Mesopotamia People have been living in Mesopotamia for many thousands of years, the region probably belong to the

longest inhabited regions of the world. 10th millennium BCE: Agriculture is starting to be developed in northern Mesopotamia. 7th millennium: Tiny settlements start to grow into villages. 4th millennium: Irrigation agriculture of southern Mesopotamia is starting to be developed, and proves to be more effective than the agriculture in the northern regions. Some of the villages started to grow into cities, where Eridu and Uruk were among the very first. Around 3500: City-states in southern Mesopotamia develop, and form the culture we call Sumer. Around 3100: The cuneiform writing system is starting to be used. Around 2330: Mesopotamia is conquered by the Akkadians. Approx. 2218: The tribesmen Gutians defeat the Akkadians. 22nd century: The 3rd dynasty of Ur gets control over large parts of Mesopotamia, and the region is revived. Around 1760: Most of Mesopotamia comes under the control of Hammurabi and Babylonia. Around 1600: Babylon is first sacked by the Hittites, then by the Kassites, who take control over the city. Around 1350: The Assyrians become an important power in northern Mesopotamia, and can at times threaten Babylonia. In the centuries that followed, the Assyrian politics of deporting rebellious subjects made races mix in Mesopotamia. 11th century: Decline in strength and importance of Babylonia. Political chaos would last for about 200 years. 9th century: The Chaldeans get control over Babylonia, and makes it one of the strongest states in Mesopotamia. 612: Assyria collapses. 539: Babylon is conquered by the Persians. The Persians divided Mesopotamia into 2 satrapies; Babylon and Ashur, where Babylon was the most important in politics and administration. The following period was one of slow economic decline for the region. 312: Seleucus conquers Babylon, and a period of Hellenistic culture and economic growth comes to Mesopotamia. Approx. 250: Mesopotamia is conquered by the Parthians. 226 CE: Mesopotamia is conquered by the Sassanids. Under their rule, prosperity continued and irrigation was improved. 635: Mesopotamia is conquered by the Muslim Arabs. 763: Baghdad is started to be built, as part of moving he centre of the Muslim world from Damascus to the Mesopotamian region. This involves the start of one the most impressive periods of the region, where Mesopotamia in many fields is the centre of the world. 1258: Following a sack of the Mongols, many state structures of Mesopotamia and the Muslim deteriorates. Both culture and economy suffer. 16th century: Ottoman Turks and Safavid Persians start battling over Mesopotamia.

17th century: The Ottomans get control over Mesopotamia. 1840: The first archaeological excavations start. 1932: The eastern and largest parts of Mesopotamia becomes part of Iraq with its independence. 1945: Syria becomes independent, with a territory that covers the western parts of Mesopotamia.