Definition
Akkad was a city and region located on the western bank of the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia. It was the seat of the Akkadian civilization. Its most famous ruler, Sargon the Great, created a vast empire that went as far west as the Mediterranean Sea. The Akkadian Empire flourished for approximately 200 years, from 2350 - 2150 BC, eventually becoming part of the Babylonian Empire around 1790 BC.
Sargon and his sons were a powerful and dominant dynasty in Mesopotamia, ruling an empire based on political domination, taxation, and literacy. The Akkadian language became the predominant language for commerce and politics throughout the Middle Eastern region. The Akkadian economy depended greatly on the agriculture of the region, and during the “off season” – August through October – farmers were required to work for the city-state, maintaining irrigation and drainage systems.
In terms of technology, Akkad was responsible for much advancement in the region. This included a postal system, a property-surveying system, the first system of astronomical observations, as well as many fine examples of advancements in art and literature.
The rise of the Akkadian empire was hot and fast, and in the grand scheme of ancient Near Eastern history its dominance in Mesopotamia did not last long. Its collapse caused the Mesopotamian Dark Ages, a time of little progress in technology and culture.
Sargon and his sons were a powerful and dominant dynasty in Mesopotamia, ruling an empire based on political domination, taxation, and literacy. The Akkadian language became the predominant language for commerce and politics throughout the Middle Eastern region. The Akkadian economy depended greatly on the agriculture of the region, and during the “off season” – August through October – farmers were required to work for the city-state, maintaining irrigation and drainage systems.
In terms of technology, Akkad was responsible for much advancement in the region. This included a postal system, a property-surveying system, the first system of astronomical observations, as well as many fine examples of advancements in art and literature.
The rise of the Akkadian empire was hot and fast, and in the grand scheme of ancient Near Eastern history its dominance in Mesopotamia did not last long. Its collapse caused the Mesopotamian Dark Ages, a time of little progress in technology and culture.
Articles
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The cuneiform script proper emerges out of pictographic proto-writing in the later 4th millennium BC. Mesopotamia's "proto-literate" period spans the 35th to 32nd centuries BC. The...
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The story of Sargon's birth and childhood is given in the "Sargon legend", a Sumerian text purporting to be Sargon's biography. The extant versions are incomplete, but the surviving fragments name Sargon's...
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Writing is undeniably one of humanity's most important inventions. The earliest forms of storing information on objects were numerical inscriptions on clay tablets, used for administration, accounting...
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Illustrations
Akkad Books
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Wiley-Blackwell (13 October 2006)Price: $27.36 -
Baker Academic (01 September 2002)Price: $17.49 -
Harper (01 April 2008)Price: $7.99 -
Harper Perennial (03 September 1983)Price: $10.17 -
DK CHILDREN (25 June 2007)Price: $11.55
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