Sumerian king list
Encyclopedia
The Sumerian King List is an ancient manuscript originally recorded in the Sumerian language
, listing kings of Sumer
(ancient southern Iraq
) from Sumerian and neighboring dynasties
, their supposed reign lengths, and the locations of "official" kingship. Kingship was believed to have been handed down by the gods, and could be transferred from one city to another, reflecting perceived hegemony in the region. Throughout its Bronze Age
existence, the document evolved into a political tool. Its final and single attested version, dating to the Middle Bronze Age, aimed to legitimize Isin
's claims to hegemony when Isin was vying for dominance with Larsa
and other neighboring city-states in southern Mesopotamia
.
predynastic rulers with implausibly lengthy reigns with later, more plausibly historical dynasties. Although the primal kings are historically unattested, this does not preclude their possible correspondence with historical rulers who were later mythicized. Some Assyriologists
view the predynastic kings as a later fictional addition. Only one ruler listed is known to be female: Kug-Bau "the (female) tavern-keeper", who alone accounts for the Third Dynasty of Kish
. The earliest listed ruler whose historicity has been archaeologically verified is En-me-barage-si
of Kish, ca. 2600 BC. Reference to this individual in the Epic of Gilgamesh
has led to speculation that Gilgamesh
himself may be historical. Three dynasties are notably excluded from the list: the Larsa dynasty, which vied for power with the (included) Isin dynasty during the Isin-Larsa period; and the two dynasties of Lagash, which respectively preceded and ensued the Akkadian Empire, when Lagash
exercised considerable influence in the region. Lagash in particular is known directly from archaeological artifacts dating from ca. 2500 BC. The list is important to the chronology
of the 3rd millennium BC. However, the fact that many of the dynasties listed reigned simultaneously from varying localities makes it difficult to reproduce a strict linear chronology.
The first two sources (WB) are a part of the "Weld-Blundell collection", donated by Herbert Weld Blundell
to the Ashmolean Museum
. WB 62 is a small clay tablet, inscribed only on the obverse, unearthed from Larsa
. It is the oldest dated source (c. 2000 BC) containing the list. WB 444 in contrast is a unique inscribed vertical prism, dated c. 1817 BC, although some scholars prefer c. 1827 BC. The Kish Tablet or Scheil dynastic tablet
, is an early 2nd millenium BC tablet which came into posession of Jean-Vincent Scheil
, it only contains king list entries for four Sumerian cities. UCBC 9-1819 is a clay tablet housed in the collection of the Museum of Anthropology at the University of California
. The tablet was inscribed during the reign of the Babylonian King Samsu-iluna
, or slightly earlier, with a minimum date of 1712 BC. The Dynastic Chronicle (ABC 18) is a Babylonian king list written on six columns, but contains entries for the antideluvian Sumerian rulers. K 11261+ is a tablet consisting of three joined Neo-Assyrian fragments which are copies of the Sumerian kings listed in the earlier Dynastic Chronicle (ABC 18). K 12054 is another Neo-Assyrian fragment from Uruk
(c. 640 BC) but contains a variant form of the antideluvians on the list. Various other fragments of the list have been discovered at Ashurbanipal
. The later Babylonian and Assyrian
king lists, preserved the earliest portions of the list well into the 3rd century BC, when Berossus' Babyloniaca popularized fragments of the list in the Hellenic world
. In 1960, the Apkullu-list (Tablet No. W.20030, 7) or “Uruk List of Kings and Sages” (ULKS) was discovered by German archaeologists at an ancient temple at Uruk
. The list, dating to c. 165 BC, contains a series of kings, equivilant to the Sumerian antideluvians called "Apkullu".
and the Third Dynasty of Uruk (which was defeated by Sargon of Akkad
), a better understanding of how subsequent rulers fit into the chronology of the ancient Near East
can be deduced. The short chronology is used here.
None of the following predynastic "antediluvian
" rulers have been verified via archaeological excavations, epigraphical inscriptions
, or otherwise. It is possible that they correspond to the Early Bronze Age Jemdet Nasr period
culture which ended approximately 2900 BC, immediately preceding the dynasts. It is also possible that they were fictional creations to make the kingdom seem more legitimate and ancient to its subjects which would explain the exaggerated lifespans and recurring and composite characters that have overwhelming similarities with their predecessors.
The First Dynasty of Lagash
(ca. 2500 – ca. 2271 BC) is not mentioned in the King List, though it is well known from inscriptions
The 2nd Dynasty of Lagash
(before ca. 2093–2046 BC (short)) is not mentioned in the King List, though it is well known from inscriptions.
Independent Amorite
states in lower Mesopotamia.
The Dynasty of Larsa
(ca. 1961–1674 BC (short)) from this period is not mentioned in the King List.
* These epithets or names are not included in all versions of the king list.
Sumerian language
Sumerian is the language of ancient Sumer, which was spoken in southern Mesopotamia since at least the 4th millennium BC. During the 3rd millennium BC, there developed a very intimate cultural symbiosis between the Sumerians and the Akkadians, which included widespread bilingualism...
, listing kings of Sumer
Sumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
(ancient southern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
) from Sumerian and neighboring dynasties
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
, their supposed reign lengths, and the locations of "official" kingship. Kingship was believed to have been handed down by the gods, and could be transferred from one city to another, reflecting perceived hegemony in the region. Throughout its Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
existence, the document evolved into a political tool. Its final and single attested version, dating to the Middle Bronze Age, aimed to legitimize 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:...
