History glossary
Third Dynasty of Ur
a Sumerian-led kingdom based at Ur that reunited much of Mesopotamia after the Akkadian collapse.
- Category
- Dynasty
- Region
- Southern Mesopotamia
- Date range
- c. 2112-2004 BCE
What it means
The Third Dynasty of Ur, often called Ur III, ruled from the city of Ur in southern Mesopotamia. It created a highly organized state with extensive administration, taxation, labor systems, and written records before falling to outside pressure and internal strain.
Related terms
Stories using this term
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Mesopotamia
Ancient Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, was one of the birthplaces of urban civilisation. In this Tigris and Euphrates civilization, communities built some of the first cities, developed cuneiform writing, organised law codes, and created early empires. From Sumer and Akkad to Babylon and Assyria, this history of Mesopotamia shows how farming, irrigation, temples, kingship, trade, and record-keeping helped create the structures of complex society. It also works as a Mesopotamia timeline and Mesopotamia civilization overview, with clear Mesopotamia facts tracing how Mesopotamian civilization grew from villages into states and empires.
