Ancient Mesopotamia
Euphrates · Tigris
Cities / Empires
Sumer: Uruk · Ur · Eridu
Kish · Lagash · Nippur
Akkadian Empire: Akkad
Babylon · Isin · Susa
Assyria: Assur · Nineveh
Dur-Sharrukin · Nimrud
Babylonia · Chaldea
Elam · Amorites
Hurrians · Mitanni
Kassites · Urartu
Chronology
Kings of Sumer
Kings of Assyria
Kings of Babylon
Language
Aramaic
Sumerian · Akkadian
Elamite · Hurrian
Mythology
Enûma Elish
Gilgamesh · Marduk

The 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. Mesopotamia was a cradle of civilization geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq. ... Image File history File links Babylonlion. ... For the song River Euphrates by the Pixies, see Surfer Rosa. ... The Tigris is the eastern member of the pair of great rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of Anatolia through Iraq. ... Sumer (or Šumer; Sumerian: KI-EN-GIR [1]) was the earliest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in lower Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in the late 3rd millennium BC. The term... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ... For other uses, see Ur (disambiguation). ... Eridu (or Eridug) was an ancient city seven miles southwest of Ur . ... Kish [kish] (Tall al-Uhaymir) was an ancient city of Sumer, now in central Iraq. ... Lagash (Akkadian lagaš) or Sirpurla (Sumerian ŠIR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ... The city of Nippur (Sumerian Nibru, Akkadian Nibbur) (now it is in Afak town,Al Qadisyah Governorate) was one of the most ancient (some historians date it back to 5262 B.C. [1][2]) of all the Babylonian cities of which we have any knowledge, the special seat of the... The Akkadian Empire usually refers to the Semitic speaking state that grew up around the city of Akkad north of Sumer, and reached its greatest extent under Sargon of Akkad. ... For the Egyptian writer, see Abbas Al-Akkad. ... For other uses, see Babylon (disambiguation). ... An International Securities Identifying Number (ISIN) uniquely identifies a security. ... For other uses, see Susa (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Assyria (disambiguation). ... Assur (Assyrian: ܐܫܘܪ) also spelled Ashur, from Assyrian Aššur, was the capital of ancient Assyria. ... , For other uses, see Nineveh (disambiguation). ... Human-headed winged bull, found during Bottas excavation. ... Nimrud is an ancient Assyrian city located south of Nineveh on the river Tigris. ... Babylonia was a state in southern Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq, combining the territories of Sumer and Akkad. ... For other uses, see Chaldean. ... Elam (Persian: تمدن ایلام) is one of the oldest recorded civilizations. ... For the language, see Amorite language. ... For the history of the kingdom of Mitanni (1500–1300 BC), see Mitanni. ... Kingdom of Mitanni Mitanni (cuneiform KUR URUMi-it-ta-ni, also Mittani Mi-ta-an-ni, in Assyrian sources Hanigalbat, Khanigalbat cuneiform Ḫa-ni-gal-bat ) was a Hurrian kingdom in northern Mesopotamia from ca. ... // The Kassites were a Near-Eastern mountain tribe which migrated to the Zagros Mountains and Mesopotamia (present Doroud) in 3000 and 4000 BC.[1] They spoke a non-Indo-European, non-Semitic language. ... Urartu at its greatest extent 743 BC Urartu (Biainili in Urartian) was an ancient kingdom in the mountainous plateau between Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, and Caucasus mountains, later known as the Armenian Highland, and it centered around Lake Van (present-day eastern Turkey). ... The chronology of the Ancient Near East is a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties of the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. There are several competing models, including: The ultra-low chronology sets the fall of Babylon at the year 1499 BC and the reign of king... The Sumerian king list is an ancient text in the Sumerian language listing kings of Sumer from Sumerian and foreign dynasties. ... This page lists the Kings of Lamestia from the late sixties. ... The following is a list of the Kings of Babylon, a major city of ancient Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq. ... Aramaic is a Semitic language with a four-thousand year history. ... Sumerian ( native tongue) was the language of ancient Sumer, spoken in Southern Mesopotamia from at least the 4th millennium BCE. It was gradually replaced by Akkadian as a spoken language in the beginning of the 2nd millenium BCE, but continued to be used as a sacred, ceremonial, literary and scientific... Akkadian (lišānum akkadītum) was a Semitic language (part of the greater Afro-Asiatic language family) spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly by the Assyrians and Babylonians. ... Elamite is an extinct language, which was spoken by the ancient Elamites (also known as Ilamids). ... Hurrian is a conventional name for the language of the Hurrians (Khurrites), a people who entered northern Mesopotamia around 2300 BC and had mostly vanished by 1000 BC. Hurrian was the language of the Mitanni kingdom in northern Mesopotamia, and was likely spoken at least initially in Hurrian settlements in... Mesopotamian mythology is the collective name given to Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, and Babylonian mythologies from the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq. ... Enûma Eliš is the Babylonian creation epic. ... For other uses, see Gilgamesh (disambiguation). ... Marduk (Sumerian spelling in Akkadian: AMAR.UTU solar calf; Biblical: Merodach) was the Babylonian name of a late-generation god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon, who, when Babylon permanently became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time of Hammurabi (18th century... Sumer (or Šumer; Sumerian: KI-EN-GIR [1]) was the earliest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in lower Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in the late 3rd millennium BC. The term... Pottery jar from Late Ubaid Period The tell (mound) of Ubaid near Ur in southern Iraq has given its name to the prehistoric chalcolithic culture which represents the earliest settlement on the alluvial plain of southern Mesopotamia. ... The Uruk period (ca. ... The Third Dynasty of Ur refers simultaneously to a 21st to 20th century BC (short chronology) Sumerian ruling dynasty based in the city of Ur and a short-lived territorial-political state that some historians regard as a nascent empire. ... For the language, see Amorite language. ... Babylonia was a state in southern Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq, combining the territories of Sumer and Akkad. ...