's claims to hegemony when Isin was vying for dominance with 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...
and other neighboring city-states in southern Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
.
Composition
The list blends prehistorical, presumably mythicalMythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
predynastic rulers with implausibly lengthy reigns with later, more plausibly historical dynasties. Although the primal kings are historically unattested, this does not preclude their possible correspondence with historical rulers who were later mythicized. Some Assyriologists
Assyriology
Assyriology is the archaeological, historical, and linguistic study of ancient Mesopotamia and the related cultures that used cuneiform writing. The field covers the Akkadian sister-cultures of Assyria and Babylonia, together with their cultural predecessor; Sumer...
view the predynastic kings as a later fictional addition. Only one ruler listed is known to be female: Kug-Bau "the (female) tavern-keeper", who alone accounts for the Third Dynasty of Kish
Kish (Sumer)
Kish is modern Tell al-Uhaymir , and was an ancient city of Sumer. Kish is located some 12 km east of Babylon, and 80 km south of Baghdad ....
. The earliest listed ruler whose historicity has been archaeologically verified is En-me-barage-si
Enmebaragesi
Enmebaragesi was a king of Kish, according to the Sumerian king list. The list states that he subdued Elam, reigned 900 years, and was captured single-handedly by Dumuzid "the fisherman" of Kuara, predecessor of Gilgamesh.He is the earliest ruler on the king list whose name is attested directly...
of Kish, ca. 2600 BC. Reference to this individual in the Epic of Gilgamesh
Epic of Gilgamesh
Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literature. Scholars believe that it originated as a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the protagonist of the story, Gilgamesh king of Uruk, which were fashioned into a longer Akkadian epic much...
has led to speculation that Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh was the fifth king of Uruk, modern day Iraq , placing his reign ca. 2500 BC. According to the Sumerian king list he reigned for 126 years. In the Tummal Inscription, Gilgamesh, and his son Urlugal, rebuilt the sanctuary of the goddess Ninlil, in Tummal, a sacred quarter in her city of...
himself may be historical. Three dynasties are notably excluded from the list: the Larsa dynasty, which vied for power with the (included) Isin dynasty during the Isin-Larsa period; and the two dynasties of Lagash, which respectively preceded and ensued the Akkadian Empire, when Lagash
Lagash
Lagash is located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah. Lagash was one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Near East...
exercised considerable influence in the region. Lagash in particular is known directly from archaeological artifacts dating from ca. 2500 BC. The list is important to the chronology
Chronology of the ancient Near East
The chronology of the Ancient Near East provides a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties. Individual inscriptions and texts customarily record events in terms of a succession of officials or rulers, taking forms like "in the year X of king Y". Thus by piecing together many...
of the 3rd millennium BC. However, the fact that many of the dynasties listed reigned simultaneously from varying localities makes it difficult to reproduce a strict linear chronology.
Sources
The following extant ancient sources contain the Sumerian King List, or fragments:- WB 62
- WB 444 (Weld-Blundell PrismWeld-Blundell PrismThe Weld-Blundell Prism is a clay, cuneiform inscribed vertical prism housed in the Ashmolean Museum. The four sides, about 10cm tall are inscribed in the Sumerian language with lists of Sumerian kings; each side contains the text in two columns....
) - Kish Tablet (Scheil dynastic tabletScheil dynastic tabletThe Scheil dynastic tablet or "Kish Tablet" is an ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform text containing a variant form of the Sumerian King List.-Discovery:...
) - UCBC 9-1819 ("California Tablet")
- Dynastic Chronicle (ABC 18)
- K 11261+
- K 12054
- Babyloniaca (BerossusBerossusBerossus was a Hellenistic-era Babylonian writer, a priest of Bel Marduk and astronomer writing in Greek, who was active at the beginning of the 3rd century BC...
) - Apkullu-list (W.20030, 7)
The first two sources (WB) are a part of the "Weld-Blundell collection", donated by Herbert Weld Blundell
Herbert Weld Blundell
Herbert Joseph Weld Blundell was an English traveller in Africa, archaeologist, philanthropist and yachtsman. He shortened his surname from Weld Blundell to Weld, in 1924.-Life to 1922 :...
to the Ashmolean Museum
Ashmolean Museum
The Ashmolean Museum on Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, is the world's first university museum...
. WB 62 is a small clay tablet, inscribed only on the obverse, unearthed from 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...
. It is the oldest dated source (c. 2000 BC) containing the list. WB 444 in contrast is a unique inscribed vertical prism, dated c. 1817 BC, although some scholars prefer c. 1827 BC. The Kish Tablet or Scheil dynastic tablet
Scheil dynastic tablet
The Scheil dynastic tablet or "Kish Tablet" is an ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform text containing a variant form of the Sumerian King List.-Discovery:...
, is an early 2nd millenium BC tablet which came into posession of Jean-Vincent Scheil
Jean-Vincent Scheil
Father Jean-Vincent Scheil was a French Dominican scholar and Assyriologist. He was one of the discoverers of the Code of Hammurabi in Persia...
, it only contains king list entries for four Sumerian cities. UCBC 9-1819 is a clay tablet housed in the collection of the Museum of Anthropology at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
. The tablet was inscribed during the reign of the Babylonian King Samsu-iluna
Samsu-Iluna
Samsu-iluna was the seventh king of the founding Amorite dynasty of Babylon, ruling from 1750 BC to 1712 BC middle chronology. He was the son and successor of Hammurabi by an unknown mother...
