The Sumerians - Fall of the First Cities

The decline of Sumerian city-states began around 2500 BC, marking the end of the Early Dynastic Period. Several factors contributed to their downfall, including prolonged droughts, over-irrigation leading to salinization of the soil, the rise of nomadic Akkadians in the north, and internal conflicts. The Akkadians, under Sargon of Akkad, eventually conquered Sumer and established the Akkadian Empire, bringing an end to the Sumerian dominance in Mesopotamia. Despite their fall, the Sumerian legacy lived on through their cultural and technological contributions, which were adopted and further developed by subsequent civilizations in the region.

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