History of Iraq

The history of Iraq traces political, social, and cultural change in the region from ancient Mesopotamia through the modern Iraqi state.

Sumer: An ancient civilization of southern Mesopotamia known for city-states, cuneiform writing, and monumental architecture. Its city-states formed some of the earliest urban societies in the region now called Iraq.
Mesopotamia: A historical region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, encompassing much of modern Iraq. Its geography provides the broad setting for Iraq’s earliest states and later regional histories.
Hammurabi: A Babylonian king who ruled in the eighteenth century BCE and is associated with a famous law collection. His reign exemplifies the lawmaking and imperial authority of ancient Babylon.
Iraqi nationalism: A political movement and identity emphasizing the unity and sovereignty of Iraq. Competing national visions have shaped state-building from the monarchy onward.
Babylon: An ancient Mesopotamian city and kingdom that became a major political and cultural center. Its successive dynasties made southern Iraq a center of regional power.
Ottoman Iraq: The provinces and territories of modern Iraq under Ottoman rule, lasting until the First World War. Ottoman provincial administration shaped local power before the modern Iraqi state emerged.
Harun al-Rashid: An Abbasid caliph who ruled from 786 to 809, during Baghdad’s period of imperial prominence. His reign is closely associated with the Abbasid court at Baghdad.
Kurdish–Iraqi conflict: A long-running political and armed struggle over Kurdish rights, autonomy, and territory in Iraq. The conflict reflects unresolved tensions between central governments and Kurdish communities.
Assyria: An ancient Mesopotamian kingdom and empire centered in northern Iraq. Its empire connected northern Iraq to a vast network of conquest and administration.
British Mandate for Mesopotamia: A League of Nations mandate administered by Britain over Iraq from 1920 to 1932. British rule established institutions and borders inherited by the independent kingdom.

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