Akkadian Society

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Akkadian Society
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Introduction

• The Akkadian Empire(2340-2200B.C.E.)
• It was located on the western bank of the
  Euphrates, in present- day Iraq.
• We will now delve into its history, culture, and
  advancements.

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Important Individuals

• Sargon of Akkad (2270-2215 BCE) helped establish
  the Akkadian Empire.
• He led the Akkadian Empire to its greatest
  extent.
• Sargon conquered lands for his empire and his
  blood reign went on for generations.

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Important Individuals (cont.)

• Sargons blood reign went on for a few
  generations.
• Sargon was by far the most famous and
  successful ruler, however.
• Later rulers such as Manishtushu Rimish
  maintained Sargons rule.
• Eventually however, the Akkadian Empire shrunk
  and collapsed due to Armani attacks.

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Social Institutions

• Agriculture was the economic backbone of Akkad.
• Like most ancient societies, Akkad utilized
  irrigation and rainfall for crops
• Family was very important to Akkad
• Adultery was punishable by death for woman

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Government

• Akkadian government was known as classical
  standard.
• The ensi was the main leader.
• The ensi, a preist- like figure, had to marry the
  goddess Inana, solidifying his position.

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Government cont.

• The kings in Akkad were at first below the ensi
  in power.
• However, later in history, the king became the
  prominent ruler.

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Economics

• As we said, agriculture was vital in Akkad.
• Due to very little rainfall, irrigation was key
  to successful farming.
• Akkad had a surplus of cattle and crops
• However, it lacked other commodities like metals
  and timber.

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Major Conflicts

• Sargon of Akkad led many major conquests to
  expand his empire.
• He attacked and conquered Uruk.
• He also conquered King Kashtubila of Kazalla.
• Sargons were all for not, however.
• Later leaders slowly lost the land until Akkads
  eventual collapse.

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Population

• The population of pre-modern states was dependent
  upon the agricultural system of the region.
• Two principals irrigated farmlands or rain-fed
  agriculture

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Cuneiform

• This writing was developed and used in the middle
  east among
• Sumerians
• Babylonians
• Elamites
• Hurrians
• Kassites
• Littites

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• Legal codes written in cuneiform scripts.
• Semitic language- Hebrew and Arabic

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Technology

• empire was bound together by roads, along which
  there was a regular postal service

• Clay seals took the place of stamps

example of Akkadian cuneiform
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Rulers of the Akkadian Empire
Ruler Length of reign
Sargon of Akakd 40 years
Rimush of Akkad 9 years
Man-Ishtishu 15 years
Naram-Suen of Akkad 56 years
Shar-kalli- Shari 25 years
Iriaia Imi Nanum llulu Unknown
Dudu of Akkad 21 years
Shu-Dural 15 years
Sargon
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Law

• They followed the Code of Hammurabi
• The Code of Hammurabi was carved into a black
  diorite stone.

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Art

• Akkadian artists discovered lost wax

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Collapse of the Akkadian Empire

• Within 100 years the Empire of Akkad collapsed,
  almost as fast as it had developed, bringing in
  a Dark Age

• The empire collapsed entire from the invasion of
  barbarians of the Zagros known as Gutians

• said to be associated with rapidly increasing
  dryness, and failing rainfall in the region of
  the Ancient Near East,

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Individuals in History Sargon of Akkad

• King of ancient Mesopotamia during 2334 BCE to
  2279 BCE
• known for his extremely long reigning period
• Formed the first Jewish dynasty in the region
• Founder of Mesopotamian military traditions
• Trade thrived under his rule

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How Sargon Formed His Kingdom

• When the King of Uruk was defeated Sargon took
  his place to rule over the lands that he had
  collected
• Sargon had to defeat every city that tried to
  break free from his rule
• He succeeded which formed the kingdom of Akkad

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Trade under Sargons Rule

• Traded with the Indus Valley, islands in the
  Persian Gulf, and Oman
• Imported things such as lapis lazuli
  (semi-precious stone), cedar wood, and silver

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Language, Art, and Military Under Sargons Rule

• When Sargon was king military traditions such as
  spearman formations and shield walls were
  established
• People began to use the language that the
  Sumerians had previously used
• Started a new form of calligraphy which they put
  on clay tablets with beautiful scenes of
  mythology and festive life

