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What are two things Sargon did when he ruled Mesopotamia?
Sargon, king of Agade, was victorious over Ur in battle, conquered the city and destroyed its wall. He conquered Eninmar, destroyed its walls, and conquered its district and Lagash as far as the sea. He washed his weapons in the sea.
What language did Sargon?
Sargon and his people spoke a Semitic language that is today known as Akkadian, and the dynasty that Sargon initiated is known as the Akkadian Dynasty. The only primary sources that shed any light on Sargon’s origins were written after his death and are usually laudatory legends.
What language did most people speak in ancient Mesopotamia?
Sumerian
The principal languages of ancient Mesopotamia were Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian (together sometimes known as ‘Akkadian’), Amorite, and – later – Aramaic. They have come down to us in the “cuneiform” (i.e. wedge-shaped) script, deciphered by Henry Rawlinson and other scholars in the 1850s.
What was the Sumerian system of writing?
The writing system takes the name cuneiform from the shape of the strokes that form the symbols (from Latin cuneus, “wedge”). The next major stage in the evolution of Sumerian writing was the adoption of the phonographic principle, the use of a sign to represent a common sound rather than a common meaning.
What language did Akkadians speak?
Akkadian language
| Akkadian | |
|---|---|
| Language family | Afro-Asiatic Semitic East Semitic Akkadian |
| Writing system | Sumero-Akkadian cuneiform |
| Official status | |
| Official language in | initially Akkad (central Mesopotamia); lingua franca of the Middle East and Egypt in the late Bronze and early Iron Ages. |
How long did Sargon II rule?
The king probably took the name Sargon from the legendary ruler Sargon of Akkad, who had founded the Akkadian Empire and ruled most of Mesopotamia almost two thousand years prior….
| Sargon II | |
|---|---|
| Reign | 722–705 BC |
| Predecessor | Shalmaneser V |
| Successor | Sennacherib |
| Born | c. 762 BC |
What did Sargon do to help the Sumerians?
Sargon sent Akkadian governors to rule Sumerian cities and tear down defensive walls. He left the Sumerian religion in place but made Akkadian the official language of all Mesopotamia. By lowering physical and linguistic barriers and unifying his realm, he promoted commerce both within Mesopotamia and well beyond.
What was the Akkadian script used by Sargon?
During Sargon’s rule Akkadian became adapted to the script that previously had been used in the Sumerian language, and the new spirit of calligraphy that is visible upon the clay tablets of this dynasty is also clearly seen on contemporary cylinder seals, with their beautifully arranged and executed scenes of mythology and festive life.
How did king Sargon II of Mesopotamia get his name?
The king probably took the name Sargon from the legendary ruler Sargon of Akkad, who had founded the Akkadian Empire and ruled most of Mesopotamia almost two thousand years prior. Through his military campaigns aimed at world conquest, Sargon II aspired to follow in the footsteps of his ancient namesake.
When did the Sumer language come to Mesopotamia?
It first appeared in archaeological records around 3100 B.C. and dominated Mesopotamia for the next thousand years. It was mostly replaced by Akkadian around 2000 B.C. but held on as a written language in cuneiform for another 2,000 years.