, or slightly earlier, with a minimum date of 1712 BC. The Dynastic Chronicle (ABC 18) is a Babylonian king list written on six columns, but contains entries for the antideluvian Sumerian rulers. K 11261+ is a tablet consisting of three joined Neo-Assyrian fragments which are copies of the Sumerian kings listed in the earlier Dynastic Chronicle (ABC 18). K 12054 is another Neo-Assyrian fragment from Uruk
Uruk
Uruk was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates river, on the ancient dry former channel of the Euphrates River, some 30 km east of modern As-Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Uruk gave its name to the Uruk...
(c. 640 BC) but contains a variant form of the antideluvians on the list. Various other fragments of the list have been discovered at Ashurbanipal
Ashurbanipal
Ashurbanipal |Ashur]] is creator of an heir"; 685 BC – c. 627 BC), also spelled Assurbanipal or Ashshurbanipal, was an Assyrian king, the son of Esarhaddon and the last great king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire...
. The later Babylonian and Assyrian
Kings of Assyria
The list of Assyrian kings is compiled from the Assyrian King List, an ancient kingdom in northern Mesopotamia with information added from recent archaeological findings. The Assyrian King List includes regnal lengths that appear to have been based on now lost limmu lists...
king lists, preserved the earliest portions of the list well into the 3rd century BC, when Berossus' Babyloniaca popularized fragments of the list in the Hellenic world
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
. In 1960, the Apkullu-list (Tablet No. W.20030, 7) or “Uruk List of Kings and Sages” (ULKS) was discovered by German archaeologists at an ancient temple at Uruk
Uruk
Uruk was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates river, on the ancient dry former channel of the Euphrates River, some 30 km east of modern As-Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Uruk gave its name to the Uruk...
. The list, dating to c. 165 BC, contains a series of kings, equivilant to the Sumerian antideluvians called "Apkullu".
The list
Early dates are approximate, and are based on available archaeological data; for most pre-Akkadian rulers listed, this king list is itself the lone source of information. Beginning with Lugal-zage-siLugal-Zage-Si
Lugal-Zage-Si of Umma was the last Sumerian king before the conquest of Sumer by Sargon of Akkad and the rise of the Akkadian Empire, and was considered as the only king of the third dynasty of Uruk...
and the Third Dynasty of Uruk (which was defeated by Sargon of Akkad
Sargon of Akkad
Sargon of Akkad, also known as Sargon the Great "the Great King" , was an Akkadian emperor famous for his conquest of the Sumerian city-states in the 23rd and 22nd centuries BC. The founder of the Dynasty of Akkad, Sargon reigned in the last quarter of the third millennium BC...
), a better understanding of how subsequent rulers fit into the chronology of the ancient Near East
Chronology of the ancient Near East
The chronology of the Ancient Near East provides a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties. Individual inscriptions and texts customarily record events in terms of a succession of officials or rulers, taking forms like "in the year X of king Y". Thus by piecing together many...
can be deduced. The short chronology is used here.
None of the following predynastic "antediluvian
Antediluvian
The antediluvian period meaning "before the deluge" is the period referred to in the Bible between the Creation of the Earth and the Deluge . The narrative takes up chapters 1-6 of Genesis...
" rulers have been verified via archaeological excavations, epigraphical inscriptions
Epigraphy
Epigraphy Epigraphy Epigraphy (from the , literally "on-writing", is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs as writing; that is, the science of identifying the graphemes and of classifying their use as to cultural context and date, elucidating their meaning and assessing what conclusions can be...
, or otherwise. It is possible that they correspond to the Early Bronze Age Jemdet Nasr period
Jemdet Nasr period
The Jemdet Nasr period is an archaeological culture in southern Mesopotamia that is generally dated to 3100–2900 BCE. It is named after the type-site Jemdet Nasr, where the assemblage typical for this period was first recognized. Its geographical distribution is limited to south–central Iraq...
culture which ended approximately 2900 BC, immediately preceding the dynasts. It is also possible that they were fictional creations to make the kingdom seem more legitimate and ancient to its subjects which would explain the exaggerated lifespans and recurring and composite characters that have overwhelming similarities with their predecessors.
