Mind-Benders of Mesopotamian History
The king whose name was written with the sign for a god — in his lifetime
Naram-Sin of Akkad, who reigned around 2254–2218 BCE, was among the first Mesopotamian kings whose name was written with the cuneiform sign for a god during his own lifetime, and he took the sweeping title "King of the Four Quarters" of the world. That was roughly 4,300 years ago — far earlier than the Roman emperors usually linked with claims of universal rule and divine honors.
How we know
Naram-Sin of Akkad, reign c. 2254–2218 BCE (Middle Chronology); first Akkadian king to prefix the divine determinative (dingir) to his name in his lifetime and to adopt the title "King of the Four Quarters" (šar kibrāt arbaim). Distance: 2254 + 2026 = 4280 ≈ 4,300 years ago.
One of many fact-checked wonders across eight traditions at The Spring of Wisdom.