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Akkad

Ernst Stötzner during scanning a cuneiform tablet in order to decipher the text.  Source: Maike Glöckner/Uni Halle

Ancient Cuneiform Tablets Instantly Deciphered By Revolutionary Methods

New artificial intelligence software is now able to decipher difficult-to-read texts on cuneiform tablets, almost in an instant. Instead of photos, the AI system uses 3D models of the tablets,...
Mesopotamian cylinder seal. Source: Met Museum / Public Domain.

How Akkadian Cylinder Seals Served As Ancient Signatures (Video)

Akkadian cylinder seals emerged during the fourth millennium BC, coinciding with the dawn of writing. These unique artifacts served dual purposes: safeguarding against unauthorized access to storage...
Detail of Rimush of Akkad’s Victory Stele, slaughtering of prisoners by Akkadian troops. Source: Louvre Museum/CC BY 3.0

Rimush of Akkad, Sargon’s Heir, and a Brutal Warlord

In the history of Ancient Mesopotamia, that renowned cradle of human civilization, there were many great kingdoms, city-states, and even empires. One of these was the famed Akkadian Empire, centered...
Naram-Sin named himself a god-king of the Akkadian Empire. Source: Francis Valadj/Adobe Stock

Naram-Sin: The Conqueror-King of Ancient Akkad

Naram-Sin, the conqueror king of the Akkadian Empire, looms large in the ancient annals of Mesopotamia. His reign in the 23rd century BC marked a period of military conquests and cultural...
Representational image of the Gutian Invasion of the Akkadian Empire. Source: Francis Valadj / Adobe Stock

The Gutian Invasion: What Really Caused the Fall of the Akkadian Empire?

The Akkadian Empire, one of the first great empires in human history, thrived in ancient Mesopotamia under the rule of Sargon of Akkad. However, its reign eventually came to an end. For decades,...
Sargon the Great, founder of the Akkadian Empire. Source: Dave LaFontaine / CC BY-SA 2.0

Explaining the Fall of the Great Akkadian Empire

The Akkadian Empire was an ancient empire that existed towards the end of the 3 rd millennium BC. This was the first empire in Mesopotamia , and some consider it to be the first true empire in world...
Image of Mesopotamia - Jeff Brown Graphics

The Rise and Fall of Sumer and Akkad

The Sumerians were the first known people to settle in Mesopotamia over 7,000 years ago. Located in the southernmost part of Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (modern day Iraq),...
Sandstorms contributed to the Akkadian Empire fall.             Source: mdesigner125 / Adobe Stock

A Dusty Demise for the Akkadian Empire (New Study)

The Akkadian Empire was the first empire in Mesopotamia and arguably the first true empire that existed, being around during the third millennium BC. As has been a recurring empirical theme ever...
Modern representation of Sargon of Akkad.

Sargon of Akkad: Familiar and Legendary Tales of a Famous Mesopotamian King

In 2334 BC, King Sargon of Akkad founded one of the world’s greatest empires. From humble roots, he created a Golden Age in Mesopotamia. Heroic epics tell tales of a strong leader. Sargon the Great...
Standard of Ur mosaic, 26th century BC.

Both a Princess and a Priestess, What Did the First Known Author Have to Share with the World?

Louise Pryke / The Conversation The world’s first known author is widely considered to be Enheduanna, a woman who lived in the 23rd century BC in ancient Mesopotamia (approximately 2285 – 2250 BC)...
Illustration of Mesopotamia.

Ancient Remains of Important Bronze Age City of the Akkadian Empire Found in Iraq

Α very important city was recently unearthed in Northern Iraq by an international team of archaeologists from the University of Tübingen, a university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The...
The "Disk of Enheduanna" at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia.

The Poetry of Gods by Enheduanna - The First Known Female Writer

It is not always easy to read the stories of real people from the artifacts they left behind. This is especially true if they lived 5,000 years ago. However, the story of a remarkable woman from that...