Antediluvian Rulers
The following reigns were measured in Sumerian numerical units known as sars (units of 3600), ners (units of 600), and sosses (units of 60).| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||
| Alulim Alulim Alulim was the first king of Eridu, and the first king of Sumer, according to the Sumerian King List, presumably making him the first recorded king in the world... |
8 sars (28,800 years) | 30th century BC or earlier | ||
| Alalngar | 10 sars (36,000 years) | |||
|
Bad-tibira Bad-tibira, "Wall of the Copper Worker", or "Fortress of the Smiths", identified as modern Tell al-Madineh, between Ash Shatrah and Tell as-Senkereh in southern Iraq, was an ancient Sumerian city, which appears among antediluvian cities in the Sumerian King List. Its Akkadian name was Dûr-gurgurri... ." |
||||
| En-men-lu-ana | 12 sars (43,200 years) | |||
| En-men-gal-ana | 8 sars (28,800 years) | |||
| Dumuzid, the Shepherd Dumuzid, the Shepherd Dumuzid or Dumuzi, called "the Shepherd", from Bad-tibira in Sumer, was, according to the Sumerian King List, the fifth predynastic king in the legendary period before the Deluge. The list further states that Dumuzid ruled for 36,000 years.... |
"the shepherd" | 10 sars (36,000 years) | ||
|
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... ." |
||||
| En-sipad-zid-ana | 8 sars (28,800 years) | |||
|
Sippar Sippar was an ancient Near Eastern city on the east bank of the Euphrates river, located at the site of modern Tell Abu Habbah in Iraq's Babil Governorate, some 60 km north of Babylon and 30 km southeast of Baghdad.... ." |
||||
| En-men-dur-ana | 5 sars and 5 ners (21,000 years) | |||
|
Shuruppak Shuruppak or Shuruppag was an ancient Sumerian city situated about 35 miles south of Nippur on the banks of the Euphrates at the site of modern Tell Fara in Iraq's Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate.... ." |
||||
| Ubara-Tutu Ubara-Tutu Ubara-tutu of Shuruppak was the last antediluvian king of Sumer. He is recorded as the son of Enmunderana whom most believe to be the inspiration for the biblical Enoch... |
5 sars and 1 ner (18,600 years) | |||
|
||||
First Dynasty of Kish
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||
| Ngushur Ngushur Jushur , according to the Sumerian king list, was the first king of the first dynasty of Kish. It claims he reigned in Sumer for 1,200 years as the first post-diluvian king.... |
1200 years | historicity uncertain | names before Etana do not appear in any other known source, and their existence is archaeologically unverified | |
| Kullassina-bel Kullassina-bel Kullassina-bel of Kish was the second king in the First Dynasty of Kish according to the Sumerian king list, which adds that he reigned for 960 years .... |
960 years | |||
| Nangishlishma | 670 years | |||
| En-tarah-ana | 420 years | |||
| Babum | 300 years | |||
| Puannum | 840 years | |||
| Kalibum | 960 years | |||
| Kalumum | 840 years | |||
| Zuqaqip Zuqaqip Zuqaqip of Kish was the ninth Sumerian king of the First Dynasty of Kish , according to the Sumerian King List, where his length of reign is given as 900 years. His name means "Scorpion".-See also:*Scorpion I... |
900 years | |||
| Atab (or A-ba) | 600 years | |||
| Mashda | "the son of Atab" | 840 years | ||
| Arwium | "the son of Mashda" | 720 years | ||
| Etana Etana Etana was an ancient, legendary Sumerian king of the city of Kish, and was, according to the Sumerian king list, one of the kings who reigned after the deluge. He is listed as the successor of Arwium, the son of Mashda, as king of Kish... |
"the shepherd, who ascended to heaven and consolidated all the foreign countries" | 1500 years | ||
| Balih | "the son of Etana" | 400 years | ||
| En-me-nuna | 660 years | |||
| Melem-Kish | "the son of En-me-nuna" | 900 years | ||
| Barsal-nuna | ("the son of En-me-nuna")* | 1200 years | ||
| Zamug | "the son of Barsal-nuna" | 140 years | ||
| Tizqar | "the son of Zamug" | 305 years | ||
| Ilku | 900 years | |||
| Iltasadum | 1200 years | |||
| En-me-barage-si | "who made the land of Elam Elam Elam was an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. Elam was centered in the far west and the southwest of modern-day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of Khuzestan and Ilam Province, as well as a small part of southern Iraq... submit" |
900 years | ca. 2600 BC | the earliest ruler on the List confirmed independently from epigraphical evidence |
| Aga of Kish Aga of Kish Aga is listed on the Sumerian King List as the last king in the first Dynasty of Kish.Aga is mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh as having besieged Uruk... |
"the son of En-me-barage-si" | 625 years | ca. 2600 BC | contemporary with Gilgamesh Gilgamesh Gilgamesh was the fifth king of Uruk, modern day Iraq , placing his reign ca. 2500 BC. According to the Sumerian king list he reigned for 126 years. In the Tummal Inscription, Gilgamesh, and his son Urlugal, rebuilt the sanctuary of the goddess Ninlil, in Tummal, a sacred quarter in her city of... of Uruk Uruk Uruk was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates river, on the ancient dry former channel of the Euphrates River, some 30 km east of modern As-Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Uruk gave its name to the Uruk... , according to the Epic of Gilgamesh Epic of Gilgamesh Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literature. Scholars believe that it originated as a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the protagonist of the story, Gilgamesh king of Uruk, which were fashioned into a longer Akkadian epic much... |
|
|
||||
First Dynasty of Uruk
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesh-ki-ang-gasher Mesh-ki-ang-gasher Mesh-ki-ang-gasher was a Sumerian ruler and the founder of the First Dynasty of Uruk and the father of Enmerkar, according to the Sumerian king list. If a historical ruler, he would have flourished in ca... of E-ana |
"the son of Utu" | 324 years | ca. 27th | |
