South/East Conquests and Techniques
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To first expand Hammurabi's empire, taking control of the land is the first thing that mostly came to Hammurabi's mind. To take over southern Mesopotamia to make Babylonia, Hammurabi "freed Babylon from Elamite dominance" (Boundless.com). By doing this, he gained the trust of the Babylonians and then expanded Babylon into southern Mesopotamia. This then provided a secure environment for the people after Elamite control. Also from the south lies the city of Larsa, which Hammurabi used when the Elamites from the eastern area tried to seize. Hammurabi then cut ties with Larsa and took its cities, Isin and Uruk, by using the technique of forming allies and breaking them to conquer them. In this case, Hammurabi formed allies with "other city states such as Nippur and Lagash" (Ancient.eu). He then utilized this alliance to take over Larsa, Nippur, and Lagash, with these cities being both on the southern and eastern sides of Mesopotamia. Along with forming and breaking alliances, Hammurabi also "damm[ed] up [the] water sources to the city to withhold them from the enemy until surrender or, possibly, withholding the waters through a dam and then releasing them to flood the city before mounting an attack" (Ancient.eu). This resulted in complete control of southern Mesopotamia.
North/West Conquests and Techniques
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One of the most important and powerful kingdom in the North/West was the "Amorite Kingdom of Mari" (Ancient.eu). Hammurabi continued to form an alliance with the king, who has "led successful military campaigns through the North of Mesopotamia" (Ancient.eu). Hammurabi used this to his advantage and had great success in defeating the Mari Kingdom in 1761 B.C.E. However, instead of taking over Mari and enhancing its land, Hammurabi simply just ruined and destroyed the area, and the reasoning behind this is still being speculated today. Additionally, Elba was another area conquered by Hammurabi.
Another kingdom conquered by Hammurabi in this area of Mesopotamia was Ashur (located in Assyria). According to Boundless.com, "Assyria had extended control over ports of Asia Minor from the 21st century B.C.E." Despite this setback, Hammurabi was able to occupy this area by pressuring the King's successor, Mut-Ashur, to "pay tribute to Babylon c. 1751 B.C.E" (Boundless.com). This gave Hammurabi control over the existing colonies in the territory. All of Hammurabi's conquests just show that this encounter would refine the Middle East forever.
Another kingdom conquered by Hammurabi in this area of Mesopotamia was Ashur (located in Assyria). According to Boundless.com, "Assyria had extended control over ports of Asia Minor from the 21st century B.C.E." Despite this setback, Hammurabi was able to occupy this area by pressuring the King's successor, Mut-Ashur, to "pay tribute to Babylon c. 1751 B.C.E" (Boundless.com). This gave Hammurabi control over the existing colonies in the territory. All of Hammurabi's conquests just show that this encounter would refine the Middle East forever.