Akkadian Empire

The Akkadian Empire examines the state created by Sargon of Akkad in the third millennium BCE, often described as the first known empire in Mesopotamian history. It follows the conquest of Sumerian cities and the effort to govern territories linked by warfare, tribute and royal administration.

The book considers the reigns of Sargon and his successors, the use of the Akkadian language and the religious claims that supported imperial authority. It also examines rebellion, environmental stress and political fragmentation, while explaining the empire’s importance to later Mesopotamian ideas of kingship.