In the records remaining of Sargon, from various localities, it is stated that he built here a palace, which, after some important military campaigns he greatly enlarged; that he built also a magnificent temple to Annuit, and that afterwards a statue of him (Sargon) was here erected, inscribed with memorials of his birth and career.
The tablets in the British Museum containing these records are probably copies of these older inscriptions, the originals not having as yet been discovered. They record Sargon’s invasions of Elam with victorious armies, another successful campaign in Syria, the subjugation of all Babylonia and the peopling of his new city, Agane, with the conquered nations.
His longest and greatest campaign was a later invasion of Syria at which he was absent from his kingdom for three years. At this time he penetrated to the “Sea of the setting Sun”—the Mediterranean—conquering all the countries through which he passed.
In the rocky cliffs of the Asian shore he left inscriptions recording his triumphs, and memorial statues of him were erected in various places. It is possible that he crossed to Cyprus where relics of him, and of his son, Naram-Sin, have been found.
He seems to have had ambitions of universal empire, and it is stated that after his return from this expedition, “he appointed that all places should form a single kingdom.” Of this he says:
“Forty-five years the kingdom I have ruled, and the black Accadian race I have governed.”
“In multitude of bronze chariots I rode over rugged lands.”
“Three times to the coast of the Persian sea I advanced.”
“The countries of the Sea of the setting Sun I crossed.”
“In the third year at the setting Sun my hand conquered.”