism not only as for the adjective 'first' but especially as for the noun 'empire'.