Sargon
King of Akkad
Bust believed to be that of Sargon of Akkad, Nineveh, c. 2300 BC.
Reign	c. 2334 – 2279 BC
Full name	Birth name unknown; regnal name was Šarru-kin ("the true King" or "the legitimate King")
Titles	King of Kish (Sumer), Lagash, Umma, Uruk, overlord of Sumer, Elam, Mari, and Yarmuti.
Born	c. 2360 BC
	Azupiranu (?)
Died	c. 2279 BC
	Akkad (?)
Successor	Rimush
Wife/wives	Tashlultum
Issue	Enheduanna, Rimush, Manishtushu, Ibarum and Abaish-Takal.
Royal House	House of Sargon
Dynasty	Akkadian dynasty
Father	La'ibum (natural); Akki (foster-)
Mother	unknown

Sargon of Akkad, also known as Sargon the Great (Akkadian Šarru-kinu, cuneiform ŠAR.RU.KI.IN ����, meaning "the true king" or "the king is legitimate"), was an Akkadian king famous for his conquest of the Sumerian city-states in the 24th and 23rd centuries BC.^[1] The founder of the Dynasty of Akkad, Sargon reigned for 56 years, c. 2333 – 2279 BC (short chronology).^[2] He became a prominent member of the royal court of Kish, ultimately overthrowing its king before embarking on the conquest of Mesopotamia. Sargon's vast empire is known to have extended from Elam to the Mediterranean sea, including Mesopotamia, parts of modern-day Iran and Syria, and possibly parts of Anatolia and the Arabian peninsula. He ruled from a new capital, Akkad (Agade), which the Sumerian king list claims he built, on the left bank of the Euphrates.^[3] Sargon is regarded as one of the first individuals in recorded history to create a multiethnic, centrally ruled empire, and his dynasty controlled Mesopotamia for around a century and a half.^[4] For the Egyptian writer, see Abbas Al-Akkad. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... , For other uses, see Nineveh (disambiguation). ... Kish [kish] (Tall al-Uhaymir) was an ancient city of Sumer, now in central Iraq. ... Lagash (Akkadian lagaÅ¡) or Sirpurla (Sumerian Å IR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ... Umma was an ancient city in Sumer. ... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ... Sumer (or Å umer; Sumerian: KI-EN-GIR [1]) was the earliest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in lower Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in the late 3rd millennium BC. The term... Elam (Persian: تمدن ایلام) is one of the oldest recorded civilizations. ... Mari may refer to: Ethnic Mari El, a republic of Russian Federation Mari language, Finno-Ugric language Mari people, a Volga-Finnic people People Mari (composer), a video game music composer Mari (singer), a female vocalist Saint Mari, a Christian saint Other Mari (goddess), the main divinity of pre-Christian... Jarmut or Jarmuth (Anc. ... Azupiranu was a town in ancient Mesopotamia. ... Rimush was the second king of the Akkadian Empire. ... Tashultum (fl. ... Enheduanna (c. ... Rimush was the second king of the Akkadian Empire. ... Manishtushu, king of the Akkadian Empire. ... The Akkadian Empire usually refers to the Semitic speaking state that grew up around the city of Akkad north of Sumer, and reached its greatest extent under Sargon of Akkad. ... The Akkadian Empire usually refers to the Semitic speaking state that grew up around the city of Akkad north of Sumer, and reached its greatest extent under Sargon of Akkad. ... Laibum is mentioned in the Sumerian language Sargon legend as the father of Sargon of Akkad. ... American Kenpo Karate International was founded by Paul Mills. ... Akkadian (lišānum akkadÄ«tum) was a Semitic language (part of the greater Afro-Asiatic language family) spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly by the Assyrians and Babylonians. ... Lugal , Sumerian for king, from LÚ.GAL great man was a title for the ruler of a city-state (and later of the sumerian king), usually reigning alongside a priest (ensi). ... The Akkadian Empire usually refers to the Semitic speaking state that grew up around the city of Akkad north of Sumer, and reached its greatest extent under Sargon of Akkad. ... Sumer (or Å umer; Sumerian: KI-EN-GIR [1]) was the earliest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in lower Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in the late 3rd millennium BC. The term... For the Egyptian writer, see Abbas Al-Akkad. ... (Redirected from 2334 BC) (25th century BC - 24th century BC - 23rd century BC - other centuries) (4th millennium BC - 3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC) Events 2900 - 2334 BC -- Mesopotamian wars of the Early Dynastic period 2350 BC - End of the Early Dynastic IIIb Period in Mesopotamia 2334 - 2279 BC -- Sargon... (Redirected from 2279 BC) (24th century BC - 23rd century BC - 22nd century BC - other centuries) (4th millennium BC - 3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC) Events 2334 - 2279 BC (short chronology) Sargon of Akkads conquest of Mesopotamia 2217 - 2193 BC - Nomadic invasions of Akkad 2205 BC - Foundation of the Xia... The Chronology of the Ancient Orient deals with the notoriously difficult task of assigning years of the Common Era to various events, rulers and dynasties of the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. The chronology of this region is based on five sets of primary materials. ... Kish [kish] (Tall al-Uhaymir) was an ancient city of Sumer, now in central Iraq. ... Mesopotamia was a cradle of civilization geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq. ... Elam (Persian: تمدن ایلام) is one of the oldest recorded civilizations. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... This article is about two nested areas of Turkey, a plateau region within a peninsula. ... Arabia redirects here. ... For the Egyptian writer, see Abbas Al-Akkad. ... The Sumerian king list is an ancient text in the Sumerian language listing kings of Sumer from Sumerian and foreign dynasties. ... For the song River Euphrates by the Pixies, see Surfer Rosa. ... This article is about the political and historical term. ...

