Ancient Mesopotamian Warfare in Sumer and Akkad

Video

Warfare was an essential part of the Akkadian Empire, especially under its conquering founder Sargon, and his grandson the god-king Naram-Sin. Their armies were the source of their power.

But they were not the first kings of Mesopotamia to wage war on their enemies.

The city states of ancient Sumer clashed with one another for centuries before the rise of Akkad.

But what did this early warfare look like? How were the forces raised, and how were they armed and armoured? Who led them, when and how often did they fight?

This is the story of Mesopotamian warfare in ancient Sumer and Akkad.

— Video Chapters —

00:00 Mesopotamian Warfare
01:25 Video Sponsorship
02:40 Ancient Mesopotamia
03:30 The Ubaid Period
04:30 Types of Evidence
07:23 Conflict in the Ubaid Period
09:16 Did conflict drive urbanisation in the Uruk Period?
12:11 Conflict in Uruk Expansion
15:21 Hamoukar - The First Siege?
21:54 Warfare in the Early Dynastic Period
22:48 The Stele of the Vultures
29:01 The Lagash - Umma Wars
35:16 The Standard of Ur
39:44 Lugal-zagesi the First Conqueror
42:40 Sargon of Akkad
50:26 Naram-sin