Sargon of Akkad

(reigned ca. 2340-2284 b.c.)

   The founder of the Akkadian dynasty of rulers and the Akkadian Empire, the first major imperial realm to rise in Mesopotamia. A number of later Mesopotamian accounts of Sargon and his exploits have survived. Unfortunately, most of these were written long after he died and portray him in legendary terms. He was said to have had a mysterious or miraculous birth, for instance, and to have survived as a baby in a basket on the river, the same way the Hebrew prophet Moses did in Egypt, as told in the Bible. In fact, some scholars think that the story of Moses's early experiences was inspired by the tale of the young Sargon.

   Sargon's exploits as an adult are somewhat better documented. It seems that he began his political career as a courtier to the king of the Sumerian city of Kish. Somehow Sargon became a military general and defeated Lugalzagesi, who had recently taken control of most of Sumeria after capturing the cities of Uruk and La-gash. Thereafter, Sargon expanded his power and conquered northern Mesopotamia as well as Elam and Mari, making the town of Akkad, perhaps where he was born, his home base. Thus, he became the first Mesopotamian ruler to create a realm that combined both Sumeria (southern Mesopotamia) and Akkad (northern Mesopotamia). Sargon was also noted for his promotion of Akkadian, a Semitic tongue, to be used along with Sumerian throughout the region. His immediate successors maintained the empire he had created, with mixed success, for almost two centuries.

   See also: Akkadian Empire; Elam; Mari