Origins and rise to power

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 father as La'ibum. After a lacuna, the text skips to Ur-Zababa, king of Kish, who awakens after a dream, the contents of which are not revealed on the surviving portion of the tablet. For unknown reasons, Ur-Zababa appoints Sargon as his cupbearer. Soon after this, Ur-Zababa invites Sargon to his chambers to discuss a dream of Sargon's, involving the favor of the goddess Inanna and the drowning of Ur-Zababa by the goddess. Deeply frightened, Ur-Zababa orders Sargon murdered by the hands of Beliš-tikal, the chief smith, but Inanna prevents it, demanding that Sargon stop at the gates because of his being "polluted with blood." When Sargon returns to Ur-Zababa, the king becomes frightened again, and decides to send Sargon to king Lugal-Zage-Si of Uruk with a message on a clay tablet asking him to slay Sargon.^[5] The legend breaks off at this point; presumably, the missing sections described how Sargon becomes king.^[6] Laibum is mentioned in the Sumerian language Sargon legend as the father of Sargon of Akkad. ... A lacuna is a gap in a manuscript, inscription, text, painting, or a musical work. ... The Sumerian king list is an ancient text in the Sumerian language listing kings of Sumer from Sumerian and foreign dynasties. ... Inanna was one of the most revered of goddesses among later Sumerian mythology. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ...

The Sumerian king list relates: "In Agade [Akkad], Sargon, whose father was a gardener,^[7] the cupbearer of Ur-Zababa, became king, the king of Agade, who built Agade; he ruled for 56 years."^[8] The claim that Sargon was the original founder of Akkad has come into question in recent years, with the discovery of an inscription mentioning the place and dated to the first year of Enshakushanna, who almost certainly preceded him.^[9] This claim of the king list had been the basis for earlier speculation by a number of scholars that Sargon was an inspiration for the Biblical figure of Nimrod.^[10] The so-called Weidner Chronicle states that it was Sargon who built Babylon "in front of Akkad."^[11][12] The Chronicle of Early Kings likewise states that late in his reign, Sargon "dug up the soil of the pit of Babylon, and made a counterpart of Babylon next to Agade."^[13][12] The Sumerian king list is an ancient text in the Sumerian language listing kings of Sumer from Sumerian and foreign dynasties. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Look up Nimrod in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Babylon (disambiguation). ...

A Neo-Assyrian text from the seventh century BC purporting to be Sargon's autobiography asserts that the great king was the illegitimate son of a priestess. In the Neo-Assyrian account Sargon's birth and his early childhood are described thus: Relief from Assyrian capital of Dur Sharrukin, showing transport of Lebanese cedar (8th century BC) In the earliest historical times, the term Assyria (Syriac:ܐܬܘܖ̈) referred to a region on the Upper Tigris river, named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur. ...

