From the late 19th century to the 1920s, archeology was all the rage. Many European expeditions to the Middle East have sought everything from Egyptian mummies to the origins of the Hebrew Bible. Among the many archaeological discoveries of this period, one of the most important was the discovery of the remains of the ancient city of Ur on the outskirts of present-day Baghdad.
Ur was one of the most important cities of ancient Sumer. It is mentioned in the Bible that it was very prosperous with a population of about 65,000, a thriving culture, and trade with the rest of the world.
Further north are the Akkadians. They co-existed with the Sumerians, sharing many sociocultural practices and beliefs. And when the Sumerian Empire fell, largely due to inequality, the Akkadians flocked in and became the first true empire in history.
Sargon was the first Akkadian king and is considered the first great world emperor in history. Sargon and the Akkadian Empire were so influential that for the next two thousand years every nation that arose in the region looked up to them.
He was the first ruler with a standing army, and he later annexed all the other cities along the Tigris-Euphrates valley. He quickly established himself as the only truly undisputed leader of the Akkadians and Sumerians, and introduced many reforms and improvements in the societies he ruled. He made Akkadian the official language of the empire, and also founded the city of Akkadian, his famous center of power, which has since been forgotten.
The Akkadian influence was felt in 1931 when archaeologists discovered the biblical city of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. They were shocked to discover that it turned out to be an Akkadian city, founded 1,500 years before the Syrians.
Sargon rules with a seemingly iron fist, and brags about how many people his army has killed, which is both terrifying and awe-inspiring. This was the first time a ruler used political propaganda, a tactic used by all other leaders throughout history to this day.
He facilitated trade on a massive scale, reaching (and conquering) what is now Oman and Bahrain, and keeping his people relatively economically comfortable.
Despite his fame, power and extraordinary achievements, little is known about his early life. All texts and inscriptions referring to him were written almost 2,000 years after his death.
Sargon ruled for 56 years and was quickly succeeded by his two sons. But it was in his grandson, Naram-Sin, that the Akkadian empire grew even beyond what Sargon had achieved. Unfortunately, when Nalam’s sons took power, the empire was severely weakened by climate change, famine, and invading enemies. The great city of Akkad fell into the hands of the enemy, and the Akkadian Empire ceased to exist.
Directed by: Pete Kelly