|
||||
| Enmerkar Enmerkar Enmerkar, according to the Sumerian king list, was the builder of Uruk in Sumer, and was said to have reigned for "420 years" .... |
"the son of Mesh-ki-ang-gasher, the king of Unug, who built Unug (Uruk)" | 420 years | ||
| Lugalbanda Lugalbanda Lugalbanda is a character found in Sumerian mythology and literature. His name is composed of two Sumerian words meaning "young king" . Lugalbanda is listed in the postdiluvian period of the Sumerian king list as the second king of Uruk, saying he ruled for 1,200 years, and providing him with the... |
"the shepherd" | 1200 years | ||
| Dumuzid Dumuzid, the Fisherman Dumuzid "the Fisherman", originally from Kuara in Sumer, was the 3rd king in the 1st Dynasty of Uruk, and Gilgamesh's predecessor, according to the Sumerian king list... (Dumuzi) |
"the fisherman whose city was Kuara Kuara (Sumer) Kuara was an ancient Sumerian city located on the western bank of the mouth of the Euphrates River, about 30 km southeast of Ur... ." ("He captured En-me-barage-si single-handed.")* |
100 years | ca. 2600 BC | |
| Gilgamesh Gilgamesh Gilgamesh was the fifth king of Uruk, modern day Iraq , placing his reign ca. 2500 BC. According to the Sumerian king list he reigned for 126 years. In the Tummal Inscription, Gilgamesh, and his son Urlugal, rebuilt the sanctuary of the goddess Ninlil, in Tummal, a sacred quarter in her city of... |
"whose father was a phantom (?), the lord of Kulaba" | 126 years | ca. 2600 BC | contemporary with Aga of Kish Kish (Sumer) Kish is modern Tell al-Uhaymir , and was an ancient city of Sumer. Kish is located some 12 km east of Babylon, and 80 km south of Baghdad .... , according to the Epic of Gilgamesh Epic of Gilgamesh Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literature. Scholars believe that it originated as a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the protagonist of the story, Gilgamesh king of Uruk, which were fashioned into a longer Akkadian epic much... |
| Ur-Nungal | "the son of Gilgamesh" | 30 years | ||
| Udul-kalama Udul-kalama Udul-kalama of Uruk was the seventh Sumerian ruler in the First Dynasty of Uruk , according to the Sumerian king list. He was a son of Ur-Nungal and grandson of Gilgamesh... |
"the son of Ur-Nungal" | 15 years | ||
| La-ba'shum | 9 years | |||
| En-nun-tarah-ana | 8 years | |||
| Mesh-he | "the smith" | 36 years | ||
| Melem-ana | 6 years | |||
| Lugal-kitun | 36 years | |||
|
Ur Ur was an important city-state in ancient Sumer located at the site of modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate... im (Ur)." |
||||
First dynasty of Ur
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesh-Ane-pada | 80 years | ca. 26th century BC | ||
| Mesh-ki-ang-Nanna | "the son of Mesh-Ane-pada" | 36 years | ||
| Elulu Elulu Elulu is listed as the third king of the first dynasty of Ur on the Sumerian king list, which states he reigned for 25 years.One early inscription for an "Elulu , king of Ur" was found at nearby Eridu, stating that this king had built up the abzu ziggurat for Enki... |
25 years | |||
| Balulu Balulu According to the Sumerian King List, Balulu was the final king of Ur, ruling for 36 years before Ur was defeated and the kingship moved to Awan.... |
36 years | |||
|
||||
Dynasty of Awan
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three kings of Awan | 356 years | ca. 26th century BC | ||
|
||||
Second Dynasty of Kish
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Susuda | "the fuller" | 201 years | ca. 26th century BC | |
| Dadasig | 81 years | |||
| Mamagal | "the boatman" | 360 years | ||
| Kalbum | "the son of Mamagal" | 195 years | ||
| Tuge | 360 years | |||
| Men-nuna | "the son of Tuge" | 180 years | ||
| (Enbi-Ishtar) | 290 years | |||
| Lugalngu | 360 years | |||
|
||||
The First Dynasty of Lagash
Lagash
Lagash is located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah. Lagash was one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Near East...
(ca. 2500 – ca. 2271 BC) is not mentioned in the King List, though it is well known from inscriptions
Dynasty of Hamazi
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hadanish | 360 years | ca. 2500 BC | ||
|
||||
Second Dynasty of Uruk
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| En-shag-kush-ana | 60 years | ca. 25th century BC | said to have conquered parts of Sumer; then Eannatum Eannatum Eannatum was a Sumerian king of Lagash who established one of the first verifiable empires in history. One inscription of his, found on a boulder, states that Eannatum was his Sumerian name, while his "Tidnu" name was Lumma.-Conquest of Sumer:... of Lagash Lagash Lagash is located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah. Lagash was one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Near East... claims to have taken over Sumer, Kish, and all Mesopotamia. |
|
| Lugal-kinishe-dudu or Lugal-ure | 120 years | contemporary with Entemena Entemena Entemena was a son of En-anna-tum I, and he reestablished Lagash as a power in Sumer. He defeated Illi of Umma, with the aid of Lugal-kinishe-dudu of Uruk, successor to Enshakushanna, who is in the king list.-Artifacts:... of Lagash Lagash Lagash is located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah. Lagash was one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Near East... |
||
| Argandea | 7 years | |||
|
||||
Second Dynasty of Ur
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanni | 120 years | ca. 25th century BC | ||
| Mesh-ki-ang-Nanna II | "the son of Nanni" | 48 years | ||
| (?) | 2 years | |||
|
||||
Dynasty of Adab
