KING SARGON OF AKKAD

PROBABLY WORLD’S FIRST EMPEROR

SARASIJ MAJUMDER

DEFINITIONS

The term “EMPIRE” means a collection of territories, usually quite large where more than one type or race  of people lived, and the “RULER” who has political, economic and military control e.g. TOTAL CONTROL of the region was called “EMPEROR”.

The equivalent term of emperor  in India was “SAMRAT” or  “ RAJ --CHAKRAVORTY”.

Often, the EMPEROR  used to have some sub-ordinate KINGS ( RAJA)  or VASSALS under him, who paid tax, supported the Emperor with his armed forces when needed—other wise King or Vassal ruled independently within his kingdom/ Territory.

It is challenging to definitively identify a single individual as the "first emperor in the  history of entire world" due to the vast scope of human history and the different civilizations that have existed over time. The concept of an EMPEROR or ruler with supreme authority over a large territory or group of people has emerged independently in various cultures and regions throughout history.

FIRST EMPEROR

However, one of the earliest known rulers who is often referred to as a first  "emperor" in historical records is SARGON OF AKKAD, who lived in Mesopotamia around the 24th century BC. Sargon of Akkad founded the Akkadian Empire, which is considered one of the first multi-ethnic empires in history. He conquered many city-states in Mesopotamia and established one of the first centralized governments in the region.

Sargon of Akkad is credited to  build the first ever empire in human history, based on historical evidence. With its capital at Akkad in Mesopotamia(modern-day Iraq), it stretched from Anatolia to Arabia and was the most powerful of its time. It most probably existed from circa 2334 B.C to 2279 B.C. Thus, Sargon of Akkad is considered the first ever emperor in history.

Sargon was born an illegitimate son of a temple priestess and, according to the Sargon Legend, never knew his father.

From this very humble beginning, Sargon would rise to conquer all Mesopotamia.

 OTHER EARLY CONTENDERS:

Narmer (c. 3100 BC) - An ancient Egyptian king who may have been one of the firsts to consolidate power over a large territorial empire. He was known as MENES as well. He’s credited with unifying Upper and Lower Egypt.

Gilgamesh (c. 2700 BC) - The legendary king of URUK, who some scholars believe may have established one of the first imperial dynasties.

The Sumerian city-states (c. 3000 BC) - The city-states of ancient Sumer in Mesopotamia had rulers with some imperial characteristics.

And then there’s Hammurabi, who laid down the law. Around 1792 BCE in Babylon, he whipped up some stone tablets with his famous Code, making rules.

Another early example of an emperor is Qin Shi Huang, who ruled China as the first Emperor of the Qin dynasty in the 3rd century BC. Qin Shi Huang is known for unifying China under a centralized imperial system and implementing various reforms, including standardizing weights and measures, currency, and writing systems.

It's worth noting that the specific titles and political structures of these early rulers don't always align perfectly with our modern understanding of an "EMPEROR." The concept evolved over time, and the earliest examples may have had more limited control or different organizational structures than later imperial systems.

Reviewing all of them, and considering the complex and nuanced history of early state formation and political leadership around the world —we decide, SARGON OF AKKAD is possibly the earliest RULER who ticks most of the criteria.

ESTABLISHING THE AKKADIAN EMPIRE:

Sargon conquered and unified many city-states in Mesopotamia, creating one of the first centralized empires in the region. Sargon wasn’t just a king; he was a trailblazer who united city-states into the first known empire.

He is credited with the construction of the city of Akkad, which became the capital of his empire and a center of cultural and economic activity.

He was able to unify Mesopotamia through a combination of military conquest, political manoeuvring, and administrative reforms:

Sargon built a powerful army and employed advanced military tactics, including the use of  CHARIOTS  and a professional standing army, with specialized units.

He launched a series of successful MILITARY CAMPAIGNS to conquer and subjugate the various city-states and kingdoms of Mesopotamia. His  army was able to defeat the Sumerian city-states, which were previously considered invincible, and establish control over the region.

 As a pa part of Political manoeuvring,  Sargon adopted a policy of co-opting local rulers and elites into his imperial system rather than simply replacing them. He allowed local rulers to maintain a degree of autonomy and control over their territories as long as they acknowledged his supreme authority and paid tribute.

This approach helped to minimize resistance and gain the cooperation of local power centers, facilitating the integration of the region under Akkadian rule.

ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS:

Sargon established a centralized bureaucratic administration to govern the Akkadian Empire effectively. The Akkadian Empire was the first political entity to make extensive and efficient use of bureaucracy and administration on a large scale and set the standard for future rulers and kingdoms.

He introduced a standardized system of weights, measures, and currency, which helped to facilitate trade and commerce across the empire.

Sargon also promoted the use of the Akkadian language and CUNEIFORM writing system, which became the lingua franca of the region.

These strategies allowed Sargon to create the first known empire that spanned a large part of Mesopotamia, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. The Akkadian Empire under Sargon's leadership became a dominant power in the ancient Near East, setting the stage for the development of later imperial systems in the region.

He expanded the Akkadian Empire to include territories in modern-day Syria, Turkey, and Iran, making it one of the largest empires of its time.

PROMOTING CULTURAL INTEGRATION:

Sargon encouraged the incorporation of diverse ethnic and cultural groups into the Akkadian Empire, fostering a multi-ethnic and multilingual society.

Sargon's reign saw the flourishing of Akkadian art, architecture, and literature.

Sargon's accomplishments laid the foundation for the subsequent development of ancient Mesopotamian civilizations and contributed to the emergence of centralized imperial governance in the region.

His story was long known throughout Mesopotamia where, in time, he came to be considered the greatest man who had ever lived, celebrated in glorious tales down through the Persian Empire, along with his grand-son Naram-Sin.

He’s  the GREATEST ruler from around 2300 BCE in Mesopotamia.

Two notable heads of Akkadian statues have survived: one in bronze and the other  is of stone. The bronze head of a king, wearing the wig-helmet of the old Sumerian rulers, is probably Sargon himself. Image furnished.

SOURCES:-

1.0 Main Source:-- Mesopotamia and the Rise of Civilization: History, Documents, and Key Questions (Crossroads in World History) : McIntosh, Jane R.

2.0https://isac.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/shared/docs/ancient_mesopotamia.pdf

Images- GOOGLE