The establishment of the first empire in human history involved a calculated military and political effort to unite humanity under a single dominion. Interestingly, these events actually took place after the building of the city and the Tower of Babel, following the principle that events in the Torah are not always recorded in strict chronological order [ברכת אשר על התורה].
Nimrod's reign began as a small kingdom centered around a few key cities. After firmly establishing his power there, he expanded his borders and set out to conquer additional territories [רד״ק, חזקוני, קאסוטו]. While some suggest he built these initial cities himself [שד״ל], others maintain that he merely conquered them [רד״ק, קאסוטו]. His ambitions, however, were not purely political. His rise to power coincided with the gathering of nations to build the Tower of Babel, driven by a desire to control all of humanity through the enforcement of a unified system of idolatry [ספורנו].
The very concept of a kingdom implies a leader who is meant to serve as a head, a guiding model, and a moral ideal to whom the people turn, standing in sharp contrast to a mere ruler who governs entirely through force and coercion [רש ר הירש].
His early kingdom was rooted in ancient royal cities and districts within the region of Mesopotamia [שטיינזלץ]. The most famous of these in the south was Babylon, which would eventually rise to greatness as the center of a vast empire [קאסוטו, תורה תמימה]. Another city, Erech, is identified by some as ancient Edessa or the origin of certain groups mentioned later in the Book of Ezra [שד״ל, תורה תמימה], while others identify it as the ancient city ruled by Gilgamesh [קאסוטו]. Accad was a central city located either in northern Babylon or near Nineveh [שד״ל, קאסוטו]. Regarding Calneh, there is an interesting debate. While the primary approach identifies it as a specific ancient city, such as Nippur or Ctesiphon [תורה תמימה, אם למקרא, קאסוטו], an alternative view suggests it is not the name of a city at all. Instead, the word simply means "and all of them," indicating that all these previously mentioned cities were united together under his rule [קאסוטו].
All these locations were situated in Shinar, the broad geographic region surrounding Babylon [שד״ל, קאסוטו]. The name Shinar itself carries deep, complex meanings in ancient traditions. It is associated with the idea of shaking or emptying, as the bodies of those who perished in the great flood were washed and shaken into this area. It also reflects the harsh nature of the land, which was said to shake out and empty its wealthy inhabitants of their riches due to their lack of mercy. Furthermore, the name is linked to a sense of lack and absence, as its residents historically died in disgrace without basic dignities, such as light or washing, and were entirely empty of God's commandments. Finally, the name serves as a hidden acronym for "enemy and awake," foreshadowing Nebuchadnezzar, the future king of Babylon who would emerge from this very region to oppress Israel and rebel against God [תורה תמימה].