Over time, various empires emerged in Mesopotamia, each leaving its mark on the region’s culture and society. One of the earliest empires was the Akkadian Empire, which arose around 2334 BCE.

“Sargon developed this new form of governance by conquering all the Sumerian cities of Mesopotamia ... the knowledge and functioning of the Akkadian Empire were poorly understood.

“Sargon developed this new form of governance by conquering all the Sumerian cities of Mesopotamia ... fierce governmental oversight by the Akkadian Empire. “They note absolutely everything ...

A team of archaeologists in Iraq, led by Sebastian Rey, the British Museum’s curator of ancient Mesopotamia, has uncovered compelling evidence of the empire’s formidable bureaucracy.