What was the first major war in the history of the world?

Question:It goes back a lot further than Alexander the Great.

The first detailed military history records warfare between the Sumerian cities of Lagash and Umma, in 2525 B.C. Lagash won, and its king, Eannatum, commissioned a stone pillar (stele) to honor his victory.

However the first large war ever recorded was actually in 2700BC, between the people of Sumar (now Iraq) and the people of Elan (now around Iran i think). It was fought in the area around Basra.

There were obviously many many tribal/township wars before that, but none were recorded as they were from this war onwards, and writing wasn't invented until around 3100BC, so any kind of historical memories were only passed verbally. From 3100BC the Egyptians and Sumarians, in their own ways, started to keep written records.

I have included several sites that backup my knowledge, the final site gives a fairly detailed description of the time period and causes of the event.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: It goes back a lot further than Alexander the Great.

The first detailed military history records warfare between the Sumerian cities of Lagash and Umma, in 2525 B.C. Lagash won, and its king, Eannatum, commissioned a stone pillar (stele) to honor his victory.

However the first large war ever recorded was actually in 2700BC, between the people of Sumar (now Iraq) and the people of Elan (now around Iran i think). It was fought in the area around Basra.

There were obviously many many tribal/township wars before that, but none were recorded as they were from this war onwards, and writing wasn't invented until around 3100BC, so any kind of historical memories were only passed verbally. From 3100BC the Egyptians and Sumarians, in their own ways, started to keep written records.

I have included several sites that backup my knowledge, the final site gives a fairly detailed description of the time period and causes of the event.

when adam punched eve for the apple

Probably the conquest of Alexander the Great. He was an ancient Greek king of Macedon (336–323 BC). He was one of the most successful military commanders in history, and was undefeated in battle.

By the time of his death, he had conquered most of the world known to the ancient Greeks

After that, maybe the Persian Wars of which ultimately conqured Greece.

I have to disagree with slyce476's answer, because there were more major wars fought before Alxander. Agreed, he was a great expensionalist but not the first one to fight a 'major war'.

I have to add that 'major' is rather subjective; what seems small to us now, might have been enormous in 'their' days.

For example: around 3200 BC you have the start of the Sumerian Civilization, at first a system of city-states developed along the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. The Sumerians developed a loose confederation of the city-states, but these states often fought against one another. For them it was a major war in their timeline.

Around 2340 BC Sargon the Great, King of Akkad, rose from the service of the King of Kish. Sargon built Akkad as the new seat of government. Sargon accomplished what no Sumerian had done before: he unified all of the Sumerian cities in one centrally organized empire. Sargon also expanded the empire to include Persia and Syria, thus ruling from 'sea to sea' and I bet this didn't go wthout a fight. The Empire was further extended by his sons. Under his grandson Narmsin, the empire reached its zenith. The last of Sargon dynasty, Sharkalisharri, ruled until 2219 B.C., when Akkad fell to the Guti.

Then of course the first 'major' war that involved more countries around the world fighting each other at the same time, was World War 1.

A lot can be found at this site
http://www.multied.com/dates/MainBeforeB...

There are only records of wars that have occurred since manking developed a system of recording history. There were almost certainly wars before that event occurred, but we'll never know much about them.
When you ask about a 'major war' what exactly do you mean? You have to give some parameters - do you mean the size of the armies involved? The length of the war? The distances covered? The number of casualties?

That would be hard to trace.

It may go to the Egyptians, the Sea Peoples, or even the Phoenicians or Babylonians and Assyrians!

Too hard to know with out researching it more sorry.

Sargon taking over mesopotamia is a pretty good one.

The War of the Spanish Succession that came close to being a world war because of the nations involved. It was mainly in Europe but spilt down to the Americas (Queen Anne's War in North America and the attacks by privateers to Spanish ports and trade in Latin America and the Caribbean).
Alexander's, Genghis Khan's, Tamerlane's wars were wars of conquest, invasions.