The image of Sargon as a castaway set adrift on a river resembles the better-known birth narrative of Moses. Scholars such as Joseph Campbell and Otto Rank have compared the 7th century BC Sargon account with the obscure births of other heroic figures from history and mythology, including Karna, Oedipus, Paris, Telephus, Semiramis, Perseus, Romulus, Gilgamesh, Cyrus, Jesus, and others.^[15] For other uses, see Ishtar (disambiguation). ... Moses with the Tablets, 1659, by Rembrandt This article is about the Biblical figure. ... For other uses, see Joseph Campbell (disambiguation). ... Otto Rank (April 22, 1884 – October 31, 1939) was an Austrian psychologist. ... Karna (Sanskrit: कर्ण written Karṇa in IAST transliteration) is one of the central figures in Hindu epic Mahabharata. ... For other uses, see Oedipus (disambiguation). ... See List of King Priams children Statue of Paris in the British Museum This article is about the prince of Troy. ... A Greek mythological figure, Telephus referred to two different people. ... Semiramis is depicted as an armed Amazon in this eighteenth century Italian illustration. ... Perseus with the head of Medusa, by Antonio Canova, completed 1801 (Vatican Museums) Perseus, Perseos, or Perseas (Greek: Περσεύς, Περσέως, Περσέας), the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty there, and was the hero who killed Medusa. ... Romulus may refer to any of these articles: Romulus is a mythical founder of Rome, brother of Remus. ... For other uses, see Gilgamesh (disambiguation). ... The name Cyrus (or Kourosh in Persian) may refer to: [[Cyrus I of Anshan]], King of Persia around 650 BC [[Cyrus II of Persia | Cyrus the Great]], King of Persia 559 BC - 529 BC — See also Cyrus in the Judeo-Christian tradition Cyrus the Younger, brother to the Persian king... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ...

Formation of the Akkadian Empire

The empire of Sargon, late 24th century BC.

After coming to power in Kish, Sargon soon attacked Uruk, which was ruled by Lugal-Zage-Si of Umma.^[16] He captured Uruk and dismantled its famous walls. The defenders seem to have fled the city, joining an army led by fifty ensis from the provinces. This Sumerian force fought two pitched battles against the Akkadians, as a result of which the remaining forces of Lugal-Zage-Si were routed.^[17] Lugal-Zage-Si himself was captured and brought to Nippur; Sargon inscribed on the pedestal of statue (preserved in a later tablet) that he brought Lugal-Zage-Si "in a dog collar to the gate of Enlil."^[18] Sargon pursued his enemies to Ur before moving eastwards to Lagash, to the Persian Gulf, and thence to Umma. He made a symbolic gesture of washing his weapons in the "lower sea" (Persian Gulf) to show that he had conquered Sumer in its entirety.^[19] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Umma was an ancient city in Sumer. ... ENSI is a Mesopotamian royal title in various Babylonian city states an abbreviation of Ensign ... For other uses, see Ur (disambiguation). ... Lagash (Akkadian lagaš) or Sirpurla (Sumerian ŠIR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ...

Ancient Mesopotamia
Euphrates · Tigris
Cities / Empires
Sumer: Uruk · Ur · Eridu
Kish · Lagash · Nippur
Akkadian Empire: Akkad
Babylon · Isin · Susa
Assyria: Assur · Nineveh
Dur-Sharrukin · Nimrud
Babylonia · Chaldea
Elam · Amorites
Hurrians · Mitanni
Kassites · Urartu
Chronology
Kings of Sumer
Kings of Assyria
Kings of Babylon
Language
Aramaic
Sumerian · Akkadian
Elamite · Hurrian
Mythology
Enûma Elish
Gilgamesh · Marduk