The Sumerians claimed that their civilization had been brought, fully formed, to the city of Eridu (possibly from Dilmun, later identified with Bahrain) by their god Enki or by his advisor or Abgallu (from Ab=water, Gal=great, Lu=man), Adapa U-an (the Oannes of Berossus). This claim may be in part based upon fact, as Eridu was then on the coastline of the Persian Gulf, and was the oldest city of southern Mesopotamia. Eridu (or Eridug) was an ancient city seven miles southwest of Ur . ... Dilmun (sometimes transliterated Telmun) is associated with ancient sites on the islands of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. ... Enki (DEN.KI(G)) was a deity in Sumerian mythology, later known as Ea in Babylonian mythology, originally chief god of the city of Eridu. ... Adapa or Adamu son of Ea (according to Sayce) was a Babylonian mythical figure who accidentally rejected the gift of immortality. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article cites its sources but does not provide page references. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... Mesopotamia was a cradle of civilization geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq. ...

The list of Sumerian kings contains a traditional list of the early dynasties; however much of it is likely mythical, and only a few of the early names have been authenticated through archaeology. The best-known dynasty, that of Lagash, is not listed there at all. The Sumerian king list is an ancient text in the Sumerian language listing kings of Sumer from Sumerian and foreign dynasties. ... Lagash (Akkadian lagaš) or Sirpurla (Sumerian ŠIR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ...

Periodization

(All date ranges are approximate)

• Ubaid period 5300-4100 BC (Pottery Neolithic to Chalcolithic)
• Uruk period 4100-3000 BC (Late Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age I)
  • Uruk XIV-V 4100-3300
  • Uruk IV period 3300-3100 BC
  • Uruk III = Jemdet Nasr period 3100-2900 BC
• Early Dynastic period (Early Bronze Age II-IV)
  • Early Dynastic I period 2900-2800 BC
  • Early Dynastic II period 2800-2600 BC (Gilgamesh)
  • Early Dynastic IIIa period 2600-2500 BC
  • Early Dynastic IIIb period 2500-2334 BC
• Lagash dynasty period 2550-2380 BC
• Akkad dynasty period 2450-2250 BC (Sargon)
• Gutian period 2250-2150 BC (Early Bronze Age IV)
• Ur III period 2150-2000 BC

