The Mari Kingdom! In what is now modern-day Syria, Mari (Tell Hariri) was a city-state that spread from the western bank of the Euphrates River beyond Deir Ez-Zor. The Mariotes existed as a multicultural place of trade and metallurgy with Amorites and Akkadians exacting substantial influence over the people and culture of this region. It existed as a city-state from 2900 BCE to 1760 BCE and existed throughout antiquity until it vanished from the historical records. Despite the discovery of over 15,000 cuneiform tablets related to Mari, it remains relatively unknown in the larger discussion of civilizations in the Middle East and North Africa. Thank you to Shannon MacColl for writing about this historical kingdom.