The history of Iraq is the very history of human civilization itself, originating in the fertile plains between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, historically known as Mesopotamia. Around 4000 BCE, the Sumerians established the world’s earliest advanced civilization here, inventing cuneiform writing, building the first urban cities, and developing complex political systems. This golden age of innovation was followed by the Akkadian Empire under Sargon the Great, who created one of the world's first multinational empires. Later, Babylon rose to prominence, achieving legendary status under King Hammurabi, who introduced his famous unified code of laws, and Nebuchadnezzar II, who built the Hanging Gardens. In the northern region, the fierce Assyrians established a massive military empire renowned for its administrative efficiency and architectural grandeur, before the entire region eventually fell under Achaemenid Persian rule. A profound transformation occurred in the seventh century CE with the Islamic conquests, which integrated Iraq into the expanding Islamic world. The region reached its absolute zenith during the Abbasid Caliphate when Caliph Al-Mansur founded Baghdad in 762 CE. Baghdad quickly became the cultural, scientific, and economic capital of the world, hosting the House of Wisdom where scholars preserved and expanded global knowledge. This golden age came to a devastating end in 1258 CE when the Mongols, led by Hulagu Khan, sacked Baghdad and destroyed its infrastructure. Following centuries of stagnation and shifting control between the Safavids and the Ottoman Empire, Iraq remained under stable but restrictive Ottoman rule until World War I. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Britain occupied the region, leading to the establishment of the Kingdom of Iraq, which gained formal independence in 1932. The monarchy was overthrown in a bloody coup in 1958, initiating a turbulent republican era marked by political instability that culminated in the rise of the Ba'ath Party and Saddam Hussein's presidency in 1979. This regime dragged the nation into destructive conflicts, including the protracted Iran-Iraq War and the devastating Gulf War. Decades of economic sanctions and political oppression culminated in the 2003 United States-led invasion, which overthrew Saddam Hussein but unleashed severe sectarian violence and political instability. Despite facing immense challenges, including the rise and eventual defeat of ISIS, modern Iraq continues its complex, ongoing journey toward democratic stability, economic rebuilding, and reclaiming its sovereign place in the global community.#الله #الله_اكبر #العراق - @m.h.a.m54