Pottery jar from Late Ubaid Period The tell (mound) of Ubaid near Ur in southern Iraq has given its name to the prehistoric chalcolithic culture which represents the earliest settlement on the alluvial plain of southern Mesopotamia. ... The Uruk period (ca. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) consisted of techniques for smelting copper and tin from naturally occurring outcroppings of ore, and then alloying those metals in order to cast bronze. ... Jemdet Nasr is an archaeological site in modern Iraq. ... Lagash (Akkadian lagaš) or Sirpurla (Sumerian ŠIR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ... For the Egyptian writer, see Abbas Al-Akkad. ... The Gutian kings came to some power in Mesopotamia in ca. ... ...

Earliest city-states

It is difficult to identify what, other than the development of irrigation, may have inspired urban settlement. The centres of Eridu and Uruk, two of the earliest cities, had successively elaborated large temple complexes built of mudbrick. Developing as small shrines with the earliest settlements, by the Early Dynastic I period, they had become the most imposing structures in their respective cities, each dedicated to its own respective god. From south to north, the principal ones were Eridu (or Eridug) was an ancient city seven miles southwest of Ur . ... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ...

• Eridu - Abzu Temple - Enki
• Ur - E-Nunmah Temple - Nanna (moon)
• Uruk - Eanna Temple - Inanna
• Lagash - E-Ninnu temple - Ningirsu
• Nippur - Ekur Temple - Enlil
• Shuruppak - ? - Ninlil (wife of Enlil)
• Marad- ? - Ninurta
• Kish - ? - Ninhursag
• Sippar - ? - Utu (sun)
•  ? - E-Kishnugal - Dumuzi

Historians until recently agreed that before 3000 BC the political life of the city was headed by a priest-king (ensi) and based around these temples, but some more recent authors have asserted that the cities had secular rulers from the earliest times. The development of a sophisticated system of administration led to the invention of writing of numbers about 3500 BC, pictographic writing about 3100 BC, and syllabic writing about 2600 BC. Eridu (or Eridug) was an ancient city seven miles southwest of Ur . ... In Sumerian mythology Abzu or Apsu was the god of fresh water, also representing the primeval water and sometimes the cosmic abyss. ... Enki (DEN.KI(G)) was a deity in Sumerian mythology, later known as Ea in Babylonian mythology, originally chief god of the city of Eridu. ... For other uses, see Ur (disambiguation). ... Nanna may refer to: Nanna (Sumerian deity) (Suen), god of the moon in Sumerian mythology Nanna (Telugu) Father, Dad Nanna (Tamil deity), god of the moon in Tamil Nadu mythology Nanna (Norse deity), the wife of Baldr (Balder) in Norse mythology Nanna (music), a kind of Corsican music Rafi Khawar... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ... Inanna was one of the most revered of goddesses among later Sumerian mythology. ... Lagash (Akkadian lagaš) or Sirpurla (Sumerian ŠIR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ... Ninurta Lord Plough in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology was the god of Nippur, identified with Ningirsu with whom he may always have been identical. ... The city of Nippur (Sumerian Nibru, Akkadian Nibbur) (now it is in Afak town,Al Qadisyah Governorate) was one of the most ancient (some historians date it back to 5262 B.C. [1][2]) of all the Babylonian cities of which we have any knowledge, the special seat of the... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Ancient sumerian city. ... Ninlil, first called Sud, is the daughter of Nammu and An in Sumerian mythology. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Maritime Administration. ... Ninurta Lord Plough in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology was the god of Nippur, identified with Ningirsu with whom he may always have been identical. ... Kish [kish] (Tall al-Uhaymir) was an ancient city of Sumer, now in central Iraq. ... In Sumerian mythology, Ninhursag (or Ki) was the earth and mother-goddess. ... Sippara (Zimbir in Sumerian, Sippar in Assyro-Babylonian) was an ancient Babylonian city on the east bank of the Euphrates, north of Babylon. ... In Sumerian mythology, Utu is the offspring of Nanna and Ningal and is the god of the sun and of justice. ... Northwest Semitic Tammuz (Hebrew תַּמּוּז, Standard Hebrew Tammuz, Tiberian Hebrew Tammûz), Arabic تمّوز Tammūz; Akkadian Duʾzu, Dūzu; Sumerian Dumuzid (DUMU.ZID the true son) was the name of an Ancient Near Eastern deity. ... Writing systems evolved in the Early Bronze Age (late 4th millennium BC) out of neolithic proto-writing. ...

