Akkadian literature comprises the ancient textual traditions written in the East Semitic Akkadian language—encompassing Assyrian and Babylonian dialects—across Mesopotamia from the Middle Bronze Age to the Iron Age (roughly 25th to 4th centuries BC). Drawing extensively from Sumerian literature, the Akkadians developed a rich body of mythological narratives, legal codes, scientific works, letters, poetry, proverbs, and historical accounts, while also influencing Sumerian writing. Most of these works were inscribed in cuneiform on clay tablets, with libraries in towns and temples serving as vital repositories. Literacy was widespread among both men and women, requiring knowledge of the complex cuneiform syllabary and, significantly, the extinct Sumerian language. Kings often commissioned works to celebrate their reigns, the divine, or to document religious and medical practices, reflecting the advanced systems of writing, science, medicine, and administration that fostered this literary output.

A substantial portion of Akkadian literature consisted of translations and adaptations from Sumerian originals, with Sumerian long remaining the language of religion and law. To facilitate study, scribes compiled vocabularies, grammars, interlinear translations, and commentaries on older texts. While Assyrian and Babylonian literatures shared a common source, early Assyrian education was more restricted, and later, Aramaic became a crucial language for the educated class due to its role in commerce and diplomacy. The vast corpus of cuneiform literature, estimated at around 1,500 texts at any given time, primarily featured omen texts, lexical lists, ritual incantations, and historical and mythological epics.

Among the most famous Akkadian works is the Epic of Gilgamesh, which evolved from earlier Sumerian tales into a monumental epic spanning thousands of lines, chronicling the adventures of the king of Uruk. The Enûma Eliš, or "Creation Epic," is another cornerstone, glorifying the god Marduk through his battle with the chaos dragon Tiamat and the subsequent creation of the world and humanity. Legal achievements include the Code of Hammurabi, the most extensive Mesopotamian legal collection with nearly three hundred laws. The literature also featured unique genres such as humorous texts like the Dialogue of Pessimism and The Poor Man of Nippur, and a voluminous body of omen literature (e.g., Enuma Anu Enlil for astrological omens and Bārûtu for divination by entrails), which constituted a significant portion of the corpus. Wisdom literature offered moral and philosophical reflections, exemplified by the Poem of the Righteous Sufferer and the Babylonian Theodicy, alongside fables and disputation poems where objects or animals debated.