Another victory Sargon celebrated was over Kashtubila, king of Kazalla. According to one ancient source, Sargon laid the city of Kazalla to waste so effectively "that the birds could not find a place to perch away from the ground."^[20] Mesopotamia was a cradle of civilization geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq. ... Image File history File links Babylonlion. ... For the song River Euphrates by the Pixies, see Surfer Rosa. ... The Tigris is the eastern member of the pair of great rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of Anatolia through Iraq. ... Sumer (or Šumer; Sumerian: KI-EN-GIR [1]) was the earliest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in lower Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in the late 3rd millennium BC. The term... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ... For other uses, see Ur (disambiguation). ... Eridu (or Eridug) was an ancient city seven miles southwest of Ur . ... Kish [kish] (Tall al-Uhaymir) was an ancient city of Sumer, now in central Iraq. ... Lagash (Akkadian lagaš) or Sirpurla (Sumerian ŠIR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ... The city of Nippur (Sumerian Nibru, Akkadian Nibbur) (now it is in Afak town,Al Qadisyah Governorate) was one of the most ancient (some historians date it back to 5262 B.C. [1][2]) of all the Babylonian cities of which we have any knowledge, the special seat of the... The Akkadian Empire usually refers to the Semitic speaking state that grew up around the city of Akkad north of Sumer, and reached its greatest extent under Sargon of Akkad. ... For the Egyptian writer, see Abbas Al-Akkad. ... For other uses, see Babylon (disambiguation). ... An International Securities Identifying Number (ISIN) uniquely identifies a security. ... For other uses, see Susa (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Assyria (disambiguation). ... Assur (Assyrian: ܐܫܘܪ) also spelled Ashur, from Assyrian Aššur, was the capital of ancient Assyria. ... , For other uses, see Nineveh (disambiguation). ... Human-headed winged bull, found during Bottas excavation. ... Nimrud is an ancient Assyrian city located south of Nineveh on the river Tigris. ... Babylonia was a state in southern Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq, combining the territories of Sumer and Akkad. ... For other uses, see Chaldean. ... Elam (Persian: تمدن ایلام) is one of the oldest recorded civilizations. ... For the language, see Amorite language. ... For the history of the kingdom of Mitanni (1500–1300 BC), see Mitanni. ... Kingdom of Mitanni Mitanni (cuneiform KUR URUMi-it-ta-ni, also Mittani Mi-ta-an-ni, in Assyrian sources Hanigalbat, Khanigalbat cuneiform Ḫa-ni-gal-bat ) was a Hurrian kingdom in northern Mesopotamia from ca. ... // The Kassites were a Near-Eastern mountain tribe which migrated to the Zagros Mountains and Mesopotamia (present Doroud) in 3000 and 4000 BC.[1] They spoke a non-Indo-European, non-Semitic language. ... Urartu at its greatest extent 743 BC Urartu (Biainili in Urartian) was an ancient kingdom in the mountainous plateau between Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, and Caucasus mountains, later known as the Armenian Highland, and it centered around Lake Van (present-day eastern Turkey). ... The chronology of the Ancient Near East is a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties of the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. There are several competing models, including: The ultra-low chronology sets the fall of Babylon at the year 1499 BC and the reign of king... The Sumerian king list is an ancient text in the Sumerian language listing kings of Sumer from Sumerian and foreign dynasties. ... This page lists the Kings of Lamestia from the late sixties. ... The following is a list of the Kings of Babylon, a major city of ancient Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq. ... Aramaic is a Semitic language with a four-thousand year history. ... Sumerian ( native tongue) was the language of ancient Sumer, spoken in Southern Mesopotamia from at least the 4th millennium BCE. It was gradually replaced by Akkadian as a spoken language in the beginning of the 2nd millenium BCE, but continued to be used as a sacred, ceremonial, literary and scientific... Akkadian (lišānum akkadītum) was a Semitic language (part of the greater Afro-Asiatic language family) spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly by the Assyrians and Babylonians. ... Elamite is an extinct language, which was spoken by the ancient Elamites (also known as Ilamids). ... Hurrian is a conventional name for the language of the Hurrians (Khurrites), a people who entered northern Mesopotamia around 2300 BC and had mostly vanished by 1000 BC. Hurrian was the language of the Mitanni kingdom in northern Mesopotamia, and was likely spoken at least initially in Hurrian settlements in... Mesopotamian mythology is the collective name given to Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, and Babylonian mythologies from the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq. ... Enûma Eliš is the Babylonian creation epic. ... For other uses, see Gilgamesh (disambiguation). ... Marduk (Sumerian spelling in Akkadian: AMAR.UTU solar calf; Biblical: Merodach) was the Babylonian name of a late-generation god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon, who, when Babylon permanently became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time of Hammurabi (18th century... Kazalla is the name given in Akkadian sources to a possibly-legendary city in the ancient Near East. ...

To help limit the chance of revolt in Sumer he appointed a court of 5,400 men to "share his table" (i.e., to administer his empire).^[21] These 5,400 men may have constituted Sargon's army.^[22] The governors chosen by Sargon to administer the main city-states of Sumer were Akkadians, not Sumerians.^[23] The Semitic Akkadian language became the lingua franca, the official language of inscriptions in all Mesopotamia, and of great influence far beyond. Sargon's empire maintained trade and diplomatic contacts with kingdoms around the Arabian Sea and elsewhere in the Near East. Sargon's inscriptions report that ships from Magan, Meluhha, and Dilmun, among other places, rode at anchor in his capital of Agade.^[24] Sumer (or Šumer; Sumerian: KI-EN-GIR [1]) was the earliest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in lower Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in the late 3rd millennium BC. The term... 14th century BC diplomatic letter in Akkadian, found in Tell Amarna. ... Akkadian (lišānum akkadītum) was a Semitic language (part of the greater Afro-Asiatic language family) spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly by the Assyrians and Babylonians. ... Mesopotamia was a cradle of civilization geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq. ... The Arabian Sea (Arabic: بحر العرب; transliterated: Bahr al-Arab) is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui, the north-east point of Somalia... Magan was an ancient region which was referred to in Sumerian cuneiform texts of around 2300 BC as a source of copper and diorite for Mesopotamia. ... Meluhha refers to one of ancient Sumers prominent trading partners, but precisely which one remains an open question. ... Dilmun (sometimes transliterated Telmun) is associated with ancient sites on the islands of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. ...

