By: Cassidy H. & Caitlyn P.

     Mesopotamia was an ancient region where the world’s earliest civilization developed.  It was located between the Tigris and Euphrates River.  These rivers flow into the Persian Gulf.  The word Mesopotamia means, “The land between the rivers”.  Mesopotamia is known as “the cradle of civilization” because the first civilization began there around 3500 B.C.

    One of the great Kings of ancient Mesopotamia was King Sargon II.  He was the earliest King to maintain a permanent army.  Sargon was successor to Shalmaneser V and he ruled from 722-705 B.C.  Sargon founded the last great Assyrian dynasty.  He ruled the core of the near east from the Gulf to the Taurus’s Mountains, from Zagros to Sinai.

     During King Sargons rule there were many contributions made.  One of the most important achievements was the Sumerians cuneiform. The term cuneiform means “wedge-shaped.”  It was made up of hundreds of word signs that were “wedge-shaped” due to the shape of the reed pen, or stylus, that was used.  The Sumerians wrote on clay tablets that would either be dried in the sun or fired in kilns to make the writing permanent.  This was the world’s first writing system.

     King Sargon II and his successors were believed to have sent expeditions in South East Arabia as well as Asia Minor.  The dynasty founded by Sargon lasted approximately 160 years.  During Sargon’s rule Akkadian became adapted to the script that previously had been used in the Sumerians language. Sargon’s dynasty did a lot to spread Semitic and Sumerians civilization.

     In 705 B.C. Sargon led his armies to the land of Tabal in the Taurus Mountains.  There he was killed during battle against a man called Gurdi.  Sargon was at the height of his power and had seemed invincible.  His body was never recovered for burial and this was a great blow to Assyrian morale.

25 Facts about King Sargon II:

·        Sargon II ruled the last Dynasty of Assyria

·        Sargon extended and consolidated the conquest of his father

·        Sargon’s father was Tiglathpileser III

·        Sargon conquered all of Southern Mesopotamia as well as parts of Syria, Anatolia, and Elam

·        Sargon established the first Semitic dynasty

·        Sargon was considered the founder of the Mesopotamian Military tradition.

·        Sargon was a self-made man

·        Sargon was of humble origins.

·        Sargon established a great empire that included the whole of Mesopotamia

·        Sargon’s name also appears as Sharrukin

·        Sargon and his successors sent expeditions into South East Arabia as well as Asia Minor.

·        Sargon called himself the “True King”

·        Sargons dynasty did much to spread Semitic and Sumerian civilization

·        Sargon followed the practice of removing the nobles from conquered land and settling them elsewhere.

·        During Sargon’s rule the first writing system was formed

·        Sargon controlled territories west of the Mediterranean and North to the Black Sea.

·        Sargon participated in the siege of Samaria

·        Sargon’s many conquest included Babylonia, Armenia, and ancient Israel.

·        Sargon was the creator of the first truly imperial administration in history.

·        Sargon defeated rebellions within his empire and powerful enemies who threatened him frontiers.

·        In 705 Sargon led his armies into Tabal

·        Sargon died repelling an invasion by the Cimmerians.

·        Sargon was at the height of his power and seemed to be invincible before his death.

·        Sargons body was never recovered.

·        Sargons dynasty lasted approximately 160 years

Bibliography:

Columbia Encyclopedia Sixth edition.2001:

http://www.Bartely.com/Sargon

Columbia Encyclopedia Sixth edition.2001:

http://www.bartlely.com/65/sa/Sargon-Ass.html

World book Online Reference Center:

http://www.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbAuth/jsp/wbArticle.jsp?/na/ar/co/ar357440.htm

http://home.achilles.net/~sal/icons/mesopotamia.gif

http://www.chez.com/irak/pages/civilisations/ assyrie/sargon.html

http://www.home.tiscali.dk/8x036176/ assrfoto.htm

http://ab.mec.edu/curriculum/specproj/rivers/tigris.html

Reference Books:

1. World Book Encyclopedia

   World Book Inc.

   Copyright 2001

   p. 126

2. World Book Encyclopedia

    World Book Inc.

    Copyright 2003

    p. 126

3. Encyclopedia America

    Grolier Incorporated

    Copyright 1987

    p. 266

4. Encyclopedia Britannica

   University of Chicago

   Copyright 1982