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Map of the Akkadian Empire, c. 2334 - 2218 BCE
This map illustrates the rise and expansion of the Akkadian Empire, the first known empire in world history, emerging in Mesopotamia around the twenty-fourth century BCE. Originating from the city-state of Akkad, the empire under Sargon the Great (reigned circa 2334 - 2279 BCE) brought together the once-fragmented Sumerian city-states into a centralized imperial structure.
The Akkadian Empire (circa 2334 - 2218 BCE), reaching its height under Sargon and his grandson Naram-Sin (reigned circa 2254 - 2218 BCE). It stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Taurus Mountains and western Iran, encompassing much of the Fertile Crescent. By around 2200 BCE, however, the empire began to fragment due to internal rebellion, external invasions (notably by the Gutians), and prolonged climate instability, ultimately collapsing by the mid-twenty-second century BCE, marking the end of an era in early state formation and imperial governance.