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lugal-Ane-mundu | 90 years | ca. 25th century BC | said to have conquered all Mesopotamia Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the... from the Persian Gulf Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers... to the Zagros Mountains Zagros Mountains The Zagros Mountains are the largest mountain range in Iran and Iraq. With a total length of 1,500 km , from northwestern Iran, and roughly correlating with Iran's western border, the Zagros range spans the whole length of the western and southwestern Iranian plateau and ends at the Strait of... and Elam Elam Elam was an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. Elam was centered in the far west and the southwest of modern-day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of Khuzestan and Ilam Province, as well as a small part of southern Iraq... |
|
|
||||
Dynasty of Mari
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anbu | 30 years | ca. 25th century BC | ||
| Anba | "the son of Anbu" | 17 years | ||
| Bazi | "the leatherworker" | 30 years | ||
| Zizi of Mari | "the fuller" | 20 years | ||
| Limer | "the 'gudug' priest" | 30 years | ||
| Sharrum-iter | 9 years | |||
|
||||
Third Dynasty of Kish
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kug-Bau (Kubaba) | "the woman tavern-keeper, who made firm the foundations of Kish" | 100 years | ca. 25th century BC | the only known woman in the King List; said to have gained independence from En-anna-tum I En-anna-tum I En-anna-tum I succeeded his brother Eannatum as king of Lagash. During his rule, Umma once more asserted independence under Ur-Lumma, who attacked Lagash unsuccessfully. Ur-Lumma was replaced by a priest-king, Illi, who also attacked Lagash.... of Lagash Lagash Lagash is located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah. Lagash was one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Near East... and En-shag-kush-ana of Uruk Uruk Uruk was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates river, on the ancient dry former channel of the Euphrates River, some 30 km east of modern As-Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Uruk gave its name to the Uruk... ; contemporary with Puzur-Nirah of Akshak Akshak Akshak was a city of ancient Sumer, situated on the northern boundary of Akkad, sometimes identified with Babylonian Upi . Its exact location is uncertain. Classicalwriters located it where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers... , according to the later Chronicle of the É-sagila |
|
||||
Dynasty of Akshak
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unzi | 30 years | ca. 25th – 24th century BC | ||
| Undalulu | 6 years | |||
| Urur | 6 years | |||
| Puzur-Nirah | 20 years | contemporary with Kug-Bau of Kish Kish (Sumer) Kish is modern Tell al-Uhaymir , and was an ancient city of Sumer. Kish is located some 12 km east of Babylon, and 80 km south of Baghdad .... , according to the later Chronicle of É-sagila |
||
| Ishu-Il | 24 years | |||
| Shu-Suen of Akshak | "the son of Ishu-Il" | 7 years | ||
|
||||
Fourth Dynasty of Kish
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puzur-Suen | "the son of Kug-Bau" | 25 years | ca. 24th – 23rd century BC | |
| Ur-Zababa Ur-Zababa Ur-Zababa is listed on the Sumerian king list as the second king in the 4th Dynasty of Kish, the son of Puzur-Suen and the grandson of Kug-Bau. The king list also says Sargon of Akkad was a cup-bearer for Ur-Zababa before becoming king of Akkad.-See also:... |
"the son of Puzur-Suen" | 400 (6?) years | ca. 2300 BC | according to the king list, Sargon of Akkad Sargon of Akkad Sargon of Akkad, also known as Sargon the Great "the Great King" , was an Akkadian emperor famous for his conquest of the Sumerian city-states in the 23rd and 22nd centuries BC. The founder of the Dynasty of Akkad, Sargon reigned in the last quarter of the third millennium BC... was his cup-bearer |
| Zimudar | 30 years | |||
| Usi-watar | "the son of Zimudar" | 7 years | ||
| Eshtar-muti | 11 years | |||
| Ishme-Shamash | 11 years | |||
| (Shu-ilishu)* | (15 years)* | |||
| Nanniya | "the jeweller" | 7 years | ca. 2303-2296 BC (short) | |
|
||||
Third Dynasty of Uruk
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lugal-zage-si Lugal-Zage-Si Lugal-Zage-Si of Umma was the last Sumerian king before the conquest of Sumer by Sargon of Akkad and the rise of the Akkadian Empire, and was considered as the only king of the third dynasty of Uruk... |
25 years | ca. 2296–2271 BC (short) | said to have defeated Urukagina Urukagina Urukagina , alternately rendered as Uruinimgina or Irikagina, was a ruler of the city-state Lagash in Mesopotamia... of Lagash Lagash Lagash is located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah. Lagash was one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Near East... , as well as Kish Kish (Sumer) Kish is modern Tell al-Uhaymir , and was an ancient city of Sumer. Kish is located some 12 km east of Babylon, and 80 km south of Baghdad .... and other Sumerian cities, creating a unified kingdom; he in turn was overthrown by Sargon of Akkad Sargon of Akkad Sargon of Akkad, also known as Sargon the Great "the Great King" , was an Akkadian emperor famous for his conquest of the Sumerian city-states in the 23rd and 22nd centuries BC. The founder of the Dynasty of Akkad, Sargon reigned in the last quarter of the third millennium BC... |
|
|
||||
Dynasty of Akkad
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sargon of Akkad Sargon of Akkad Sargon of Akkad, also known as Sargon the Great "the Great King" , was an Akkadian emperor famous for his conquest of the Sumerian city-states in the 23rd and 22nd centuries BC. The founder of the Dynasty of Akkad, Sargon reigned in the last quarter of the third millennium BC... |
"whose father was a gardener, the cupbearer of Ur-Zababa Ur-Zababa Ur-Zababa is listed on the Sumerian king list as the second king in the 4th Dynasty of Kish, the son of Puzur-Suen and the grandson of Kug-Bau. The king list also says Sargon of Akkad was a cup-bearer for Ur-Zababa before becoming king of Akkad.-See also:... , became king, the king of Agade, who built Agade" |