The former religious institutions of Sumer, already well-known and emulated by the Semites, were respected. Sumerian remained, in large part, the language of religion and Sargon and his successors were patrons of the Sumerian cults. Enheduanna, the author of several Akkadian hymns who is identified as Sargon's daughter, was made priestess of Nanna, the moon-god of Ur. Sargon styled himself "anointed priest of Anu" and "great ensi of Enlil".^[25] Enheduanna (c. ... For other uses, see Hymn (disambiguation). ... Nanna may refer to: Nanna (Sumerian deity) (Suen), god of the moon in Sumerian mythology Nanna (Telugu) Father, Dad Nanna (Tamil deity), god of the moon in Tamil Nadu mythology Nanna (Norse deity), the wife of Baldr (Balder) in Norse mythology Nanna (music), a kind of Corsican music Rafi Khawar... In Sumerian mythology and later for Assyrians and Babylonians, Anu (also An; (from Sumerian *An = sky, heaven)) was a sky-god, the god of heaven, lord of constellations, king of gods, spirits and demons, and dwelt in the highest heavenly regions. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Wars in the northwest and east

Shortly after securing Sumer, Sargon embarked on a series of campaigns to subjugate the entire Fertile Crescent. According to the Chronicle of Early Kings, a later Babylonian historiographical text: This map shows the extent of the Fertile Crescent. ... Babylonia was an ancient state in Iraq), combining the territories of Sumer and Akkad. ...

Sargon captured Mari, Yarmuti and Ebla as far as the Cedar Forest (Amanus) and the silver mountain (Taurus). The Akkadian Empire secured trade routes and supplies of wood and precious metals could be safely and freely floated down the Euphrates to Akkad.^[26] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Jarmut or Jarmuth (Anc. ... Ebla is not to be confused with Elba. ... Motto: (Arabic) Nous sommes tous pour le pays, la sublimation et le drapeau!(French) We are all for the Country, the Sublime and the Flag! Anthem: Kulluna lil-watan lil ula lil-alam Capital (and largest city) Beirut Official languages Arabic, French Demonym Lebanese Government Republic  -  President NONE(Émile Lahoud... The Nur Mountains (Mountains of Holy Light) or Amonos Mountains, also known as the Gâvur Mountains and Amanus Mountains, are a mountain range to the east of Ä°skenderun, parallel to the Ä°skenderun Bay in southern Turkey. ... DirektaÅŸ, Yedi Göller (Seven Lakes), Ala DaÄŸlar. ... A trade route is a commonly used path of travel for those (e. ... A precious metal is a rare metallic element of high, durable economic value. ... For the song River Euphrates by the Pixies, see Surfer Rosa. ...

In the east, Sargon defeated an invasion by the four leaders of Elam, led by the king of Awan. Their cities were sacked; the governors, viceroys and kings of Susa, Barhashe, and neighboring districts became vassals of Akkad, and the Akkadian language made the official language of international discourse.^[27] During Sargon's reign Akkadian was standardized and adapted for use with the cuneiform script previously used in the Sumerian language. A style of calligraphy developed in which text on clay tablets and cylinder seals was arranged amidst scenes of mythology and ritual.^[28] Elam (Persian: تمدن ایلام) is one of the oldest recorded civilizations. ... The Awan Dynasty was the first dynasty of Elam, founded by king Peli at the dawn of history. ... For other uses, see Susa (disambiguation). ... Akkadian (lišānum akkadītum) was a Semitic language (part of the greater Afro-Asiatic language family) spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly by the Assyrians and Babylonians. ... Cuneiform redirects here. ... Sumerian ( native tongue) was the language of ancient Sumer, spoken in Southern Mesopotamia from at least the 4th millennium BCE. It was gradually replaced by Akkadian as a spoken language in the beginning of the 2nd millenium BCE, but continued to be used as a sacred, ceremonial, literary and scientific... Contemporary Western Calligraphy. ...

