Ancient Mesopotamia-The Akkadians
What is known and accepted as the first empire in history goes to the Akkadian Empire, which seems to be founded by Sargon the Great, also known as Sargon of Akkad. From what I understand is that the Akkadian Empire was founded around 2334 B.C.-2279 B.C. and ended around 2083 B.C. when the Akkadian empire fell to the Gutians. What I find interesting about the Akkadian empire is that the earliest known usages of the term Anunnaki were first used in the Akkadian Empire. It is also mentioned during the reign of Gudea, which is estimated around 2144-2124 B.C., and the Third Dynasty of Ur.
Interestingly, Sargon the Great has a very similar story about his birth, just like the biblical Moses. Supposedly, Sargon was born from a priestess or a low-class woman (depending on where you get the information). In shame, she secretly hid her child from others until one day she placed him in a basket made of reeds, and he floated down a river where a man eventually found Sargon, and that man raised him as his own.
From what I understand and have read was during the reign of the Akkadian Empire, Sargon the Great maintained a powerful military which helped him conquer what he would call “the four corners of the universe.”
The Akkadian Empire is responsible for constructing roads throughout ancient Mesopotamia that helped with trade; there was an improvement in irrigation usage and a high level of interest in arts and sciences.
