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Ancient History most certainly still has an influence in today’s world. Though names like Suppililiuma and Ukkin Umash mean nothing to anyone outside of Chicago’s Oriental Institute, Sargon of Akkad has a lingering influence. What lessons could be, better should be, learned from Sargon and his influence?
Sargon, or Saru Kinnu, was illegitimately born to a priestess. According to chronicled legends, Sargon was cupbearer to Ur-Zababa until a dream had Sargon killing the then king. Ur-Zababa ordered Sargon to be killed, but Sargon heroically escaped this attempt. Ur-Zababa sent word to Lugal-zage-si, King of Uruk, by way of Sargon to have Sargon killed on arrival. The rest of the story is lost, but Sargon was not killed. Perhaps the goddess, Innana, saved him, as other legends surrounding Sargon state. Not much credence is given to early stories surrounding Sargon’s life, nor is much given to legends after his death. Sumerian King lists are notoriously exaggerated. Regardless, the fact that Sargon lived is certain, and what he did set the Ancient Near East onto a course directly affecting the modern world.
Sargon did eventually kill the reigning king, and took the throne for himself. He claimed to have built Akkad, or Agade, though this is again an exaggeration. Akkad was around before Sargon became it’s king and is mentioned in Genesis in association with Nimrod. Sargon, however, did make Akkad into a magnificent city, and the capital of the world’s first major warrior empire. Sumer was around, as was Ninevah, and Ur, but it was Sargon who sent armies conquering surrounding territory. His modicum was, “join my empire for protection”, the alternative was death and destruction. Uruk and Umma found this out the difficult way. Sargon razed both cities to the ground when they refused his “invitation.” From there, Sargon invaded Sumer southward to the Persian Gulf. This invasion would have occurred about 100 years after Abram left Ur of the Chaldees to Haran and eventually Canaan. Had Abram remained in Ur, he surely would have been killed.
Sumer was a large prize to Sargon, and he made certain that it would not be lost. Sargon set more than 5,000 administrators in charge of the many Sumerian cities such as Ur, Uruk, and Eridu. He made Sumerian the world language, spreading Sumerian cuneiform throughout the known world. Trade routes and connections became Akkadian, and continued along Sumerian passages, which included India and Egypt. Upon the face of it, Sargon seems to have been rather fair with Sumer, but he was ruthlessly brutal at times. One example is how he destroyed Kazalla so completely that “birds could not find a place to land.” He did not allow Sumerians to rule, all offices were bestowed upon Akkadians only.
Sargon, insatiable, did not rest content with Sumerian annexation. He began to assemble armies northward, when the Elamites invaded Akkad. He beat back the invasion, and then invaded Elam himself. He captured Susa, Barhashe, and Awan as well, taking the subjected peoples into his rapidly expanding empire. With lands to the south and east conquered, Sargon turned his attention toward Taurus, modern Turkey, northern Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. He conquered these lands rather easily, and created a trade network that included silver, gold, iron, and cedar. Akkadian power was now over most of the Fertile Crescent. Akkadian influence was seen through trade throughout much of the known world from Eastern Europe to Northern Africa to India. Akkadian customs – language, religion, art, architecture – were the standard for almost two millennia until the Greeks and Persians established their mighty empires.
Other ancient kings such as the Babylonian Nabonidus and Nebuchadnezzar, studied Sargon faithfully, and based their conquests on his legends, thus establishing a lengthy tradition of powerful men ruling in their own right. The Middle East draws much from their old roots, and have it in their lengthy history to be ruled by such powerful men. Democratic forms of government are seen as ignoble, untrustworthy, almost contemptible by comparison. What is respectable is might, and the Middle East certainly has a history of mighty rulers descending from Sargon’s tradition. Why would anyone think a change will occur as it has not for the past 4,000 years?
armchaircapitalist 