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Sargon was the Akkadian leader who overran the Sumerian city-states. Sargon then established the first empire in world history. His power is based on his military of 5,400 men. -
Naram-Sin continued his grandfather's empire. He also carried out numerous military campaigns. Because of his success from his military he called himself the "King of the Four Corners of the Universe" and declared himself a god.
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After prosperous years of his military and his leadership his reign ended. Soon after his reign neighbors began to attack the Akkadian empire and it fell in 2150 bc.
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Hammurabi was a king from Babylon. Hammurabi had a well disciplined and trained army. He learned how to divide his opponents and subdue them. With such tactics he gained control of Sumer and Akkad. -
Hammurabi died, but that was not the end of his legacy. Once he died weal kings followed causing the empire to fall into the hands of invaders. Even after death Hammurabi left a collection of laws called The Code of Hammurabi. So for many empires to come they used The Code of Hammurabi. -
He managed to expel the Hyksos from Egypt and establish the New Kingdom. He set the Egyptians on a new militaristic path with a more professional army. -
He expanded the borders of Egypt to the south. He did this by conquering the African kingdom of Nubia. (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thutmose-I)
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He led 17 military campaigns into Canaan and Syria. He even reached as far east as the Euphrates River. He had his forces occupy Canaan but allowed locals to rule. (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thutmose-III)
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During her rule she sent military expeditions, encouraged mining, and trading up the Nile. Some statues of her show her with a beard and clothed like a man. She was also addressed as "His Majesty". (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hatshepsut)
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The empire reached its heights during his rule. This was shown through the great buildings including temples and other buildings. The especially famous temples were at Karnak and Luxor. The temples along the Nile had 70 foot high statues of himself, Amenhotep III.
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He was a religious ruler. He introduced the worship of Aten. Aten is the sole god and the god of the sun disk. Amenhotep IV was so obsessed that he even closed the temples to other gods. Soon after he changed his name to Akhenaten meaning "Servant of Aten" and made the new capitol Akhenaten (Horizon of Aten). (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Akhenaten)
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During his rule the Egyptians went back onto the offensive. Egyptians regained the control of Canaan. They were unable to reestablish the borders of their earlier empire.
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Soon after the end of his rule the New Kingdom experienced invasions of the "Sea Peoples". They drove the Egyptians out of Canaan and pushed them back to their old frontiers.
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He rebuilt Babylon making it the center of his empire. It gave it the reputation of one of the greatest cities in the ancient world. It was most known for the Hanging Gardens which is one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Quickly as it began it fell to the Persians in 539 bc. (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nebuchadnezzar-II) -
Cyrus created a powerful Persian state that stretched all the way from the Asia Minor to India. He was the one to capture Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar II ruled. He showed compassion, restraint, and wisdom, and he allowed the Jews to return home from their exile in Babylon. -
At the end of his rule his successors wanted to grow their territory. His son Cambyses successfully invaded Egypt.
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Darius divided the Persian empire into 20 provinces called satrapies. A governor ruled each province and collected taxes, provided justice, and recruited soldiers. Communication was efficient for the Persians as they had well maintained roads.
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Darius' rule ended. After his rule ended kings after him were isolated and were surrounded by luxuries. As the kings increased taxes, loyalty to the empire decreased. Struggles for the throne weakened the empire.
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Persian kings after Darius were polygamous. Polygamous meaning having many wives. An example would be the king Artaxerxes II. He had in total 115 sons. They had little power which led to plots to gain the throne.
(https://www.britannica.com/biography/Artaxerxes-II) -
She attempted to reestablish the Egyptian independence. Due to her involvement with Rome she was defeated and committed suicide. Egypt then became a province in Rome. (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cleopatra-queen-of-Egypt)