Early Dynastic period

The Early Dynastic Period began after a cultural break with the preceding Jemdet Nasr Period that has been radio-carbon dated to about 2900 BC at the beginning of the Early Dynastic I Period. Archaeologists have confirmed the presence of a widespread layer of riverine silt deposits, shortly after the Priora oscillation, interrupting the sequence of settlement, that left a few feet of yellow sediment in the cities of Shuruppak, Uruk, and Kish. The polychrome pottery characteristic of the JN period was replaced with a different pottery design in the ED period. The Sumerian king list portrays the passage of power from Eridu in the south to Kish in the north near the future site of Babylon. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (960 × 720 pixels, file size: 147 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Created document myself Template:PD self File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Jemdet Nasr is an archaeological site in modern Iraq. ... The Priora Oscillation is the name given to a sudden climatic change, which occurred approximately 3,300-3,200 BC. It is associated with a sudden surge of the Priora Glacier in Italy. ... Ancient sumerian city. ... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ... Kish, an ancient city in Sumer, now in Iraq Kish, an Iranian island and city in the Persian Gulf Kish, a person in Bible The Kish Bank is a shallow in the Irish Sea, a fishing ground. ... Eridu (or Eridug) was an ancient city seven miles southwest of Ur . ...

Archaeologists divide the Early Dynastic Period into four sub-periods:

• Early Dynastic I period 2900-2800 BC
• Early Dynastic II period 2800-2600 BC
• Early Dynastic IIIa period 2600-2500 BC
• Early Dynastic IIIb period 2500-2334 BC

No inscriptions have yet been found verifying any names of kings that can be associated with the Early Dynastic I period. The ED I period is distinguished from the ED II period by the narrow cylinder seals of the ED I period and the longer wider ED II seals engraved with banquet scenes or animal-contest scenes. ^[1]

The Early Dynastic II period is when Gilgamesh, the famous king of Uruk, is believed to have reigned.^[2] Texts from the ED II period are not yet understood.

The Early Dynastic IIIa period, also known as the Fara period, is when syllabic writing began. Pictographic writing and accounting records existed before the Fara Period, but the full flow of human speech was first recorded about 2600 BC at the beginning of the Fara Period.

The Early Dynastic IIIb period is also known as the Presargonic period.

