Bronze Age
Kingdom of Elam
2700 BC – 539 BC · peak 1200 BC
Elam was an ancient civilization located in southwestern Iran (c. 2700–539 BC), with its primary capitals at Susa and Anshan. Known for its distinct Elamite language and the Chogha Zanbil ziggurat, it was a persistent rival to Mesopotamian powers like Akkad and Babylon. The state was eventually dismantled by the Assyrian Empire and later absorbed into the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
Capital: Susa
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)