More than five thousand years ago, one of the most ancient human civilizations, Sumer, arose in southern Mesopotamia. Powerful city-states emerged here, and writing, laws, trade, irrigation, and a complex system of governance developed. The era of written history began with the advent of Sumerian cuneiform.

In this video, we'll trace the history of the Sumerians—from the first settlements in Mesopotamia and the rise of Uruk to the rise of Ur, Lagash, and other Sumerian cities. We'll learn about life in ancient Mesopotamia, why ziggurats were built, how cuneiform writing worked, and the power of kings and priests.

We'll discuss Gilgamesh, the first cities, Sumerian gods, wars between city-states, the Akkadian Empire, and Sargon of Akkad. We'll explore why the Sumerian civilization gradually disappeared, but its achievements lived on in the cultures of Mesopotamia.

How did a small people between the Tigris and Euphrates create a civilization that had a profound impact on the ancient world? And why do the Sumerians often begin accounts of recorded human history?

Sumer—the story of the first great cities, cuneiform, kings, gods, and the civilization that stood at the origins of written history.

00:00:00 - The Beginning of Writing
00:04:41 - The Development of Cuneiform
00:06:42 - The Sumerian City-States
00:09:34 - The Legend of Gilgamesh
00:12:02 - Temples and Religion of the Sumerians
00:20:55 - Wars of the Sumerian Cities
00:24:54 - Sargon's Conquests and the Creation of an Empire
00:28:42 - The Third Dynasty of Ur
00:33:25 - The Fall of Ur
00:35:18 - The Fate of the Sumerian Language
00:47:12 - The Legacy of the Sumerians
01:02:31 - The Main Legacy of the Sumerian Civilization
01:05:18 - Conclusion

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