Akkadian Empire
- The Akkadians came from northern Mesopotamia.
- They were led by a great king named Sargon.
- Sargon then became the first ruler of the Akkadian Empire.
- Sargo was both a strong king and skilled general.
- He created them Empire through powerful military strategies.
- First he created a large army.
- He taught his soldiers to fight in tight formations.
- Soldiers carrying shields stood at the front of the formations.
- Behind them stood soldiers carrying spears.
- Sargon used his military skills to win territory for his empire.
- Sargon controlled all of Ancient Mesopotamia, including Sumer.
- To keep control of his empire, Sargon used smart political strategies
- He destroyed the walls of cities to make it harder for people to rebel.
- He also made sure the governors of city-states were loyal to him. If they were not then, he replaced them with his own men.
- Sargon became the first king to demand that his sons rule after death.
- Sargon died in very old age.
- His name soon passed into legend.
- He and the Akkadians had created the world’s first empire. This was their greatest achievement.
- Sargon ruled his empire for 56 years.
- He made the city of Agade in northern Mesopotamia, the empire’s capital.
- He built the city with tributes, money and goods, collected from the people he conquered.
- Agade became a cultural center with many beautiful temples and palaces. It was one of the richest and most powerful cities in the world.
- The Akkadians language replaced the Sumerians language with their own.
- In art they became well known for their three-dimensional sculptures
- Craftspeople carved relief sculptures on stones.
- One famous example would be the Victory Stele. It was created to celebrate a military victory by Sargon’s grandson, King Naram-Sin. The Stele shows Sargon’s grandson leading his victorious army up the slopes of a mountain.