blog




  • Essay / Analysis of the Akkadian Empire during the reign of Sargon

    The Akkadian Empire was an empire that existed from approximately 2350 to 2100 BCE. It was controlled and led by the great Sargon of Akkad. The emperor would go on to create the world's first empire, his reign, as well as the empire's achievements, would continue to signify its importance and the reason the empire had become so successful. In class we discussed Akkad and what made it so successful. Looking at history, we see that Akkad was above all an independent man, as he was able to unify the citizens of the state under a single ideology. But before diving into his reign as king, a little history of Sargon. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Sargon was the son of La'ibum, a possible ancient ruler himself. After being abandoned by his family, Sargon was then taken in by a king of Kish, where he grew up alongside him, learning all the methods of becoming king and soon after, he was crowned king and immediately set out to conquer. . Sargon first began his campaign by invading Syria and Canaan, he also invaded the countries west of Mesopotamia. Following his victories, statues were created in his name on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Cities and palaces were also built in his empire. Roads were also built to connect the empire, named after Sargon of course. It's in the management of the empire where things get tricky, as we don't yet know which style had the most influence on the rulers after his reign. The management of Sargon's empire included four spheres: political, economic, religious and military. Each of them enjoyed substantial success in the empire, with the military being the most successful. In fact, we have writings from the kings indicating that the reason for their rule was sanctioned by the gods of Mesopotamia. There are paintings depicting Sargonic kings as commanders-in-chief of armies. We also have records showing that when kings went on expeditions, the local ruler provided them with food and shelter. We can assume that Sargon was respected for his ability to rule or perhaps the ruler did so out of fear that his city would be taken if he was not welcoming to visiting kings. Sargon was very proud of his army, we have many stories detailing the accounts of his soldiers and the expeditions they undertook. Sargon took great care of his soldiers, making sure they were well armed. Spears, as well as bows and arrows, were issued to tactical units. Armor was issued to soldiers when necessary. A special weapon was reserved for kings, called the mace. It was a weapon made of stone and wood, with the blade being made of copper, bronze, or a combination of the two. From this information we can see that Sargon took his military affairs very seriously. Politics was closely linked to military matters. Most of the city's rulers were forced to take their positions, meaning many of them were residents of the empire. In order to get the citizens to follow his political regime, Sargon ordered the destruction of the walls, the quartering of the soldiers, forcing the citizens to provide goods to the crown and the army, the payment of tribute, and the construction royal statues in conquered areas, and much more. When a king acquired land during his expeditions, it was likely given to Sargon. As we can see, Sargon had no problem mixing politics with military practice. It can be affirmed that.