1. The Great Kings of Mesopotamia
***Fill in your chart as we go along! ***
The Great Kings of Mesopotamia

2. Gilgamesh Legendary first King of Mesopotamia, 2700 BC.
The Fifth King of the Sumerian city of Uruk;
Had the first walled city in Mesopotamia built.
Became the HERO of many legends.
He became known as a Demigod with superhuman strength
He builds the city walls of Uruk to defend his people and travels to meet the sage Utnapishtim, who survived the Great Flood.
This Epic is the precursor to the story of Noah’s Ark

3. Sargon the Great Reigned 2334 - 2279 BC
Sargon would rise to conquer all Mesopotamia
Founded the world's first empire, the Akkadian Empire by conquering many of the Sumerian city-states
United them under one rule.
His grandson Naram-Sin (reigned BC) was the first Mesopotamian ruler to claim to be a God.

4. Hammurabi Ruled in Babylon, 1792 - 1750 BC.
Founded the Babylonian Empire
Created 1st written code of laws inscribed on a six-feet high stone tablet, posted in a public area.
Code was written in the local language Akkadian so any literate person could read it.
Some new concepts in the code:
More just than previous legal systems.
An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.
Resumed innocent until proven guilty.
Accused can provide evidence.

5. Muwatalli II Ruled 1295–1272 BCE Founded the Hittite Empire
Fought the Egyptians under Ramses II to a standstill at the Battle of Kadesh
The Hittites were also famous for their skill in building and using chariots.
The Hittites were pioneers of the Iron Age, manufacturing iron artifacts from as early as the 14th century BC…
Possibly even the FIRST to do this!
Also important because they passed much of their knowledge onto the Greeks

6. Nebuchadnezzar II c 634 - 562 BC
Expanded the Babylonian Empire conquering Judah and Jerusalem.
He also built the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar is mentioned several times in the Bible as he sent the Jews into exile after conquering them.
Tied to Biblical story of Exodus
FUN FACT! During his reign, Nebuchadnezzar loses his sanity and lives in the wild like an animal for "seven times" (usually thought to be seven years)
Nebuchadnezzar was seen as a strong, conquering force in Islamic texts and historical compilations