Sargon and The Rise of
the Akkadian Empire
Introduction
• City of Kish was powerful
by 3,500 B.C.
• Over the next 1000 years
Ur and Ukur fought for
power.
• Akkadian society
develops north of Sumer.
• Peace among three
societies until 2300 B.C.
Who was Sargon?
• Served under king of the
Kish.
• With his army, he took
over the city of Kish.
• Gained loyalty of soldier
by eating with them
everyday.
• Ruled Mesopotamia from
2334 B.C.-2279 B.C.
• First ruler to have a
permanent army.
How he conquered Mesopotamia
• Built Akkad on the
Euphrates River.
• Used army to take
over city-states.
• Conquered:
– Sumer
– Northern
Mesopotamia.
– Asia Minor
What did he do?
• Establish the worlds
first empire.
– Land with different
territories and peoples
under a single ruler.
– Known as the
Akkadian Empire
• Empire stretched from
Persian Gulf to the
Mediterranean Sea
Sargon’s Empire
• Ruled for 55 years.
• Lasted only a century
after his death.
• Without his rule, the
Akkadian Empire was
overrun.
• SARGON’S EMPIRE
UNITED THE
MESOPOTAMIAN CITYSTATES FOR THE
FIRST TIME.