1. Sumerian Empire (c. 2900–2334 BC)
* The Sumerian Empire was the first major civilization in the ancient Near East.
* It was located in southern Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
* The Sumerians were a non-Semitic people who spoke a language isolate.
* Their culture was highly advanced, with a sophisticated system of writing, art, architecture, and mathematics.
* The Sumerian Empire was eventually conquered by the Akkadians in the 23rd century BC.
2. Akkadian Empire (c. 2334–2154 BC)
* The Akkadian Empire was founded by Sargon of Akkad, who defeated the last Sumerian ruler, Lugal-anne-mundu, in battle.
* The Akkadians were a Semitic people who spoke the Akkadian language.
* The Akkadian Empire was the first empire to unify all of Mesopotamia under a single ruler.
* It was also the first empire to expand beyond Mesopotamia, into Syria, Anatolia, and Iran.
* The Akkadian Empire was eventually overthrown by the Gutians in the 21st century BC.
3. Old Babylonian Empire (c. 1894–1595 BC)
* The Old Babylonian Empire was founded by Sumu-abum, who took advantage of the collapse of the Akkadian Empire to establish a new kingdom in Babylonia.
* The Old Babylonians were Amorites, a Semitic people who spoke the Babylonian language.
* The Old Babylonian Empire was a major center of culture and learning, and it saw the development of the Code of Hammurabi, one of the oldest known legal codes in the world.
* The Old Babylonian Empire was eventually conquered by the Kassites in the 16th century BC.
4. Assyrian Empire (c. 1365–609 BC)
* The Assyrian Empire was founded by Ashur-uballit I, who took advantage of the decline of the Hittite Empire to establish a new kingdom in Assyria.
* The Assyrians were a Semitic people who spoke the Assyrian language.
* The Assyrian Empire was one of the most powerful empires in the ancient Near East, and it conquered a vast territory that stretched from Egypt to India.
* The Assyrian Empire was known for its military prowess and its brutal treatment of its enemies.
* The Assyrian Empire was eventually overthrown by the Medes and Babylonians in 612 BC.
5. Babylonian Empire (c. 626–539 BC)
* The Babylonian Empire was founded by Nebuchadnezzar II, who defeated the last Assyrian king, Ashur-uballit II, in battle.
* The Babylonians were a Semitic people who spoke the Babylonian language.
* The Babylonian Empire was one of the most culturally advanced empires in the ancient Near East, and it saw the development of astronomy, mathematics, and medicine.
* The Babylonian Empire was eventually conquered by the Persian Achaemenid Empire in 539 BC.
6. Persian Achaemenid Empire (c. 550–330 BC)
* The Persian Achaemenid Empire was founded by Cyrus the Great, who conquered the Median and Babylonian empires.
* The Persians were an Indo-European people who spoke the Old Persian language.
* The Persian Achaemenid Empire was the largest empire in the ancient world, and it stretched from Egypt to India.
* The Persian Achaemenid Empire was characterized by its centralized government, its efficient bureaucracy, and its tolerance of different religions.
* The Persian Achaemenid Empire was eventually conquered by Alexander the Great in 330 BC.