| Neolithic period | c. 10,000-4000 BCE | The earliest period of human settlement in Mesopotamia, characterized by the development of agriculture and the domestication of animals. |
| Ubaid period | c. 5300-3800 BCE | The period in which the first cities and urban centers emerged in Mesopotamia, including Eridu, Uruk, and Ur. |
| Sumerian civilization | c. 4000-2000 BCE | The period in which the Sumerians developed a system of writing, created some of the earliest forms of literature, and built large-scale infrastructure projects such as ziggurats. |
| Akkadian Empire | c. 2334-2154 BCE | The period in which the Akkadian king Sargon the Great conquered Sumer and established the first empire in world history. |
| Third Dynasty of Ur | c. 2112-2004 BCE | The period in which the Sumerian city of Ur was the center of a large and powerful empire, known for its advancements in law, literature, and architecture. |
| Old Babylonian period | c. 2000-1600 BCE | The period in which the city of Babylon emerged as a major center of trade and culture, under rulers such as Hammurabi, who created the first legal code in history. |
| Assyrian Empire | c. 1365-609 BCE | The period in which the Assyrians, based in the city of Ashur, created a vast empire that spanned much of the Middle East and was known for its military prowess and brutal tactics. |
| Neo-Babylonian Empire | c. 626-539 BCE | The period in which the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the First Temple, as well as overseeing major building projects such as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. |