The Akkadians created the first known empire in history through the conquests of Sargon of Akkad. Their empire arose in Mesopotamia during the 24th century BCE and united many city-states under one imperial administration.
Sargon conquered major Sumerian centers and established Akkadian power across a wide area. Akkadian became an important language of administration and diplomacy, while Sumerian religious and literary traditions continued. The empire included regions in Mesopotamia and extended its influence toward parts of the Levant and Iran.
Historians use “first empire” cautiously because earlier rulers had controlled several cities, but the Akkadian state is the earliest known example of a durable territorial empire with a broad centralized royal ideology. The Akkadian Empire later weakened through internal instability, succession problems, and external pressure. Its political model influenced later Mesopotamian kingdoms, including Babylon and Assyria.