Erra-imitti
Encyclopedia
Erra-Imittī, 1805 – 1799 BC (short chronology
), was king of Isin
, modern Ishan al-Bahriyat, and according to the Sumerian King List
ruled for eight years. He succeeded Lipit-Enlil, his father and was a contemporary and rival of Sūmû-El
and Nūr-Adad
of the parallel dynasty of Larsa
. He is best known for the legendary tale of his demise.
. A haematite cylinder seal
Cylinder seal BM 130695. of his servant and scribe Iliška-uṭul, son of Sîn-ennam, has come to light from the city of Kissura. The latest attested year-name gives the year he built the city wall of gan-x-Erra-Imittī, perhaps an eponymous new town.
When the omens predicted impending doom for a monarch, it was customary to appoint as a substitute a statueNU-NÍG-SAG-ÍL-e. though inanimate as a scape-goat for a hundred days to deflect the disaster, at the end of which the proxy and his spouse would be ritually slaughtered and the king would resume his throne. The Chronicle of early kingsChronicle of early kings (ABC 20) A 31 to 36 and repeated as B 1 to 7. relates that Erra-Imittī selected his gardener, Enlil-bâni, enthroned him and placed the royal tiara on his head. Erra-Imittī then died “accidentally” during a hot porridgeSome sources say broth, some soup. eating incident, when he was scalded, and Enlil-bâni by virtue of his refusal to quit the throne, became king.
Short chronology timeline
The short chronology is one chronology of the Near Eastern Bronze and Early Iron Age, which fixes the reign of Hammurabi to 1728 BC – 1686 BC and the sack of Babylon to 1531 BC....
), was king of Isin
Isin
Isin was an ancient city-state of lower Mesopotamia about 20 miles south of Nippur at the site of modern Ishan al-Bahriyat in Iraq's Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate.-History:...
, modern Ishan al-Bahriyat, and according to the Sumerian King List
Sumerian king list
The Sumerian King List is an ancient manuscript originally recorded in the Sumerian language, listing kings of Sumer from Sumerian and neighboring dynasties, their supposed reign lengths, and the locations of "official" kingship...
ruled for eight years. He succeeded Lipit-Enlil, his father and was a contemporary and rival of Sūmû-El
Sumuel
Sumuel or Sumu-El ruled the ancient Near East city-stateof Larsa from c. 1830 BC to 1801 BC. He was an Amorite. Annals for his complete 29 year reign have survived; thus it is known that he campaigned against Akusum and Kazallu in his year 4, Uruk in year 5, Pinaratim in year 8, Sabum in year 10,...
and Nūr-Adad
Nur-Adad
Nur-Adad ruled the ancient Near East city-stateof Larsa from 1801 BC to 1785 BC. He was a contemporary of Sumu-la-El of Babylon....
of the parallel dynasty of Larsa
Larsa
Larsa was an important city of ancient Sumer, the center of the cult of the sun god Utu. It lies some 25 km southeast of Uruk in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate, near the east bank of the Shatt-en-Nil canal at the site of the modern settlement Tell as-Senkereh or Sankarah.-History:According to...
. He is best known for the legendary tale of his demise.
Biography
He seems to have recovered control of Nippur from Larsa early in his reign but perhaps lost it again, as its recovery is celebrated by his successor. The later regnal year-names offer some glimmer of events, for example “the year following the year Erra-Imittī seized Kisurra"BM 85348: mu ús-sa ki-sur-raki dÌr-ra-i-mi-ti ba-an-dib. (the modern site of Abū-Ḥaṭab) for the date of a receipt for a bridal gift and “the year Erra-Imittī destoyed the city wall of Kazallu,”YOS 14 319: mu dÌr-ra-i-mi-ti bàd ka-zal-luki ba-gal. a city allied with Larsa and antagonistic to Isin and its vassal, BabylonBabylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
. A haematite cylinder seal
Cylinder seal
A cylinder seal is a cylinder engraved with a 'picture story', used in ancient times to roll an impression onto a two-dimensional surface, generally wet clay. Cylinder seals were invented around 3500 BC in the Near East, at the contemporary site of Susa in south-western Iran and at the early site...
Cylinder seal BM 130695. of his servant and scribe Iliška-uṭul, son of Sîn-ennam, has come to light from the city of Kissura. The latest attested year-name gives the year he built the city wall of gan-x-Erra-Imittī, perhaps an eponymous new town.
When the omens predicted impending doom for a monarch, it was customary to appoint as a substitute a statueNU-NÍG-SAG-ÍL-e. though inanimate as a scape-goat for a hundred days to deflect the disaster, at the end of which the proxy and his spouse would be ritually slaughtered and the king would resume his throne. The Chronicle of early kingsChronicle of early kings (ABC 20) A 31 to 36 and repeated as B 1 to 7. relates that Erra-Imittī selected his gardener, Enlil-bâni, enthroned him and placed the royal tiara on his head. Erra-Imittī then died “accidentally” during a hot porridgeSome sources say broth, some soup. eating incident, when he was scalded, and Enlil-bâni by virtue of his refusal to quit the throne, became king.