40 years | ca. 2270–2215 BC (short) | defeated Lugal-zage-si Lugal-Zage-Si Lugal-Zage-Si of Umma was the last Sumerian king before the conquest of Sumer by Sargon of Akkad and the rise of the Akkadian Empire, and was considered as the only king of the third dynasty of Uruk... of Uruk Uruk Uruk was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates river, on the ancient dry former channel of the Euphrates River, some 30 km east of modern As-Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Uruk gave its name to the Uruk... , took over Sumer, and created the Akkadian Empire |
| Rimush of Akkad Rimush of Akkad Rimush was the second king of the Akkadian Empire. He was the son of Sargon of Akkad and Queen Tashlultum. He was succeeded by his brother Manishtushu and was an uncle of Naram-Sin of Akkad.... |
"the son of Sargon" | 9 years | ca. 2214–2206 BC (short) | |
| Man-ishtishu | "the older brother of Rimush, the son of Sargon" | 15 years | ca. 2205–2191 BC (short) | |
| Naram-Sin of Akkad | "the son of Man-ishtishu" | 56 years | ca. 2190–2154 BC (short) | |
| Shar-kali-sharri Shar-Kali-Sharri Shar-Kali-Sharri was a king of the Akkadian Empire.According to the Sumerian king list, he was the son of Naram-sin and reigned for 25 years - around 2100 BC... |
"the son of Naram-Sin" | 25 years | ca. 2153–2129 BC (short) | |
|
||||
|
"and the 4 of them ruled for only 3 years" | ca. 2128–2125 BC (short) | ||
| Dudu of Akkad | 21 years | ca. 2125–2104 BC (short) | ||
| Shu-Durul | "the son of Dudu" | 15 years | ca. 2104–2083 BC (short) | Akkad falls to the Gutians |
|
|
||||
Fourth Dynasty of Uruk
-
- (Possibly rulers of lower Mesopotamia contemporary with the Dynasty of Akkad)
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ur-ningin | 7 years | ca. 2091? – 2061? BC (short) | ||
| Ur-gigir | "the son of Ur-ningin" | 6 years | ||
| Kuda | 6 years | |||
| Puzur-ili | 5 years | |||
| Ur-Utu (or Lugal-melem) | ("the son of Ur-gigir")* | 25 years | ||
|
||||
The 2nd Dynasty of Lagash
Lagash
Lagash is located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah. Lagash was one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Near East...
(before ca. 2093–2046 BC (short)) is not mentioned in the King List, though it is well known from inscriptions.
Gutian rule
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||
| Inkishush Inkishush Inkishush or Inkicuc was a Gutian ruler in Sumer from ca. 2135 BC to 2129 BC. Inkishush is the first Gutian ruler mentioned in the Sumerian King List.-See also:*Chronology of the ancient Near East*Sumerian king list... |
6 years | ca. 2147–2050 BC (short) | ||
| Zarlagab | 6 years | |||
| Shulme Shulme Shulme was a Gutian ruler in Sumer from ca. 2126 BC to 2120 BC.-See also:*Chronology of the ancient Near East*Sumerian king list*Gutian dynasty of Sumer... (or Yarlagash) |
6 years | |||
| Silulumesh (or Silulu) | 6 years | |||
| Inimabakesh (or Duga) | 5 years | |||
| Igeshaush (or Ilu-An) | 6 years | |||
| Yarlagab Yarlagab Yarlagab was a Gutian ruler of Sumer.Yarlagab was preceded by Ilu-An and succeeded by Ibate.... |
3 years | |||
| Ibate of Gutium | 3 years | |||
| Yarla (or Yarlangab) | 3 years | |||
| Kurum | 1 year | |||
| Apilkin | 3 years | |||
| La-erabum | 2 years | mace head inscription | ||
| Irarum | 2 years | |||
| Ibranum | 1 year | |||
| Hablum | 2 years | |||
| Puzur-Suen | "the son of Hablum" | 7 years | ||
| Yarlaganda Yarlaganda Yarlaganda , and was a Gutian.He was preceded by Puzur-Suen and succeeded by Si-Um.... |
7 years | foundation inscription at Umma Umma Umma was an ancient city in Sumer. Note that there is some scholarly debateabout the Sumerian and Akkadian names for this site.-History:... |
||
| (?) | 7 years | Si-um or Si-u? — foundation inscription at Umma Umma Umma was an ancient city in Sumer. Note that there is some scholarly debateabout the Sumerian and Akkadian names for this site.-History:... |
||
| Tirigan | 40 days | defeated by Utu-hengal Utu-hengal Utu-hengal was one of the first native kings of Sumer after centuries of Akkadian and Gutian rule.... of Uruk Uruk Uruk was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates river, on the ancient dry former channel of the Euphrates River, some 30 km east of modern As-Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Uruk gave its name to the Uruk... |
||
|
|
||||
Fifth Dynasty of Uruk
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utu-hengal Utu-hengal Utu-hengal was one of the first native kings of Sumer after centuries of Akkadian and Gutian rule.... |
conflicting dates (427 years / 26 years / 7 years) | ca. 2055–2048 BC (short) | defeats Tirigan and the Gutians, appoints Ur-Namma governor of Ur Ur Ur was an important city-state in ancient Sumer located at the site of modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate... |
|
|
||||
Third Dynasty of Ur
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ur-Namma (Ur-Nammu) | 18 years | ca. 2047–2030 BC (short) | defeats Nammahani of Lagash Lagash Lagash is located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah. Lagash was one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Near East... ; contemporary of Utu-hengal Utu-hengal Utu-hengal was one of the first native kings of Sumer after centuries of Akkadian and Gutian rule.... of Uruk Uruk Uruk was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates river, on the ancient dry former channel of the Euphrates River, some 30 km east of modern As-Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Uruk gave its name to the Uruk... |
|
| Shulgi Shulgi Shulgi of Urim was the second king of the "Sumerian Renaissance". He reigned for 48 years, dated to 2029 BCE–1982 BCE... |
"the son of Ur-Namma" | 46 years | ca. 2029–1982 BC (short) | possible lunar/solar eclipse 2005 BC |
| Amar-Suena | "the son of Shulgi" | 9 years | ca. 1981–1973 BC (short) | |
| Shu-Suen | "the son of Amar-Suena" | 9 years | ca. 1972–1964 BC (short) | |
| Ibbi-Suen | "the son of Shu-Suen" | 24 years | ca. 1963–1940 BC (short) | |
|
||||
Independent Amorite
Amorite
Amorite refers to an ancient Semitic people who occupied large parts of Mesopotamia from the 21st Century BC...
