The Akkadian Empire is often called the world’s first empire. The empire united Akkadian and Sumerian speakers under one rule and their civilization stretched across Mesopotamia, the Levant, and Anatolia (modern-day Iraq, Syria, and Turkey).
Current theories and findings identify the Fertile Crescent as the first and oldest cradle of civilization. Examples of sites in this area are the early Neolithic site of Göbekli Tepe (9500–8000 BC) and Çatalhöyük (7500–5700 BC).
The Sumerian civilization emerged in Mesopotamia around 4500 to 4000 BCE. Prior to this, neolithic communities had started forming villages in the region as early as 8000 BCE.