The text and our lectures have followed a succession of cultures that thrived and then collapsed in the Mesopotamian region, and the timeline above
illustrates the sequence of that development. First, we saw one of the Sumerian city states, Akkadia, bring the region together into an empire. Later, we
saw Akkadia replaced by Babylon, Babylon replaced by Assyria, and a return to New Babylon, which was finally conquered by the Persians.
Reflect on any three innovations and/or limitations that contributed to the development, rise and/or fall the societies. What were the successes
and failures that contributed the most to the rise and fall of these cultures? Did the same success or failure impact more than one culture's rise or
fall? How so, or why not? Please support your answer with details from the text and lectures.