c.1897 - 1883 BC Su-abu / Suum-abum / Sumuabum Freed Babylon from the rule of Kazallu.

The first Babylonian king starts out as a minor Amorite leader who seizes the town from Kazallu and declares its independence. He begins his reign with the construction of a great city wall, which is still unfinished at his death, after he is driven into exile in Der by Manana of Kish. c.1883 - 1847 BC Sumula-ilum / Sumu-la-el Sacked Kish and Kazallu. c.1847 - 1832 BC Sabium / Sabum Killed Silli-Adad of Larsa. c.1832 - 1812 BC Apil-sin c.1830 BC Eshnunna extends its territory considerably into northern Babylonia under the reign of Naram-Sin. Between 1819-1812 BC, the king of Ekallatum is forced to take refuge in Babylon after Naram-Sin conquers his city. c.1812 - 1793 BC Sin-muballit Defeated by Rim-Sin of Larsa. By the time of Hammurabi's accession to the throne, the kings of Babylon had begun to enlarge the state's borders by conquering the Amorite cities of Dilbat, Borsippa, Kish, and Sippar. If it didn't already also control Kazallu from c.1861 BC, it certainly does so by this time. c.1792 - 1750 BC Hammurabi Son. Established the empire. c.1787 BC Increasing the state's size and strength considerably, Hammurabi attacks and defeats the Amorite city state of Isin. c.1784 BC The city state of Malgum is seized. c.1776 BC The kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia falls, bringing temporary independence to most of northern Mesopotamia. c.1764 BC A major invasion by a coalition army of Elamites, Assyrians, Gutians and Eshnunnians is defeated and crushed, and Hammurabi retaliates against Elam. c.1763 BC Hammurabi attacks and defeats the Amorite city state of Larsa for its failure to provide any real assistance in the allied effort to beat back the growing threat of the powerful Elamites. The victory gives him control of the entire lower Mesopotamian plain, which includes Nippur, Ur, Uruk, and Isin. The Elamites become vassals of Babylonia, as does Ekallatum. c.1762 BC The Babylonians capture the only remaining political power to oppose them when they take Eshnunna, inheriting well-established trade routes and economic stability. Northern Mesopotamia is occupied, ending the independence of small city states such as Andarig, Karana, Qattara, and Razama.

c.1761 BC Mari, which had previously been a minor ally against the kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia, is finally defeated. The removal of this last opposition wins Hammurabi control of virtually all of former Sumerian Mesopotamia. During this period, and perhaps due to this dominance, the city of Kisurra declines. Hammurabi also maintains important trade relations with the Canaanite city of Hazor. c.1752 BC Two Semitic Israelite leaders, Terah and Abraham, lead their tribe of people out of Ur towards Canaan, following the curve of the Fertile Crescent.