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Cooperation and Conflict

• Majority of conflicts were with Sumer
• Especially empire migration to the north
• 2125 BCE Ur revolted causing Akkad to fall as
  Sumer rose to power again
• Barbarian invasion of the Zagros also known as
  Gutians caused empire to collapse

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Akkadian Dynasty
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Accomplishments

• Dramatic advances
• One major king
• Sargon
• First Poet
• Enheduanna

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Location

• Historians are not exactly sure where it is
• They think its on the West bank of Euphrates
• Between Sippar and Kish
• In present day Iraq
• Farmers

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Social Classes

• Ensis and Lugals
• Provincial Ensis
• Regular priests
• Nobels (Lugals trusted workers)
• Peasants (farmers, tradesmen, fishers)
• Slaves

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Akkadian Art

• Egyptian style art
• Has been found in Turkey

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Technology

• First statue made of lead
• Spoke their own Akkadian language
• (Assyrian-Babylonian)
• Discovered lost wax (bronze casting)

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Poetry

• Sumerian art was excellent during the Akkadian
  empire
• Enheduanna first poet to actually record things
• Wife of Nanna Sumerian moon god
• Daughter of Sargon

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Achievements

• Empire was bound together by roads
• Included a postal service
• Clay seals
• Sargon and sons names
• Cadadstral survey
• Wrritten ownership of land
• Limmu calendar system
• Year big event
• Empire was bound together by roads first
  collection of astronomical observations was made
  for a library established by Sargon

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Government

• Set a standard for all Sumerian City-States
• Ensi
• Highest priest
• Married to Inanna, goddess of love, fertility,
  and war
• Divine power which was initially highest power
• Lugal
• Literally Great man
• Equivalent to king
• Was initially 2nd in power to an Ensi, but
  became 1st but later dynastic times

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Sargon and Naram-Sin Governing Strategy

• Purpose spread and maintain control of land
• Made daughters (Enheduanna and Enmenanna) high
  priestesses of moon goddess
• Married daughters off to other peripheral rulers
• Made sons provincial Ensis, equivalent to
  Governors

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Economy

• Greatly dependent on agriculture
• Changed from year to year depending on rainfall
  and crop yield
• Harvest was late spring and summer
• Had form of unemployment relief
• Government recruited farmers from August to
  September to maintain Nile flooding and annual
  irrigation
• Imports were metals, timber, and building stone

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Religion

• Polytheistic religion
• Worshipped gods and goddesses of or like those of
  the Sumerians
• No seperation of religion and state, priests lead
  civilization

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Scribal School

• Divided into 2 sections Beginning and Advanced
• Students began at young age (5-7)
• Mostly male students, but there is evidence of
  some female students
• Education generally only available to the wealthy
  and elite
• Wrote in Cuneiform on clay tablets with a reed
  stylus

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Cultural Development

• Location
• Arabian Peninsula
• Present day Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, and
  Kuwait
• Buildings
• Large temples (ziggurats) and monuments
• Tower of Babylon
• Walls poorly constructed made of clay
• Shaped like domes

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Cultural Development Cont.

• Food
• Hunted fish, duck, and geese
• Ate dates, bread, onions, beans, cucumbers,
  garlic
• Wash it down with beer or water
• Writing
• Cuneiform shaped symbols
• Reed stylus
• Invented by Sumerians in 2500 BCE

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Cultural Development Cont.

• Art
• Resembled early Egyptian art
• Found in modern Turkey
• Cylinder Seals examples of gem cutters art
• Poetry
• Priestess Enhedumanna

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Cultural Development Cont.

• Achievements
• Roads postal service
• Clay seals stamps
• Astronomy
• Library
• Limmu calendar system
• Years were named after one specific event

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Rise of Democratic Ideas

• Overpowered the Sumerian states
• King Sargon I of Akkad conquered military and
  political centers of the south
• Mesopotamia united into one empire

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Rise of Democratic Ideas

• Akkad became the political, economic, and
  cultural center of the empire
• Emperors gave themselves the title Kings of the
  Four Lands of the World

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Rise of Democratic Ideas

• Government
• Ensi highest functionary of Sumerian
  city-states
• To become an ensi you have to marry the goddess
  Inanna
• Validated the rulership through divine consent

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Individuals and History

• Sargon means kind of universal domination
• Started monarchy
• Ended power struggles
• Wasnt raised royal (cupbearer of Ur)
• Came to power by overthrowing the king and then
  took the throne

