The Akkadians were a people living on the Arabic peninsula, during the great flourishing period of the Sumerian city-states. In 2340 BC, the great Akkadian military leader, Sargon, conquered Sumer, and built an Akkadian Empire stretching over most of the Sumerian city-states. According to a folk tale, Sargon was a self-made man of humble origins, who became one of the earliest of the world’s great empire builders.
Sargon made Akkadian the official language of his empire, standardized weights and measures, encouraged trade, and improved the management of water resources. Sargon also brought to West Asia the new idea that a king should be succeeded by his sons. Before this, the new king had been elected by the rich men of each city.
Sargon based his empire in the city of Akkad, which became the basis of the name of his people. This great capital later became the city of Babylon, which was the commercial and cultural centre of the Middle East.