Bronze Age
Akkadian / Babylonian Empire
2334 BC – 539 BC · peak 2300 BC
Founded by Sargon of Akkad c. 2334 BC, the Akkadian Empire was the first multi-ethnic territorial state in Mesopotamia, centered at the city of Akkad. It unified Sumerian and Semitic speakers under a central administration and reached its zenith under Naram-Sin. The empire collapsed c. 2154 BC due to internal instability, Gutian invasions, and severe drought.
Capital: Akkad / Babylon
Key figures
Battles in this period
Trade routes in use
- Amber Road (1500 BC – 500 AD)
- Incense Route (1000 BC – 400 AD)
- Phoenician Mediterranean Routes (1100 BC – 300 BC)