sumerian empire

5,000 BC
Mesopotamia
Mesopatamia
Goran tek-en, via Wikimedia Commons

The Sumer populated Mesopatamia, between the Euphrates and the Tigris, with small towns and villages and with the use of irrigation were the first known people to start farming.

 

3,500 BC
Mesopatamia
Out of the Sea
Image courtesy of David Stanley, via Wikimedia Commons

It is not known where the first Sumarians came from, however legend has it that they walked out of the sea. Which is why Southern Mesopatania flourished under their rule.

3,300 BC
Sumerians
First Writing
Image courtesy of Paul Hudson, via Wikimedia Commons

The Sumerians introduced the first known written lanaguage, now referred to as cuneiform. This was presumably introduced for trade purposes and in 3,200 BC started using the wheel, presumably for the same purpose. Mathematics followed around 3,000 BC, with a base 60 system, still used today.

3,000 BC
Sumarians
Etana of Kish
image courtesy of Zunkir, via Wikimedia Commons

The Southern cities of Eridu, Nippur, Lagash, Uruk, Kish and Ur grew and Etana of Kish was the first to unify them into an empire.

2,700
Sumerian
Gilgamesh
Royal Museums of Art and History, via Wikimedia Commons

Gilgamesh took his reign from Lugalbanda and became notorious, with legends being written about him. For a long while there was a theory that Gilgamesh didn't exist, however, after the US toppled Saddam in Iraq, Gilgamesh tomb was found and it is said that the US took all evidence of it's existance away with them. 

2,334 BC
Akkadians
The Akkadians
Image courtesy of Erinthecute, via Wikimedia Commons

King Lugalzagesi, of Umma fell to the Akkadian leader Sargon of Akkad. It was during that Akkadian's reign that the 4.2 kiloyear event occurred, which causeed the land of Mesopotamia to dry up.

Click here for the Akkadian Timeline

2,220 BC
Gutians
Gutti
image courtesy of Fulvio314, via Wikimedia Commons

After the decline of the Akkadians, the nomadic Gutti saw there chance to take control and took Akkad burning it. The Guttians survived the unrest for the next century.

Click here for the Gitian timeline

2,120 BC
Sumarians
Sumarian return
image curtosy of Hardnfast, via Wikimedia Commons 

Ur-Namma, from the city of Ur brought the Sumerians back to power after Ytu-hengal defeated the Gutians. Ur-Namma became laws were written and currency was made. However, after Ur-Namma's death, the Martu, Elamites and Amorites started raiding cities.

2,004 BC
Amorites
Elamites & Amorites
Delaporte, via Wikimedia Commonsedia Commons

Ibbi-Sin reigned from 2028 BC and after seeing their last fertile land raided by the Martu, the Elamites and the Amorites defeated Ibbi-Sin at the city of Ur, ending the Sumerian Empire.

Click here for the Elamite Timeline

Click here for the Amorites

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