Mesopotamia: The Beginning of Beginnings

Q: What is Mesopotamia today?

Mesopotamia today is the countries of Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, and part of Turkey.

Q: What does "Mesopotamia" mean?

"Mesopotamia" is a Greek term meaning "between two rivers," referring to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Q: What is Mesopotamia famous for?

Mesopotamia is famously referred to as the "cradle of civilization" because of the many cultural innovations and inventions that began there, including writing, the wheel, the city, irrigation, the sail, and many others.

Q: Is Mesopotamia the oldest civilization in the world?

Mesopotamia is among the oldest civilizations in the world, along with the Indus Valley Civilization and ancient Egypt.

Joshua J. Mark

Definition

Mesopotamia (from the Greek, meaning "between two rivers") was an ancient region located in the Near East (Middle East) bounded in the northeast by the Zagros Mountains and in the southeast by the Arabian Plateau, corresponding to modern-day Iraq and parts of Iran, Syria, Kuwait, and Turkey and known as the Fertile Crescent and the "cradle of civilization."

More about: Mesopotamia

Timeline

c. 11700 BCE
End of the most recent glacial episode within the current Quaternary Ice Age.
10000 BCE
Beginnings of agriculture in the Middle East.
9000 BCE
Cultivation of wild cereals in the Fertile Crescent.
8000 BCE
Ovens in use in the Near East are applied to pottery production.
c. 6500 BCE - 4000 BCE
The Ubaid period in Sumer.
c. 6000 BCE
Nineveh is first settled.
c. 5400 BCE
The city of Eridu is founded.
c. 5000 BCE
Godin Tepe settled.
5000 BCE
Irrigation and agriculture begin in earnest in Mesopotamia.
c. 5000 BCE - c. 4500 BCE
The city of Uruk founded.
c. 4500 BCE
The Sumerians built their first temple.
c. 4000 BCE - c. 1750 BCE
Sumerian civilization in the Tigris-Euphrates valley.
4000 BCE - 3100 BCE
Uruk period in Mesopotamia. First cities.
c. 4000 BCE
First settlement of Ur.
c. 3600 BCE
Invention of writing in Sumer at Uruk.
3400 BCE
Priests become the rulers of Mesopotamian cities.
c. 3000 BCE - c. 2900 BCE
Mari, the earliest known planned city, is built near the eastern bank of the Euphrates.
c. 2900 BCE - c. 2334 BCE
The Early Dynastic period in Sumer.
2500 BCE
First Dynasty of Lagash under King Eannutum is first empire in Mesopotamia.
c. 2400 BCE
Earliest Sumerian sources to mention migrating Amorites in Mesopotamia.
2350 BCE
First code of laws by Urukagina, king of Lagash.
2334 BCE - 2279 BCE
Sargon of Akkad (the Great) reigns over Mesopotamia and creates the world's first empire.
2334 BCE - 2154 BCE
The Akkadian Empire rules Sumer.
c. 2330 BCE
Sargon of Akkad sacks Ur.
c. 2154 BCE - c. 2112 BCE
The Dark Age of Mesopotamia.
c. 2150 BCE - c. 1400 BCE
The tales of Gilgamesh written which inform the Epic of Gilgamesh.
c. 2141 BCE - c. 2050 BCE
The Gutian period in Sumer.
c. 2119 BCE - c. 2112 BCE
Reign of Utu-Hegal at Uruk in Sumer.
c. 2112 BCE - c. 2004 BCE
The Ur III period in Sumer, known as the Sumerian Renaissance.
c. 2112 BCE - c. 2094 BCE
Ur-Nammu's reign over Sumer.
2100 BCE
