22nd century BC
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The 22nd century BC was a period of one hundred years beginning in 2200 BC and ending in 2101 BC. It falls within the Middle Bronze Age of the Middle East and North Africa. During this period, major established states underwent transformation, while new ones emerged.
Sources for this era include ancient written records (such as cuneiform from Mesopotamia and Egyptian hieroglyphics), archaeological excavation, and ancient climatology. The chronology of years in this period is not firmly established; historians employ different systems for counting years, resulting in variations in dating between scholars.
Mesopotamia
At the beginning of this century, the Akkad dynasty in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) collapsed under weakness and fragmentation. A period of division followed, after which the Sumerian city-states rose to prominence. At the end of the century, the Third Dynasty of Ur (known as Ur III) grew powerful, establishing an elaborate system of economic administration and record-keeping.
Egypt
Egypt entered what is known as the First Intermediate Period. The central authority of the Old Kingdom weakened, and administrative power passed to regional governors (nomarchs). The cities of Herakleopolis and Thebes became rival centers of power. Toward the end of the century, the forces of Thebes began the process of reunifying the country.
Climate change
Many scholars debate whether around 2200 BC a climate shift occurred involving drought and widespread unrest, known as the 4.2 kiloyear event. It is said to have affected agriculture and population movements in the Middle East, though some scholars question the extent of its impact.
Other regions of the world
The Indus Valley (in present-day Pakistan and northwestern India) entered a period of decline in which the major cities shrank. Europe and North Africa were inhabited by pastoral and agricultural societies without writing. In East Africa and the Horn of Africa, no written records from this period exist; evidence relies solely on archaeological remains.