Later reign

The text known as Epic of the King of the Battle depicts Sargon advancing deep into the heart of Asia Minor to protect Akkadian and other Mesopotamian merchants from the exactions of the King of Burushanda (Purshahanda).^[29] The same text mentions that Sargon crossed the Sea of the West (Mediterranean Sea) and ended up in Kuppara.^[30] Anatolia (Greek: ανατολη anatole, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to... Aksaray is a city in Turkey located in Central Anatolia and capital of Aksaray Province. ... Mediterranean redirects here. ...

Famine and war threatened Sargon's empire during the latter years of his reign. The Chronicle of Early Kings reports that revolts broke out throughout the area under the last years of his overlordship:

Later literature proposes that the rebellions and other troubles of Sargon's latter reign were the result of sacrilegious acts committed by the king. Modern consensus is that the veracity of these claims are impossible to determine as disasters were virtually always attributed to sacrilege inspiring divine wrath in ancient Mesopotamian literature.^[32] The land of Subar (Sumerian Su-bir4/Subar/Šubur) or Subartu (Akkadian Šubartum/Subartum/ina Šú-ba-ri, Assyrian mât Šubarri) was situated at the Tigris, north of Babylonia. ... For other uses, see Babylon (disambiguation). ... Marduk (Sumerian spelling in Akkadian: AMAR.UTU solar calf; Biblical: Merodach) was the Babylonian name of a late-generation god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon, who, when Babylon permanently became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time of Hammurabi (18th century...

Legacy

Stele of Naram-Sin, Sargon's grandson, celebrating his victory against the Lullubi from Zagros.

Sargon died, according to the short chronology, around 2279 BC. His empire immediately revolted upon hearing of the king's death. Most of the revolts were put down by his son and successor Rimush, who reigned for nine years and was followed by another of Sargon's sons, Manishtushu (who reigned for 15 years).^[33] Sargon was regarded as a model by Mesopotamian kings for some two millennia after his death. The Assyrian and Babylonian kings who based their empires in Mesopotamia saw themselves as the heirs of Sargon's empire. Kings such as Nabonidus (r. 556–539 BC) showed great interest in the history of the Sargonid dynasty, and even conducted excavations of Sargon's palaces and those of his successors.^[34] Indeed, such later rulers may have been inspired by the king's conquests to embark on their own campaigns throughout the Middle East. The Neo-Assyrian Sargon text challenges his successors thus: Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 660 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1560 × 1418 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 660 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1560 × 1418 pixel, file size: 1. ... ... The Lullubi were an ancient group of tribes that inhabited the Sharazor plain in Iraqi and Iranian Kurdistan in the Zagros Mountains of Western Iran and northern Iraq. ... The Zagros Mountains (In Persian:رشته‌کوه‌های زاگرس) make up Irans second largest mountain range. ... Rimush. ... Manishtushu, king of the Akkadian Empire. ... Nabonidus (Akkadian Nabû-nāʾid) was the last King of Babylon, who ruled the Neo-Babylonian Empire from 556 BC to 539 BC. His reign was characterized by his lack of interest in the politics and religion of his kingdom, preferring instead to study the older temples and antiquities in...

Another source attributed to Sargon the challenge "now, any king who wants to call himself my equal, wherever I went [conquered], let him go."^[36] Stories of Sargon's power and that of his empire may have influenced the body of folklore that was later incorporated into the Bible. A number of scholars have speculated that Sargon may have been the inspiration for the biblical figure of Nimrod, who figures prominently in the Book of Genesis as well as in midrashic and Talmudic literature.^[37] The Bible credits Nimrod with the building of Akkad, among other cities.^[38] Dilmun (sometimes transliterated Telmun) is associated with ancient sites on the islands of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... Look up Nimrod in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Genesis (Greek: Γένεσις, having the meanings of birth, creation, cause, beginning, source and origin) is the first book of the Torah (five books of Moses) and hence the first book of the Tanakh, part of the Hebrew Bible; it is also the first book of the Christian Old Testament. ... Midrash (Hebrew: מדרש; plural midrashim) is a Hebrew word referring to a method of exegesis of a Biblical text. ... The Talmud (Hebrew: ) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. ...

Family

Chart of the Royal House of Akkad.

