Ancient Mesopotamia - Life and History of Ancient Mesopotamia

Ancient Mesopotamia Ancient Mesopotamia was inhabited by two types of nations. The peaceful Sumerians and the warlike Akkadians. The Sumerian civilization thrived in the fertile valleys lying between the Tigris and Euphrates valley, hence the name Ancient Mesopotamia, from the greek words for "middle" and "river", from around 2900 to 2400 BC. The term Sumerian is the name the Akkadians gave to local people in Ancient Mesopotamia when they conquered them; that is, the Sumerians probably had another name for themselves. Their civilization is quite unique, given that their language has no connection to any other languages in the area. The Sumerians lived in various city-states (Eridu, Kish, Nippur, Lagash, Ur). Every city-state had a patron god, that was worshipped in the ziggurats, impressive buildings made of mudbrick. In fact, due to the lack of minerals and wood, pretty much everything was built with mudbrick. The Sumerians are credited with invention of the wheel and the potter's wheel as well as many other technological advances. Studies show they also had basic knowledge of geometry and astronomy. However, as their neighbors grew in strenght, the Sumerians began to lose their power, to be conquered by king Sargon of the Akkadians, around 2400 BC. Relevant paid links about Ancient Mesopotamia