Mesopotamia

MESOPOTAMIA
Mesopotamia (Greek for "between rivers"), the region became one of the earliest centers of urban civilization, between the Tigris and Euphrates in the area currently occupied by the states of Iraq (mainly), Iran and Syria.
The natural wealth of Mesopotamia has always attracted people from poorer neighboring regions, and its history is the continuous migrations and invasions. Rainis scarce in most parts of the region, but when the fertile soil watered by canals produces abundant crops.

II. FIRST UNITED Mesopotamia
The need for self-defense and irrigation led to the ancient Mesopotamians to organize and build canals and fortified settlements. From 6000 BCE settlements grew, cities became in the fourth millennium BC The first settlement of Eridu was probably the region,although the most prominent example is Uruk (biblical Erech the) south, where the temples were decorated with fine mud and stones carved metal. The development of an administration also stimulated the invention of a form of writing, cuneiform. The Sumerians were probably responsible for this first urban culture that spread to the north of the Euphrates. Other important settlements of Sumer wereAdab, Isin, Kish, Larsa, Nippur and Ur
Around 2330 BCE the region was conquered by the Akkadians, Semitic people from the center of Mesopotamia. Their king, Sargon the Great (reigned 2335-2279 BC on), founded the dynasty of Akkad, and at the time the Akkadian language began to replace Sumerian. The Gutians tribe of the eastern hills, ended Akkadian rule to the 2218 BC, and after an interval, theThird Dynasty of Ur came to dominate much of Mesopotamia. In Ur, there was a final flowering of Sumerian traditions. The previous invaders northern kingdom of Elam destroyed the city of Ur around 2000 BC Under their rule any city got total control until the mid-eighteenth century, when Hammurabi of Babylon unified the country for several years at the end of his reign.At the same time, an Amoritefamily gained control of Assur in the north, but as soon Assur Babylon fell to the hands of the newcomers. About 1595 B.C. Babylon took the Hittites soon fell under the control of the houses. During the next 400 years Babylon has developed significantly, their kings acquired a power similar to the pharaohs of Egypt and its people established extensive trade. Ashur fell to the kingdom of Mitanni,strengthened by the Hurrians from the Caucasus, who were probably related to the people of Urartu. The Hurrians had been in Mesopotamia for centuries, but after 1700 BC spread across the north and also from Anatolia.

III. Assyrian and Chaldean Empire
Around 1350 BC, the kingdom of Assyria in northern Mesopotamia, began to emphasize. The Assyrian army defeated Mitanni, conquered Babylon in ashort time to the 1225 BC, and reached the Mediterranean about 1100 BC During the next two centuries, this expansion was halted by the Aramaean tribes from the Syrian steppe, and with the help of Chaldean tribes, overran Babylonia. Assyria fought these and other tribes, expanding again after 910 BC At its greatest extent (c. 730-650 BC) Assyrian Empire controlled the Middle East from Egypt to thePersian Gulf. The conquered regions were under the command of vassal kings or, if there were problems, they were annexed. Following an ancient practice, rebellious subjects were deported, producing a mixture of races throughout the Empire. The frequent riots required a strong military power, but could not maintain control in a domain as broad for a long time. Internal pressures and attacks thepeople of Media and the Chaldeans of Babylon caused the collapse in 612 BC The Medes took the elevated part of the country, leaving Mesopotamia to the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar II's government. The Chaldeans ruled Mesopotamia until 539 BC when Cyrus the Great of Persia, who had conquered Media, captured Babylon.

IV. Persian rule
Under the Persians, Mesopotamia was divided into satrapies...