Country history · Asia

History of Iraq

73 recorded states lay in what is now Iraq, from Eridu (5400 BCE) to the Republic of Iraq. 3 of them have a full profile, and 24 outside powers ruled here.

ProfileState (capital or seat)22 without a known seat not shownOpen in the atlas →

Profiles

Empires that ruled here

Timeline

55th century BCE

  1. Eridu5400 BCE – 2600 BCE · city state

36th century BCE

  1. Uruk3500 BCE – 1802 BCE · profile

30th century BCE

  1. Kish2900 BCE – 2334 BCE · city state
  2. Nippur2900 BCE – 2334 BCE · city state
  3. Shuruppak2900 BCE – 2334 BCE · city state

28th century BCE

  1. Adab2700 BCE – 2334 BCE · city state

27th century BCE

  1. Umma2600 BCE – 2334 BCE · city state
  2. Ur2600 BCE – 2112 BCE · city state

26th century BCE

  1. Akshak2500 BCE – 2334 BCE · city state
  2. Hamazi2500 BCE – 2400 BCE · city state
  3. Lagash2500 BCE – 2110 BCE · city state

25th century BCE

  1. Lullubi2400 BCE – 650 BCE · tribal confederation

24th century BCE

  1. Simurrum2300 BCE – 1750 BCE · kingdom

22nd century BCE

  1. Gutian rule2154 BCE – 2119 BCE · nomadic confederation

21st century BCE

  1. Eshnunna2028 BCE – 1762 BCE · kingdom
  2. Larsa2025 BCE – 1763 BCE · kingdom
  3. Isin2017 BCE – 1794 BCE · kingdom
  4. Der2000 BCE – 1750 BCE · city state

20th century BCE

  1. Kazallu1900 BCE – 1800 BCE · kingdom
  2. Malgium1900 BCE – 1764 BCE · kingdom

19th century BCE

  1. Kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia1808 BCE – 1776 BCE · kingdom

18th century BCE

  1. Kingdom of Andarig1780 BCE – 1761 BCE · kingdom
  2. Kingdom of Karana1780 BCE – 1761 BCE · kingdom
  3. Kingdom of Kurda1780 BCE – 1761 BCE · kingdom
  4. Sealand dynasty1732 BCE – 1460 BCE · kingdom

16th century BCE

  1. Kassite Babylonia1595 BCE – 1155 BCE · kingdom
  2. Kingdom of Arrapha1500 BCE – 1340 BCE · kingdom

12th century BCE

  1. Second Dynasty of Isin1157 BCE – 1026 BCE · kingdom

11th century BCE

  1. Second Sealand Dynasty1025 BCE – 1005 BCE · kingdom
  2. Bazi Dynasty1004 BCE – 985 BCE · kingdom

10th century BCE

  1. Dynasty of E979 BCE – 732 BCE · kingdom
  2. Land of Suhu900 BCE – 616 BCE · principality
  3. Musasir900 BCE – 714 BCE · city state
  4. Zamua900 BCE – 800 BCE · tribal confederation

9th century BCE

  1. Bit-Amukani880 BCE – 650 BCE · tribal confederation
  2. Bit-Dakkuri880 BCE – 650 BCE · tribal confederation
  3. Bit-Yakin880 BCE – 640 BCE · tribal confederation

8th century BCE

  1. Gambulu750 BCE – 650 BCE · tribal confederation

2nd century BCE

  1. Kingdom of Adiabene164 BCE – 379 CE · kingdom
  2. Kingdom of Characene141 BCE – 222 CE · kingdom
  3. Corduene100 BCE – 384 CE · kingdom
  4. Kingdom of Hatra100 BCE – 241 CE · kingdom

4th century

  1. Lakhmid Kingdom300 CE – 602 CE · kingdom

7th century

  1. Caliphate of Ibn al-Zubayr683 CE – 692 CE · caliphate

9th century

  1. Zanj state869 CE – 883 CE · other

10th century

  1. Hamdanid emirate of Mosul905 CE – 990 CE · emirate
  2. Buyid dynasty934 CE – 1062 CE · profile
  3. Mazyadid dynasty961 CE – 1150 CE · emirate
  4. Annazid dynasty990 CE – 1117 CE · emirate
  5. Uqaylid dynasty990 CE – 1096 CE · emirate

12th century

  1. Seljuk Sultanate of Iraq1118 CE – 1194 CE · sultanate
  2. Zengid dynasty1127 CE – 1250 CE · emirate
  3. Zengid dynasty of Mosul1127 CE – 1233 CE · emirate
  4. Begteginid dynasty1144 CE – 1233 CE · principality

13th century

  1. Lu'lu'id dynasty1233 CE – 1262 CE · emirate

14th century

  1. Ardalan1300 CE – 1867 CE · principality
  2. Chupanids1335 CE – 1357 CE · principality
  3. Jalayirids1335 CE – 1432 CE · sultanate
  4. Qara Qoyunlu1374 CE – 1468 CE · tribal confederation
  5. Bahdinan emirate1376 CE – 1843 CE · principality
  6. Aq Qoyunlu1378 CE – 1503 CE · profile

15th century

  1. Soran emirate1400 CE – 1836 CE · principality
  2. Musha'sha1436 CE – 1729 CE · theocracy

16th century

  1. Muntafiq confederation1530 CE – 1871 CE · tribal confederation
  2. Afrasiyab dynasty of Basra1596 CE – 1668 CE · principality

17th century

  1. Baban emirate1649 CE – 1850 CE · principality

18th century

  1. Mamluk Iraq1704 CE – 1831 CE · other

19th century

  1. Emirate of Jabal Shammar1836 CE – 1921 CE · emirate

20th century

  1. Mandatory Iraq1920 CE – 1932 CE · protectorate
  2. Kingdom of Iraq1921 CE – 1958 CE · kingdom
  3. Kingdom of Kurdistan1922 CE – 1924 CE · kingdom
  4. Arab Federation1958 CE – 1958 CE · other
  5. Republic of Iraq1958 CE – present · republic

In the encyclopedia

Shared histories

States that also lay in other present-day countries:

States of Mesopotamia and Iran → States of Arabia and the Gulf → All country histories →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). History of Iraq. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/iraq
MLA
“History of Iraq.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/iraq. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “History of Iraq.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/iraq.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘History of Iraq’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/iraq (Accessed: ).