states in lower Mesopotamia.
The 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...
(ca. 1961–1674 BC (short)) from this period is not mentioned in the King List.
Dynasty of Isin
| Ruler | Epithet | Length of reign | Approx. dates | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ishbi-Erra Ishbi-Erra Ishbi-Erra was the first king in the Dynasty of Isin. When the Third Dynasty of Ur collapsed during the reign of Ibbi-Sin, and the former empire was overrun by invaders from Elam and elsewhere, Ishbi-Erra, who had until then served as governor of Isin, set-up an independent kingdom. This kingdom... |
33 years | ca. 1953–1730 BC (short) | contemporary of Ibbi-Suen of Ur Ur Ur was an important city-state in ancient Sumer located at the site of modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate... |
|
| Shu-ilishu | "the son of Ishbi-Erra" | 20 years | ||
| Iddin-Dagan | "the son of Shu-ilishu" | 20 years | ||
| Ishme-Dagan Ishme-Dagan Ishme-Dagan I was the son of the Assyrian king Shamshi-Adad I, put on throne of Ekallatum by his father after a successful military attack. He ruled the area of the upper Tigris, including the city-state of Assur. Following Shamshi-Adad's death , Ishme-Dagan I managed to rule Assyria until himself... |
"the son of Iddin-Dagan" | 20 years | ||
| Lipit-Eshtar | "the son of Ishme-Dagan (or Iddin-Dagan)" | 11 years | contemporary of Gungunum Gungunum Gungunum ruled the ancient Near East city-state of Larsa from 1868 BC to 1841 BC. He was an Amorite, the son of Samium. He was a contemporary of Lipit-Ishtar of Isin, and took control of the city of Ur... 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... |
|
| Ur-Ninurta | ("the son of Ishkur, may he have years of abundance, a good reign, and a sweet life")* | 28 years | Contemporary of Abisare Abisare Abisare ruled the ancient Near East city-state of Larsa from 1841 BC to 1830 BC. He was an Amorite. The annals of his 11 year-old reign record that he smote Isin in his 9th regnal year.-External links:*... 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... |
|
| Bur-Suen | "the son of Ur-Ninurta" | 21 years | ||
| Lipit-Enlil | "the son of Bur-Suen" | 5 years | ||
| Erra-imitti | 8 years | |||
| Enlil-bani | 24 years | contemporary of Sumu-la-El Sumu-la-El Sumu-la-El was a King in the First Dynasty of Babylon. He reigned ca.1817 BC - 1781 BC.-References:... of Babylon Babylon 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... . During his reign, the king's gardener, to celebrate the New Year was named 'king for a day' then sacrificed, the "king" died during the celebration; Enlil-Bani remained on the throne. |
||
| Zambiya | 3 years | contemporary of Sin-Iqisham Sin-Iqisham Sin-Iqisham ruled the ancient Near East city-stateof Larsa from 1776 BC to 1771 BC. He was the son of Sin-Eribam and a contemporary of Zambiya of Isin.... 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... |
||
| Iter-pisha | 4 years | |||
| Ur-du-kuga | 4 years | |||
| Suen-magir | 11 years | |||
| (Damiq-ilishu)* | ("the son of Suen-magir")* | (23 years)* |
* These epithets or names are not included in all versions of the king list.
See also
- Cities of the ancient Near EastCities of the ancient Near EastThe largest cities in the Bronze Age ancient Near East housed several tens of thousands. Memphis in the Early Bronze Age with some 30,000 inhabitants was the largest city of the time by far...
- Chronology of the Ancient Near EastChronology of the ancient Near EastThe chronology of the Ancient Near East provides a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties. Individual inscriptions and texts customarily record events in terms of a succession of officials or rulers, taking forms like "in the year X of king Y". Thus by piecing together many...
- History of SumerHistory of SumerThe history of Sumer, taken to include the prehistoric Ubaid and Uruk periods, spans the 5th to 3rd millennia BC, ending with the downfall of the Third Dynasty of Ur around 2004 BC, followed by a transition period of Amorite states before the rise of Babylonia in the 18th century BC. The first...
- Kings of AssyriaKings of AssyriaThe list of Assyrian kings is compiled from the Assyrian King List, an ancient kingdom in northern Mesopotamia with information added from recent archaeological findings. The Assyrian King List includes regnal lengths that appear to have been based on now lost limmu lists...
- List of ancient king lists
- List of Mesopotamian dynasties
- Short chronology timelineShort chronology timelineThe 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....