Many empires have fought on Iraqi soil and claimed its territory as their own. In fact, few regions have experienced more war, more violent political upheaval, and more ruthless campaigns to oust potential enemies than Iraq. Here students can follow the history of the Sumerians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Mongols, who have all lived and prospered in the region. With the United States’s dependency on the Middle East for its oil, and the threat of Saddam Hussein’s unconventional weapons programs, knowledge of Iraq’s history is more essential now than ever before.