<Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> The ancient Near East was the first to practice intensive year - round agriculture and currency - mediated trade (as opposed to barter), gave the rest of the world the first writing system, invented the potter's wheel and then the vehicular and mill wheel, created the first centralized governments and law codes, served as birthplace to the first city - states with their high degree of division of labor, as well as laying the foundation for the fields of astronomy and mathematics . However, its empires also introduced rigid social stratification, slavery, and organized warfare . </P> <P> The earliest civilizations in history were established in the region now known as the Middle East around 3500 BC by the Sumerians, in Mesopotamia (Iraq), widely regarded as the cradle of civilization . The Sumerians and the Akkadians (later known as Babylonians and Assyrians) all flourished in this region . </P> <P> "In the course of the fourth millennium BC, city - states developed in southern Mesopotamia that were dominated by temples whose priests represented the cities' patron deities . The most prominent of the city - states was Sumer, which gave its language to the area, (presumably the first written language,) and became the first great civilization of mankind . About 2340 BC, Sargon the Great (c. 2360--2305 BC) united the city - states in the south and founded the Akkadian dynasty, the world's first empire ." </P>

Where were the earliest civilizations of the middle east found