He turned warring city-states into an empire—and his name was Sargon.
Born to obscurity, once a cupbearer at Kish, he seized a crown and a moment.
Campaign by campaign, he united Sumer and Akkad, founded the city of Akkad, and ruled as King of the Four Quarters.
Cuneiform tablets echo his victories.
From humble beginnings to emperor, Sargon forged the model of power Mesopotamia—and history—would follow.