The history of Mesopotamia is measured in millennia rather than centuries.
The first cities developed in the south around 3500 B.C. For the next 3,000 years, kingdoms rose and fell, empires expanded and contracted, outsiders conquered and were repelled. During that time, three dominant civilizations held center stage at various times: the Sumerians, the Babylonians, and the Assyrians. In brief, here is their story.
