•The city states of Ancient Sumner, since they were small city states were often fighting over land and water rights.•Their lack of unity left them open to attacks by stronger groups.

Exploring four empires of Mesopotamia

The Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians were an empire because they were a large territory ruled by a single leader or government, unlike the Sumerians.

The Akkadian Empire The Akkadians were the

first empire after Sumer. They were led by a great

powerful king, Sargon the Great.

Sargon was a strong king and a skilled general

Sargon used his military skills to conquer the land and take over Sumer.

King Sargon the Great

Life Under Akkadian rule

Sargon had created the world’s first empire, this was the Akkadians greatest achievement.

During Sargon’s reign he made the city of Agade in Northern Mesopotamia. He built up the city with tributes he collected from the people he conquered.

The Akkadians used steles to record important events with three dimensional sculptures, such as a military victory.

Stele

Hammurabi and the Babylon Empire

After the Akkadians fell, Sumner once again became city states.

The next ruler King Hammurabi from Babylon united all of Mesopotamia once again.

Hammurabi and the Babylon Empire

King Hammurabi made the capital Babylon and is best remembered for his code of laws the Hammurabi code.

He based his laws not only on his own authority but on the word of the gods.

This code was the first set of laws to apply to everyone.

This is the first legal system to treat all classes the same , which was advanced at that time.

Code of Hammurabi

Life in the Babylonian Empire

With the Babylonian location on the banks of the Euphrates river, it became an important center of trade.

Trade in the Babylonian empire helped the economy by trading grain and woven cloth for wood, gold, silver, precious gems and livestock.

Euphrates River in present day Iraq

The Assyrian Empire

After the Babylonians fell apart a number of groups controlled what had been Babylonia, until the warlike people of the Assyrian empire took over the Mesopotamian region.

The Assyrians

The Assyrian Empire The Assyrians were

known for their military might and their cruelty. Their greatest achievements were new weapons and war strategies.

They used war techniques such as siege techniques, Battering Rams, and Moveable towers.

Assyrian Weapons

Life under Assyrian Rule

The Assyrians believed that their kings were special beings and to honor them they built “The great Palace” in the capital city of Nineveh.

Life under Assyrian Rule Like other societies in

Mesopotamia the Assyrians had a system of canals to irrigate their land, but they also built the first Aqueducts.

Aqueducts were pipes or channels used to carry water throughout the city of Nineveh and up to 30 miles away.

Aqueducts in Assyria

The Neo Babylonian Empire

With the fall of Nineveh, the Babylonians once again took over the Mesopotamia area.

Their new empire was known a Neo-Babylonia.

The empire’s new famous King was Nebuchadnezzar, who was a ruthless king.

King Nebuchadnezzar

The Neo Babylonian Empire

Nebuchadnezzar conquered the land of the Israelites took many of them captive back to Babylon after they tried to rebel.

Nebuchadnezzar built two walls, some towers, bridges, and a moat around his capital to protect his city from attacks.

The Ishtar Gate

Life in the Neo Babylonian Empire

Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt the city of Babylon and built the Hanging gardens of Babylon along the rooftops and terraces high on the royal palace.

The Neo Babylonian empire only lasted 75 years because controlling such a large areas was very challenging.

The Persians conquered Mesopotamia and controlled it for 200 years, until Alexander the Great came along from Greece.

Alexander the Great

Hanging Garden of Babylon