Located in southern Mesopotamia, the "Land of Civilized Lords" and the "Native Land" during the Early Bronze Age had complex agriculture, religion, and laws by 7000bp (before present). One of the earliest fully developed written languages. Referred to as Shinar in the Bible. Possibly the location for the Tower of Babel. Quite possibly, the land settled directly after the "Flood". They called themselves Kiengir.
Eridu was the first city upon which kingship was bestowed by the gods. Alulim was given kingship and he ruled for 28,800 years (8 "sars". 1 sar - 3600 years), 7 more kings ruled, the last for 18,600 years. Then the flood. (There is archaeological evidence of a flood and a break in civilization of the area correspondant to the tale of kings and the Epic of Gilgamesh.)
After the flood, the Kish dynasty begins, following with 23 kings whose reigns encompassed between 140 to 1500 years individually. Then the dynasty of Uruk. With 12 kings reigning from 6 to 1200 years. The Early Bronze Age included the Ur dynasty. 4 kings ruling from 25 to 80 years. The list goes on through many, many dynasties, and kings.
Even at the start of the Sumerian settlements, pottery was advanced, and already had representation of religious ideology and tales of civilization yet older than Sumerian. The cities were unfortified, and had little presence of any sort of military, at most, these would have been hunters and messangers between cities rather than "military". Cities were governed by a thocracy, with a priest in charge, and a counsil of Elders which included men and women.
There are many parallels between the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Bible, it cannot be scholastically refuted as an original source for the story. Peoples from the Bible attribute their heritage to the areas in which Sumerian influence would have been strong. Homers Oddessy also recounts similar tales that most likely would be attributed to the Epic of Gilgamesh.
The civilization is among the oldest in the world. Hominid remains have been found in the area that predate 3 million years. Lending to the idea these stories may have been passed down from generation to generation (Like the DreamLines form Australia). The tablets upon which the stories were written have some of the oldest written language ever.
Delving into the Sumerian world is very important to truly understanding the Bible, and stories in it. The city was first inhabited around 12,000 years ago, and has since been inhabited continuously. Around 8000 years ago, the city was invaded. From 6000 years ago on, it has gone through several hands. The largest of these constructed about 4000 years ago. The city of Jericho was destroyed around 3000 years ago.
The Gospels refer to Zacchaeus the tax collector as living in Jericho and that Jesus came through and healed one or two blind people here. The road from Jericho to Jeruselem is the setting for the Good Samaritan story.
Around 1450 years ago, an earthquake destroyed much of what remained in the city. About 1300 years ago, Arabs took control of the city. In the year 1071, the Turks took the city, followed by the Holy Roman Empire during the Crusades. The Ottoman Empire gained control from 1517 to 1918. The Ottoman Empire was split up by the Brittish Mandate in the 1920's. In the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Jordan took Jericho. The Israeli military conquered the area in the Six Day War in 1967. In 1994 the land was given to Palestinian control under the Oslo Accords. Following a 10 hour siege in 2001, Isreal retook Jericho. On Aug 4th, 2008, the Hamas attacked the Gaza Strip, and the Hilles people were relocated to Jericho, where they are to this day.