As a defensive measure, Hammurabi had the walls around Babylon improved, and through diplomacy, made allies with many of the cities north of Babylon. In the last ten years of his reign, Hammurabi conquered Lower Mesopotamia. He used the Euphrates river to his advantage. … In this way Hammurabi ruled most of Mesopotamia.

How was Mesopotamia conquered?

By the time Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire in 331 B.C., most of the great cities of Mesopotamia no longer existed and the culture had been long overtaken. Eventually, the region was taken by the Romans in 116 A.D. and finally Arabic Muslims in 651 A.D.

How did Hammurabi increase his power in Mesopotamia?

He built temples, granaries and palaces, constructed a bridge across the Euphrates River that allowed the city to expand on both banks, and dug a great irrigation canal that also protected land from floods. The investments he made paid off, as Babylon gradually developed into a wealthy, prosperous place.