From the article archive
Writing Practice, Dec. 3rd 2001
The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate
Part Four: The Lion Rides Forth
By the 4th millennium BAF the majority of Sumerians were, in fact, of Semite stock. Over the centuries a number of Semite tribes had migrated out of the land of Yarbay (Arabia) seeking their fortunes. At first those of Sumerian "blood" maintained control, but by the end of the 4th millennium more and more city officials were descended from the various Semitic immigrants. It was during this time that some Sumerian cities tried conquering the whole of the Mesopotamian valley, most notable Lagash, Uruk, and Ur. None succeeded.
The first Mesopotamian city to do this wasn't even Sumerian. The Akkadians were a North Semite tribe, pastoralists when the first Sumerians arrived in their part of the world. The city of Akkad -from which the Akkadians took their name- was originally a Sumerian trading post about halfway up the Euphrates River. In the 4th millennium BAF the Akkadians themselves took control of the city, going so far as to name an Akkadian governor. Around the year 3500 BAF an Akkadian governor by the name of Sargon decided he would be governor of more than a city.
There are many legends about the life of Sargon of Akkad. Set adrift in a reed boats upon the great Euphrates as an infant. Signs and portents attending his birth. The usual mythic crap. What is known is that he was a tribal leader, and a competent city governor. The first sign of his coming greatness was the manner in which he forged alliances with other Semitic cities, and even got the support of the Sumerians in the region.
At this time Lagash and Uruk were involved in a great struggle concerning just who would conquer Mesopotamia. Both were exhausted. Ur was laying low, waiting for the day when she could take up arms and teach both the interlopers a long delayed lesson.
The Akkadian onslaught took everybody by surprise. First Lagash, then Uruk. Faced with the combined might of Akkad and her conquered cities Ur surrendered. She could see no alternative.
With the central and southern portions of Mesopotamia in his hands, Sargon turned east. In 10 years of bloody fighting the Akkadian did what no one before him could, he conquered the land of Elam. These wild cousins of the Sumerians found themselves under the rule of another. Never again would they threaten the lowlands as they had before. Indeed, so badly was their strength broken they would be displaced by other mountain peoples and forced to migrate into Mesopotamia. Mere centuries after the fall of the Akkadian Empire Elam would cease to exist.
With his base established, and his eastern borders secured, Sargon of Akkad turned to the north. Here were scattered settlements and cities, in a sea of nomads. One day these nomads would be known as Amorites, Babylonians, and Assyrians, but for now they were nomads, taking their herds from pasture to pasture. By 3470 BAF the Akkadians had established their rule as far north as the southern edge of the mountains of Anatolia.
The Akkadians now turned west, to the rich lands of the highlands and plateaus beyond the valley of the twin rivers. By 3460 BAF Akkadian forces had established hegemony over the land we know call The Fertile Crescent, and reached the Mare Librum (Eastern Mediterranean). Sargon of Akkad had created the world's first true empire.
He ruled the mightiest nation the world had ever known. A kingdom that included dozens of different peoples, dozens of different languages. It is said that one could walk from Elam to Canaan without seeing a single border, or paying a single tariff. Under Sargon trade flowed as never before, and learning flourished under Akkadian rule. Then Sargon, Lord of Akkad, Conquerer of the World, the first emperor, died.
According to every account from the time, he died in his sleep. A peaceful demise for the man who invented conquest. No curse, no malediction from a demon. The only possible explanation is a slight fever, but he had recovered from those before. He was only 60 when he died, much too young.
Before his death he had learned of the land of Ægypt, the land of Pharoah. He had heard of its great wealth and power, of the mighty Pyramids, so like the Sumerian ziggurats. He had resolved to conquer Ægypt, adding its might and glory to Akkad's. With his death those plans were put aside. His sons would attend to the conquest of the land of the red men, when certain difficulties were taken care of.
Less then a century after Sargon of Akkad died his empire was gone. The city of Akkad itself was destroyed utterly. By the 3rd millennium BAF no one even knew where the first imperial city had once stood.
But a fundamental change had occured. The idea that different people could live under a single ruler. That a land could cover literally millions of square miles of territory had taken hold. Numerous cities would try to reestablish the Empire of Akkad, and fail. Until one city arose to take Akkad's place. The city of Babylon.