The name of Sargon's primary wife Tashlultum and those of a number of his children are known to us. His daughter Enheduanna, who flourished during the late 24th and early 23rd centuries BC, was a priestess who composed ritual hymns.^[39] Many of her works, including her Exaltation of Inanna, were in use for centuries thereafter.^[40] Sargon was succeeded by his son, Rimush; after Rimush's death another son, Manishtushu, became king. Two other sons, Shu-Enlil (Ibarum) and Ilaba'is-takal (Abaish-Takal), are known.^[41] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (960 × 720 pixel, file size: 69 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Self made using Powerpoint I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (960 × 720 pixel, file size: 69 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Self made using Powerpoint I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of... Tashultum (fl. ... Enheduanna (c. ... Inanna was one of the most revered of goddesses among later Sumerian mythology. ... Rimush was the second king of the Akkadian Empire. ... Manishtushu, king of the Akkadian Empire. ... Shu-Enlil (also known as Ibarum) was a son of Sargon the Great, first ruler of the Akkadian Empire. ... Ilabais-takal was a son of Sargon the Great, first ruler of the Akkadian Empire. ...

See also

• Akkadian Empire
• Akkadians
• Elam
• History of Sumer
• Lugal

The Akkadian Empire usually refers to the Semitic speaking state that grew up around the city of Akkad north of Sumer, and reached its greatest extent under Sargon of Akkad. ... Akkad (or Agade) was a city and its region of northern Iraq) between Assyria to the northwest and Sumer to the south. ... Elam (Persian: تمدن ایلام) is one of the oldest recorded civilizations. ... The history of Sumer, taken to include the prehistoric Ubaid and Uruk periods, spans the 5th to 3rd millennia BC, ending with the downfall of the Third Dynasty of Ur around 2004 BC, followed by a transition period of Amorite states before the rise of Babylonia in the 18th century... LUGAL, Sumerian for great man, has different uses : a title for the ruler of a city-state (and later of the sumerian king), usually reigning alongside a priest. ...

References

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• Alotte De La Fuye, M. Documents présargoniques, Paris, 1908–20.
• Biggs, R.D. Inscriptions from Tell Abu Salabikh, Chicago, 1974.
• Beaulieu, Paul-Alain, et al. A Companion to the Ancient near East. Blackwell, 2005.
• Botsforth, George W., ed. "The Reign of Sargon". A Source-Book of Ancient History. New York: Macmillan, 1912.
• Cooper, Jerrold S. and Wolfgang Heimpel. "The Sumerian Sargon Legend." Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 103, No. 1, (Jan.-Mar. 1983).
• Dalley, Stephanie Mary. "Sargon." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online, which cites to:

• Gadd, C.J. "The Dynasty of Agade and the Gutian Invasion." Cambridge Ancient History, rev. ed., vol. 1, ch. 19. Cambridge Univ. Press, 1963.

• Deimel, A. Die Inschriften von Fara, Leipzig, 1922–24.
• Diakonov, Igor, 'On the area and population of the Sumerian city-State', VDI (1950), 2, pp. 77–93.
• Frankfort, H. 'Town planning in ancient Mesopotamia', Town Planning Review, 21 (1950), p 104.
• Frayne, Douglas R. "Sargonic and Gutian Period." The Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia, Vol. 2. Univ. of Toronto Press, 1993.
• Grayson, Albert Kirk. Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles. J. J. Augustin, 1975; Eisenbrauns, 2000.
• Hallo, W. and J. J. A. Van Dijk. The Exaltation of Inanna. Yale Univ. Press, 1968.
• Jestin, R. Tablettes Sumériennes de Shuruppak, Paris, 1937.
• King, L. W., Chronicles Concerning Early Babylonian Kings, II, London, 1907, pp.3ff; 87–96.
• Kramer, S. Noah. History Begins at Sumer: Thirty-Nine "Firsts" in Recorded History. Univ. of Pennsylvania Press, 1981.
• Kramer, S. Noah. The Sumerians: Their History, Culture and Character, Chicago, 1963.
• Levin, Yigal. "Nimrod the Mighty, King of Kish, King of Sumer and Akkad." Vetus Testementum 52 (2002).
• Lewis, Brian. The Sargon Legend: A Study of the Akkadian Text and the Tale of the Hero Who Was Exposed at Birth. American Schools of Oriental Research Dissertation Series, No. 4. Cambridge, MA: American Schools of Oriental Research, 1984.
• Luckenbill, D. D., On the Opening Lines of the Legend of Sargon, The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures (1917).
• MacKenzie, Donald A. Myths of Babylonia and Assyria. Gresham, 1900.
• Nougayrol, J. Revue Archeologique, XLV (1951), pp. 169 ff.
• Oates, John. Babylon. London: Thames and Hudson, 1979.
• Oppenheim, A. Leo (translator). Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, 3d ed. James B. Pritchard, ed. Princeton: University Press, 1969.
• Parrot, A. Mari, Capitale Fabuleuse, Paris, 1974.
• Parrot, A. Le temple d'Ishtar, Paris, 1956.
• Parrot, A. Les temples d'Ishtarat et de Ninni-zaza, Paris, 1967.
• Poplicha, Joseph. "The Biblical Nimrod and the Kingdom of Eanna." Journal of the American Oriental Society Vol. 49 (1929), pp. 303–317.
• Postgate, Nichol. Early Mesopotamia: Society and Economy at the Dawn of History. Routledge, 1994.
• Rank, Otto. The Myth of the Birth of the Hero. Vintage Books: New York, 1932.
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• Schomp, Virginia . Ancient Mesopotamia. Franklin Watts, 2005.
• Strange, John. "Caphtor/Keftiu: A New Investigation." Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 102, No. 2 (Apr. - Jun., 1982), pp. 395–396
• Sollberger, E. Corpus des Inscriptions 'Royales' Présargoniques de Lagash, Paris, 1956.
• Van der Mieroop, Marc. A History of the Ancient Near East: ca. 3000-323 BC. Blackwell, 2006.
• Van der Mieroop, Marc. Cuneiform Texts and the Writing of History Routledge, 1999.
• Vandersleyen, Claude. "Keftiu: A Cautionary Note." Oxford Journal of Archaeology. Vol. 22 Issue 2 Page 209 (2003).
• Wainright, G.A. "Asiatic Keftiu." American Journal of Archaeology. Vol. 56, No. 4 (Oct., 1952), pp. 196–212.