Ziggurats in use in Sumerian cities of Eridu, Uruk, Ur, Nippur and elsewhere.
c. 2100 BCE - c. 2050 BCE
The Code of Ur-Nammu (the oldest extant code of laws) is written.
2047 BCE - 1750 BCE
Third Dynasty of Ur.
c. 2038 BCE
King Shulgi of Ur builds his great wall in Sumer.
2000 BCE
Domesticated horses introduced in Mesopotamia.
c. 2000 BCE - 1600 BCE
Amorite period in Mesopotamia.
c. 1900 BCE
Ashur, future capital of the Assyrian Empire, is founded.
c. 1900 BCE - c. 1400 BCE
Trade flourishes between Mesopotamia and other regions.
1894 BCE
Amorite dynasty established in Babylon.
1795 BCE - 1750 BCE
Reign of Hammurabi, king of Babylon.
c. 1792 BCE
King Hammurabi builds walls of Babylon.
1787 BCE
Hammurabi of Babylon conquers Uruk and Isin.
c. 1772 BCE
The Code of Hammurabi: One of the earliest codes of law in the world.
c. 1760 BCE - c. 1757 BCE
Hammurabi of Babylon destroys the city of Mari. The people of Mari are spared according to Hammurabi.
1755 BCE
Hammurabi rules the whole of Mesopotamia from Babylon.
1750 BCE
Elamite invasion and Amorite migration ends the Sumerian civilization.
c. 1750 BCE
Elam conquers Ur.
1680 BCE
Hurrians occupy Assyria.
1595 BCE
King Mursilis of the Hittites sacks Babylon. Begin of Babylonian "dark ages."
1595 BCE
Hittites under Mursilli I sack Babylon, ending Amorite rule.
1550 BCE
The Hurrian kingdom of Mitanni is founded.
c. 1500 BCE
Rise of the kingdom of Mitanni.
1500 BCE
Egyptian empire extends to the Euphrates.
1472 BCE
Mittani annexes Assyria.
1400 BCE
Assyria regains its independence.
c. 1350 BCE
Peak of Mitanni power, it is considered a great nation.
1350 BCE - 1250 BCE
The Hittite Empire is at its peak.
c. 1344 BCE - 1322 BCE
King Suppiluliuma I of the Hittites sacks the Mitanni capital Washukanni and installs Artatama II as vassal king.
c. 1321 BCE
Western Mittani is conquered by the Hittites.
1285 BCE
Peak of Hittite power.
1244 BCE - 1208 BCE
Reign of Tukulti-Ninurta I, King of Assyria.
1220 BCE
Babylon is under Assyrian control.
1080 BCE
Aramaeans invade Mesopotamia.
1000 BCE
Chaldeans occupy Ur.
853 BCE
Babylonian kings depend on Assyrian military support.
734 BCE
Babylon is captured by Chaldeans.
729 BCE
Babylon is occupied by Assyrians.
722 BCE - 705 BCE
Peak of the Assyrian empire under the reign of Sargon II.
612 BCE
Downfall of the Assyrian empire.
605 BCE - 562 BCE
Nebuchadnezzar II is king of Babylon.
539 BCE
Fall of Babylon, conquered by Cyrus of Persia. Return of the Jews.
500 BCE - 330 BCE
The Achaemenid Empire rules in Mesopotamia, Persian Royal Road in use.
485 BCE
Babylon is destroyed by Xerxes, King of Persia.
323 BCE - 31 BCE
The Hellenistic Age. Greek thought and culture infuses with indigenous people.
312 BCE
Seleucos conquers Babylon and founds the Seleucid dynasty.
c. 312 BCE - 63 BCE
Duration of the Seleucid Empire.
129 BCE
Parthians conquer Mesopotamia. The Silk Road to China is now controlled by the Parthians.
58 BCE - 57 BCE
Ctesiphon becomes Parthian capital during the reign of Orodes II.
115 CE - 117 CE
Rome occupies Mesopotamia.
224 CE
Sasanians overthrow the Parthians.
234 CE
Emperor Maximinus Thrax is governor of Mesopotamia.
651 CE
Muslim Conquest of Mesopotamia.