Associated with Mesopotamia are ancient cultures like the Sumerians, Assyrians, Akkadians, and Babylonians. Learning about this time period can be a little confusing because these cultures interacted with and ruled over each other over the course of several thousand years. read more
In ancient times, Mesopotamia impacted the world through its inventions, innovations, and religious vision; in the modern day it literally changed the way people understood the whole of history and one's place in the continuing story of human civilization. read more
Thorkild Jacobsen, as well as many others, has suggested that early Mesopotamian society was ruled by a "council of elders" in which men and women were equally represented, but that over time, as the status of women fell, that of men increased. read more
Overview and Timeline of Ancient Mesopotamian Civilization. Mesopotamia is one of the cradles of human civilization. Here, the earliest cities in world history appeared, about 3500 BCE. Timeline of Ancient Mesopotamian civilization: c. 5000-3500 BCE: The first city-states gradually develop in southern Mesopotamia. read more