Igor Mikhailovich Diakonov (Russian: ) (born December 30, 1914 in Petrograd) is a Russian historian who should be ranked among the greatest authorities on Ancient East and its languages. ... Leonard William King (08 December 1869–20 August 1919) was an English archaeologist and Assyriologist educated at Rugby School and Kings College in Cambridge. ... La Revue Archéologique, published in Paris is one of the oldest, longest-running scientific journals. ... Otto Rank (April 22, 1884 – October 31, 1939) was an Austrian psychologist. ...

Notes

The Sumerian king list is an ancient text in the Sumerian language listing kings of Sumer from Sumerian and foreign dynasties. ... Sippara (Zimbir in Sumerian, Sippar in Assyro-Babylonian) was an ancient Babylonian city on the east bank of the Euphrates, north of Babylon. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... For other uses, see Bellerophon (disambiguation). ... Norse, Viking or Scandinavian mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian peoples, including those who settled on Iceland, where most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... Hamlet is a striking figure in Scandinavian romance and the hero of Shakespeares tragedy, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... For other uses, see Hamlet (disambiguation). ... Thorkild Jacobsen (Danish pronunciation: [yahkobsen]) was a renowned historian specializing in Assyriology and Sumerian literature. ... This article is about the second book in the Torah. ... For other uses, see Pharaoh (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ur (disambiguation). ... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ... The city of Nippur (Sumerian Nibru, Akkadian Nibbur) (now it is in Afak town,Al Qadisyah Governorate) was one of the most ancient (some historians date it back to 5262 B.C. [1][2]) of all the Babylonian cities of which we have any knowledge, the special seat of the... Lagash (Akkadian lagaš) or Sirpurla (Sumerian ŠIR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ... EA 161, letter by Aziru, leader of Amurru, (stating his case to pharaoh), one of the Amarna letters in cuneiform writing on a clay tablet. ... Amarna The site of Amarna (commonly known as el-Amarna or incorrectly as Tel el-Amarna; see below) (Arabic: العمارنة al-‘amārnä) is located on the east bank of the Nile River in the modern Egyptian province of al-Minya, some 58 km (38 miles) south of the city of... Hittite is the extinct language once spoken by the Hittites, a people who created an empire centered on ancient Hattusas (modern Boğazkale) in north-central Anatolia (modern Turkey). ... Hurrian is a conventional name for the language of the Hurrians (Khurrites), a people who entered northern Mesopotamia around 2300 BC and had mostly vanished by 1000 BC. Hurrian was the language of the Mitanni kingdom in northern Mesopotamia, and was likely spoken at least initially in Hurrian settlements in... Caphtor is the land of the Biblical Caphtorim (Egyptian Keftiu, Mari Kaptara). ...

External links

• Neo-Assyrian Sargon legend
• Black, J.A., Cunningham, G., Fluckiger-Hawker, E, Robson, E., and Zólyomi, G., "The Sargon legend: translation." The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, Oxford 1998. [1]
• "Sargon did he exist?"
• Sargon and the Vanishing Sumerians
• Lexicorient article on Sargon