MMW 11 Chapter Gilgamesh, Empires: Fall 2016 - MMW 11 Reading Assignment for Lecture 10

• School: UCSD
• Department: Making of the Modern World
• Course: MMW 11
• Professor: David Jordan

Document Summary

First empires: 2334 bc akkad was main center for mesopotamian society, city-states developed in akkad during early dynastic period due to high populations, sumerian and akkadians differed in ethnicity and language. ~2334 bc sargon became king od kish (northern sumerian city) Cast away as a baby from royal priestess, raised by royal gardener. Became king by winning love of ishtar, goddess of sex and war. Overthrew lugalzagesi of umma and took over sumeria and lands extending from persian gulf to mediterranean. Grandson naram-sin extended the empire further, but since it was difficult to defend all of this territory, the sargon empire fell apart around 2193 bc: rise of ur. Ur-nammu (first king of the third dynasty of ur) won power struggle to success. His reign saw construction of ziggurats (high temple platforms akin to pyramids) Empire collapsed from same pro(cid:271)le(cid:373)s argo(cid:374)"s fa(cid:272)ed i(cid:374) (cid:1006)(cid:1004)(cid:1004)(cid:1008) bc. Marked the end of sumerian culture and politics.