*******
Coming up: Babylon is established, and the Amorites get ambitious. Plus Pharoah learns of Ægypt's near demise at the hand of the Akkadians. And a short look at why Ærth has no Jews. Till then
Alan
Part Four: The Lion Rides Forth
By the 4th millennium BAF the majority of Sumerians were, in fact, of Semite stock. Over the centuries a number of Semite tribes had migrated out of the land of Yarbay (Arabia) seeking their fortunes. At first those of Sumerian "blood" maintained control, but by the end of the 4th millennium more and more city officials were descended from the various Semitic immigrants. It was during this time that some Sumerian cities tried conquering the whole of the Mesopotamian valley, most notable Lagash, Uruk, and Ur. None succeeded.
The first Mesopotamian city to do this wasn't even Sumerian. The Akkadians were a North Semite tribe, pastoralists when the first Sumerians arrived in their part of the world. The city of Akkad -from which the Akkadians took their name- was originally a Sumerian trading post about halfway up the Euphrates River. In the 4th millennium BAF the Akkadians themselves took control of the city, going so far as to name an Akkadian governor. Around the year 3500 BAF an Akkadian governor by the name of Sargon decided he would be governor of more than a city.
There are many legends about the life of Sargon of Akkad. Set adrift in a reed boats upon the great Euphrates as an infant. Signs and portents attending his birth. The usual mythic crap. What is known is that he was a tribal leader, and a competent city governor. The first sign of his coming greatness was the manner in which he forged alliances with other Semitic cities, and even got the support of the Sumerians in the region.
At this time Lagash and Uruk were involved in a great struggle concerning just who would conquer Mesopotamia. Both were exhausted. Ur was laying low, waiting for the day when she could take up arms and teach both the interlopers a long delayed lesson.
The Akkadian onslaught took everybody by surprise. First Lagash, then Uruk. Faced with the combined might of Akkad and her conquered cities Ur surrendered. She could see no alternative.
With the central and southern portions of Mesopotamia in his hands, Sargon turned east. In 10 years of bloody fighting the Akkadian did what no one before him could, he conquered the land of Elam. These wild cousins of the Sumerians found themselves under the rule of another. Never again would they threaten the lowlands as they had before. Indeed, so badly was their strength broken they would be displaced by other mountain peoples and forced to migrate into Mesopotamia. Mere centuries after the fall of the Akkadian Empire Elam would cease to exist.
With his base established, and his eastern borders secured, Sargon of Akkad turned to the north. Here were scattered settlements and cities, in a sea of nomads. One day these nomads would be known as Amorites, Babylonians, and Assyrians, but for now they were nomads, taking their herds from pasture to pasture. By 3470 BAF the Akkadians had established their rule as far north as the southern edge of the mountains of Anatolia.
The Akkadians now turned west, to the rich lands of the highlands and plateaus beyond the valley of the twin rivers. By 3460 BAF Akkadian forces had established hegemony over the land we know call The Fertile Crescent, and reached the Mare Librum (Eastern Mediterranean). Sargon of Akkad had created the world's first true empire.
He ruled the mightiest nation the world had ever known. A kingdom that included dozens of different peoples, dozens of different languages. It is said that one could walk from Elam to Canaan without seeing a single border, or paying a single tariff. Under Sargon trade flowed as never before, and learning flourished under Akkadian rule. Then Sargon, Lord of Akkad, Conquerer of the World, the first emperor, died.
According to every account from the time, he died in his sleep. A peaceful demise for the man who invented conquest. No curse, no malediction from a demon. The only possible explanation is a slight fever, but he had recovered from those before. He was only 60 when he died, much too young.
Before his death he had learned of the land of Ægypt, the land of Pharoah. He had heard of its great wealth and power, of the mighty Pyramids, so like the Sumerian ziggurats. He had resolved to conquer Ægypt, adding its might and glory to Akkad's. With his death those plans were put aside. His sons would attend to the conquest of the land of the red men, when certain difficulties were taken care of.
Less then a century after Sargon of Akkad died his empire was gone. The city of Akkad itself was destroyed utterly. By the 3rd millennium BAF no one even knew where the first imperial city had once stood.
But a fundamental change had occured. The idea that different people could live under a single ruler. That a land could cover literally millions of square miles of territory had taken hold. Numerous cities would try to reestablish the Empire of Akkad, and fail. Until one city arose to take Akkad's place. The city of Babylon.
*******
Coming up: Babylon is established, and the Amorites get ambitious. Plus Pharoah learns of Ægypt's near demise at the hand of the Akkadians. And a short look at why Ærth has no Jews. Till then
Alan
Recovered from the Gaming Outpost database backup. Original wording is preserved; damaged punctuation and presentation markup have been repaired. Historical links without a local match point to the Internet Archive.