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Individuals and History

• Sargon united the people into first
  empire.Akkadians
• Successful conqueror
• Successful battles new tactics looser form
  javelins and arrows
• Stationed troops

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Individuals and History

• Sargon gained land
• Formed better relationships with neighboring
  tribes
• Sargon gained better goods and ideas
• Religion, gods, new use of writing
• He was in control for 56 years but it ended when
  the empire went in revolt

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Technology and History

• Lost wax method of bronze cast
• Postal service
• Clay seals
• Cuneiform
• Two languages (Assyrian and babylonian)

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Economy

• Depended mainly on agriculture
• Nomadic groups (early Ammorites)
• Nomadic groups were allowed to let their sheep
  graze on Akkadians farms, in exchange for
  payment to temples

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Economy

• Always had a surplus of food
• Imported metals, timber, and building materials
  because limited resources
  

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Cooperation and Conflict

• Akkadians were violent people in general
• Started empire based off of the relentless
  conquering of Sargon
• Never at peace because people they conquered
  never agreed with their rules

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Impact of Ideas

• Sargons conquests spread Akkadians ideas,
  culture, and writing system
• Empires can encourage trade and bring peace to
  people
• People of cultures share ideas, technology, and
  customs
• Adopted Sumerian culture and ideas
• Polytheistic - many gods An, En lil, E- ki

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Social Institutions

• Priests were mediators between people and gods
• Had decreased status
• Men and women were created by the gods to serve
  the gods
• To feed and clothe them, to honor and obey them
• Didn't have a code of ethics or morality 
• Scribal education

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Continuity and Change

• Akkadians were Semitic people and their
  descendents that survive today as Jews and Arabs

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Epic of Gilgamesh

• First ever epic
• Gathered by the Akkadians and written on 12 stone
  tablets
• Tells the story of King Gilgamesh, who was 2/3
  god and 1/3 human, and his adventures

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Fun Facts!!!

• Akkad is also known as Accad or Agade
• Left bank of the Euphrates river
• Height of its power between the 24 22 century
  BCE
• Gifted warriors of their time

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Bibliography

• "Akkadians." Wikipedia. 10 Oct. 2008.
  lthttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/akkadianseconomygt.
  "Ancient Akkadians." History Guide. 3 May 2006.
  lthttp//www.historyguide.org/ancient/lecture4b.htm
  lgt.Marcus, David. A Manual of Akkadian. New
  York Universal P, 1994.Unknown. "Akkadians." 15
  Dec. 2003. 3 Nov. 2008 lthttp//history-world.org/a
  kkadians.htmgt.
• Pictures
• ltwww.google.comgt

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Works Cited

• "Akkadian Empire." South and Southwest Asia. Ed.
  Peter N. Peregrine and Melvin Ember. Vol. 8. New
  York, NY Springer, 2003. 21-23.
• "The Akkadian Empire." Wikipedia. 4 Nov. 2008.
  Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. 7 Nov. 2008
  lthttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/akkadgt.
• lthttp//i-cias.com/e.o/sargon.htmgt.

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Works Cited (continued)

• "Akkadian School Texts." Cuneiform Digital
  Library Initiative. 7 Sept. 2008. UCLA. 16 Nov.
  2008 lthttp//cdli.ucla.edu/wiki/doku.php/akkadian_
  school_textsgt.
• Guisepi, Robert A., and F. Roy Williams. "Akkad
  and the Akkadians." History-world. History World
  International. 7 Nov. 2008 lthttp//history-world.o
  rg/akkadians.htmgt.

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Works Cited (continued)

• Hooker, Richard. "The Akkadians." Mesopotamia. 6
  June 1999. Washington State University. 7 Nov.
  2008 lthttp//www.wsu.edu/dee/meso/akkad.htmgt.
• Karr, Dr. Karen. "Akkadians." Histroy for Kids. 5
  Oct. 2007. Portland State University. 7 Nov. 2008
  lthttp//www.historyforkids.org/learn/westasia/hist
  ory/akkadians.htmgt.

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Bibliography

• www.wikipedia.org
• www.angelfire.com/nt/Gilgamesh/akkadian.html
• www.historyforkids.org/learn/westasia/history/akka
  dians.htm
• www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Akkadian_Empire
  
• history-world.org/sargon_the_great.htm
• history-world.org/akkadians.htm