The First Empires Chapter 3 Section 2

The Conquest of Sumer As the independent city-states of Sumer grew in size, power, and wealth, they often came into conflict. Strong rulers conquered the whole region, creating the world’s first empires. An empire is a state containing several countries or territories. Years of frequent fighting made Sumerian city-states grow weaker. This eventually led to the conquest of Sumer.

Conflict in Sumer The fighting between the city-states of Umma and Lagash ended with a major battle between the two. Umma and Lagash used to be allies that fought to control a fertile region between their borders. An ally is an independent state that works with other states to achieve a shared military or political goal. Lagash won the battle and it took many years before Umma would recover. Eventually the king of Umma defeated Lagash, but his rule would not last long.

Sargon Builds an Empire A new society arose in Mesopotamia while the Sumerian city-states struggled for power. The Akkadians were not related to the Sumerians. They had their own language and lived in the northwest of Sumer. Sargon was a king of the city-state of Kish. He changed the language to Akkadian, and conquered other city-states to unite them under his rule and creating the first empire: The Akkadian Empire.

Akkadian Culture The Akkadians and Sumerians shared some culture traits. A culture trait is an idea or way of doing things that is common in a certain culture. The Akkadians and Sumerians had similar religious practices, and both societies used the cuneiform system of writing. The blended culture of Akkadian and Sumerian spread throughout the region. King Sargon’s troops moved throughout the Fertile Crescent spreading their culture traits. Trading with faraway people also spread their culture.

The Akkadian Empire Ends King Sargon controlled the Akkadian Empire for 50 years, yet after his death the empire faced a lot of rebellions and invasions. Within 100 years, the empire had collapsed. Warriors from the Zagros Mountains, east of the Tigris, took control of the region. The city-state of Ur took over Sumer after the fall of the Akkadians. An uprising eventually destroyed Ur and the rebels captured their ruler.

The Babylonian Empire After the destruction of Ur, many groups invaded Sumer. One of those groups were the Amorites, who took control of many Sumerian cities like Babylon. Babylon was a small, unimportant city when it was conquered. It was located on the Euphrates River. Under a king named Hammurabi, Babylon became the center of the new Mesopotamian Empire.

The Empire Forms Hammurabi became king of Babylon and for 30 years he built up his army and then launched a series of attacks against other Mesopotamian city-states. He was able to unite southern Mesopotamia into the empire that would be known as Babylonia. Hammurabi was an excellent military leader and created a strong government. He appointed governors, tax collectors, and judges to rule distant cities. He also encouraged trade.

Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi is best known for his creation of Hammurabi’s Code, a set of laws that governed life in the Babylonian Empire. Many of these laws already existed since the rule of the Sumerians, but Hammurabi wanted to make sure everyone in Babylonia knew the laws they were expected to live by. Hammurabi’s Code includes nearly 300 laws. Some of these laws have to do with crimes such as robbery and murder. Hammurabi’s Code set out specific punishments for these crimes.

Hammurabi’s Code Although some of the punishments may sound cruel by modern standards, they did encourage social order. Other laws in Hammurabi’s Code dealt with private matters such as business contracts, taxes, marriage, and divorce. Many of these laws treated various groups of people differently. The penalty for harming someone of the same rank in society was greater than harming someone of lower rank, such as a slave.

Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi’s Code was the first major attempt to organize and write down all the laws that governed a society. It established and enforced the rule of law, or the idea that all members of a society, even the rich and powerful, must obey the law. This idea is a key part of modern democratic principles.

Daily Life in Babylonia Most people’s lives revolved around agriculture. Food had to be grown and distributed. Irrigation canals had to be kept clear of silt. Wool had to collected and woven into textiles, or cloth. In the cities, some people bought and sold goods. They used new technologies to make tools, weapons, pottery, perfumes, and medicines. Babylonian artists were known for their stone and bronze sculptures. They also used gold and precious stones to make jewelry.

Legacy of Sumer Sumerian culture stayed alive in Babylonia, just as it had in the Akkadian empire under Sargon. Despite Hammurabi’s efforts to build a strong government, the Babylonian empire eventually collapsed after his death. In the years that followed Hammurabi’s death, the once-great civilization of Sumer slowly faded away.

Legacy of Sumer Sumer’s influence did not disappear. Many people who had come in contact with Sumerians brought those ideas back to their homelands. Sumerian advancements in farming, technology, writing learning, and the law lived on.