The Akkadian Empire is an empire centered in the city of Akkad (Sumerian: Agade) and its surrounding region in Mesopotamia.

During the 3rd millennium BCE, there develops a very intimate cultural symbiosis between the Sumerians and the Akkadians, which includes widespread bilingualism.

Akkadian gradually replaces Sumerian as a spoken language somewhere around the turn of the 3rd and the 2nd millennium BCE (the exact dating being a matter of debate).The Akkadian Empire reaches its political peak between the 24th and 22nd centuries BCE, following the conquests of its founder Sargon of Akkad (2334–2279 BCE).

Under Sargon and his successors, Akkadian language is briefly imposed on neighboring conquered states such as Elam.

Akkad is sometimes regarded as the first empire in history.