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Akkad
Akkad
Akkad
The Akkadian Empire was an ancient Semitic empire centered in the city of Akkad and its surrounding
region in ancient Mesopotamia which united all the indigenous Akkadian speaking Semites and
the Sumerian speakers under one rule within a multilingual empire. The Akkadian Empire controlled
Mesopotamia, the Levant, and parts of Iran. The Akkadian empire lasted from 2334 BC to 2193 BC
According to legend, it was built by the king Sargon the Great (who ruled 2334-2279 BCE) who unified
Mesopotamia under the rule of his Akkadian Empire and set the standard for future forms of government in
Mesopotamia. Sargon claimed that the Akkadian Empire stretched from the Persian Gulf through modernday Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Syria (possibly Lebanon) through the lower part of Asia Minor to the
Mediterranean Sea and Cyprus (there is also a claim it stretched as far as Crete ). While the size and scope of
the empire based in Akkad is disputed, there is no doubt that Sargon the Great created the first multi-national
empire in the world.
AKKAD Geographically
Akkadian Society
Free civilians in ancient Akkad lived in simple one-story houses. These houses were made of mud bricks and
straw. There was a room with a tiny hole this was what we call now toilet. Every house had a kitchen with a
fire place, kitchen tools such as: knife, forks, glasses, plates, etc. Also many houses had a guest room where
visitors slept overnight. Their descendants survive today as Jews and Arabs
Akkadian Society
The Akkadian Society was formed of four main classes:
Slavery
In
the
Akkad
Empire.
Anything the empire needed from canals to bridges and roads. Slaves also farmed alongside peasants. If
free women or men married a slave the slave would be free. Any children they made were totally free.
Owners did not care if they worked the slaves to hard or sometimes even led to death. When and empire
got captured all their people became slaves. If there were to many prisoners they would be slaughtered.
Famous Cities
AKKAD
The Akkadian empire acquired all the prominent cities in Mesopotamia including: Kish , Nippur , Uruk
etc
Akkadian Art
Sargon profoundly affected his people through art, politics and language which
is why the most famous sculpture left behind was one believed to be Sargon
himself
Importance of Art
The rulers used it to stay in power, while the people used it to show gratitude
The Akkadian kings wanted art to remind the conquered people how important, impressive
When the enemies attacked they carried away and destroyed whatever art they could.
Writing
By about 2500 BCE, the Akkadian started using cuneiform to write their own language.
However, it wasnt dominant until 2300 BCE when Akkadian positioned over the Sumerian as the
primary language of Mesopotamia.
Scribal School
Weaponry
The composite bow was one of the major inventions of the Akkadians. Its pull was 2-3 times
that of the simple bow and it was able to efficiently penetrate leather armor
and some of the early bronze armors at up to90 meters.
It was a piece of wood covered in metal studs which enabled extra power for bone breaking.
Copper helmets were used to protect soldiers from strong bows to the head.
They also had armored cloaks that covered the body with metal disks lined with leather
Deities
The Sumerian triad of An, Enlil and Enki survived into Akkadian religion, although with change of names.
An became Anu; Enlil became Bel; and Enki became Ea.
There was also great focus on the sun god, Shamash. Shamash would emerge as the most important god,
and his cults were acted out all over the lands that Akkad controlled. Shamash defended justice and punished
wrongdoers. Rays of light from Shamash shined over the king.
The first poet? Enheduanna is the world's first author known by name and was the daughter
of Sargon of Akkad.
Created the worlds first postal service (Akkadian script written in cuneiform wrapped in clay
envelopes marked with the recipient address and name and the seal of the sender)
Famous people
Collapse
The empire collapsed entire from the invasion of barbarians of the Zagros known as Gutians