The Akkadians represent one of the ancient peoples who inhabited the region of Mesopotamia.
Note that several civilizations developed in the Fertile Crescent region, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Thus, in addition to the Akkadians, the Sumerians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Hittites and Ammonites inhabited the place.
History:Summary
The Sumerians were the first ancient peoples to inhabit the region of Mesopotamia. After them came the Akkadians around 2550 BC, probably from northern Syria.
The Akkadians were in search of fertile land and were named after the most important city in the empire:Acad. The capital of the empire became known as Akkad (present-day Iraq).
Under the leadership of King Sargon I (2334-2279 BC), the Akkadians, a Semitic and semi-nomadic people, dominated the Sumerians conquering the region of Mesopotamia between 2550 BC. and 2300 BC.
Years later, the Akkadian king unified the Sumerian city-states, thus creating the “First Mesopotamian Empire” (from the Persian Gulf to northern Mesopotamia) which also became known by the name:Sumerian-Akkadian civilization.
However, internal revolts and several foreign invasions made it impossible for the Akkadian Empire to remain, which after two centuries ended up disappearing around 2100 BC. ).
Key Features
Culture
The culture of the Akkadians is based on the construction of cities, with the presence of imposing temples and palaces. In general, Akkadian art contemplated the gods and animals. The writing of this people was cuneiform, which transcribed several literary works of the Sumerians.
Religion
The religion of most peoples of Mesopotamia was based on polytheism, that is, the worship of several gods. Interesting to note that even after the king's death he was worshiped as a God. Thus, the Akkadians believed that the king was a direct representative of the gods.
Policy
The king was the figure who controlled most of the legal and political affairs of the empire. Under a centralized state, the Akkadians fought for the permanence of the empire with several military campaigns, which was weakened after the king's death.
Economy
The basis of the Akkadian economy was agriculture, favored by the floods of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which enriched the region's soil. At the time, there was no currency and, therefore, some products were used as currency of exchange, for example, metals and barley.
Learn more about the topic by reading the articles :
- Mesopotamian Civilization
- People of Mesopotamia
- Fertile Crescent
- Mesopotamian Art
- Questions about Mesopotamia