The Sumerian king list is an ancient text in the Sumerian language listing kings of Sumer from Sumerian and foreign dynasties. ... Sumer (or Å umer; Sumerian: KI-EN-GIR [1]) was the earliest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in lower Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in the late 3rd millennium BC. The term... Mesopotamian mythology is the collective name given to Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, and Babylonian mythologies from the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq. ... Adapa or Adamu son of Ea (according to Sayce) was a Babylonian mythical figure who accidentally rejected the gift of immortality. ... Northwest Semitic Tammuz (Hebrew תַּמּוּז, Standard Hebrew Tammuz, Tiberian Hebrew Tammûz), Arabic تمّوز TammÅ«z; Akkadian Duʾzu, DÅ«zu; Sumerian Dumuzid (DUMU.ZID the true son) was the name of an Ancient Near Eastern deity. ... Utnapishtim, whose name means he found life or he who saw life, is also known as Atrahasis, meaning the exceptional wise one. In the Akkadian sources, a wise citizen of Shurrupak on the banks of the Euphrates, or Ziusudra in the Sumerian poems. ... Kish [kish] (Tall al-Uhaymir) was an ancient city of Sumer, now in central Iraq. ... Ancient Sumerian king. ... Enmebaragesi (Me-Baragesi, En-Men-Barage-Si, Enmebaragisi), according to the Sumerian king list, was a king of Kish who subdued Elam and reigned 900 years, but was captured single handedly by Dumuzid the fisherman of Uruk, predecessor of Gilgamesh. ... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ... Enmerkar, according to the Sumerian king list, was the builder of Uruk, and was said to have reigned for 420 years. It adds that he brought the official kingship with him from the city of Eana, after his father Mesh-ki-ag-gasher, son of Utu, had entered the sea... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Gilgamesh (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ur (disambiguation). ... Meskalamdug (hero of the good land) was an early king of Ur who is not named on the Sumerian king list. ... Mesannepada (or Mesanepada, Mes-Anni-Padda) was the first king in the first dynasty of Ur, in ca. ... Pu-Abi (Akkadian Word of my Father) was an important personage in the Sumerian city of Ur who lived about 2600-2500 BCE, during the First Dynasty of Ur. ... The city of Adab (modern site Bismaya), between Telloh and Nippur (modern-day Iraq), was important in the Ur III period but declined afterwards. ... The most important king of city-state Adab in Sumeria. ... Kish [kish] (Tall al-Uhaymir) was an ancient city of Sumer, now in central Iraq. ... See Kug-Baba for the sumerian queen. ... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Lagash (Akkadian lagaÅ¡) or Sirpurla (Sumerian Å IR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ... Fragmentary stele bearing the inscription Ur-Nanshe, son of Gunidu, to Ningirsu, Louvre Ur-Nanshe (or Ur-Nina) was the first king of the dynasty of Lagash, probably in the first half of the 24th century BC. He ascended after Lugal-Sha-Gen-Sur (Lugal-Suggur), who was the patesi... Eannatum was a Sumerian king of Lagash who established one of the first verifiable empires in history. ... En-anna-tum I succeeded his brother Eannatum as king of Lagash. ... Entemena, son of En-anna-tum I, reestablished Lagash as a power in Sumer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Akkadian Empire usually refers to the Semitic speaking state that grew up around the city of Akkad north of Sumer, and reached its greatest extent under Sargon of Akkad. ... For the Egyptian writer, see Abbas Al-Akkad. ... Sargon of Akkad, also known as Sargon the Great (Akkadian Å arru-kinu, cuneiform Å AR.RU.KI.IN , meaning the true king or the king is legitimate), was an Akkadian king famous for his conquest of the Sumerian city-states in the 24th and 23rd centuries BC.[1] The founder of... Enheduanna (c. ... Manishtushu, king of the Akkadian Empire. ... ... Shar-Kali-Sharri was a king of the Akkadian Empire. ... The introduction of this article does not provide enough context for readers unfamiliar with the subject. ... Shu-turul (Shu-durul) was a king of Akkad from 2233 to 2218 BCE. Categories: People stubs ... Lagash (Akkadian lagaÅ¡) or Sirpurla (Sumerian Å IR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ... Puzer-Mama was a ruler of LagaÅ¡ before Gudea. ... Statue of Gudea, British Museum London Gudea was a ruler (ensi) of the city of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia who ruled ca. ... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ... Utu-hegal was one of the first King of Sumer after centuries of Akkadian and Gutian rule. ... The Third Dynasty of Ur refers simultaneously to a 21st to 20th century BC (short chronology) Sumerian ruling dynasty based in the city of Ur and a short-lived territorial-political state that some historians regard as a nascent empire. ... For other uses, see Ur (disambiguation). ... Ur-Nammu (or Ur-Namma, Ur-Engur, ca. ... Shulgi of Urim is the second king of the Sumerian Renaissance. He reigned for 48 years, dated to 2047 BC–1999 BC short chronology (also tentatively dated to 2161 BC–2113 BC on the basis of a solar eclipse). ... Amar-Sin (2046-2037 BCE High chronology) was the third ruler of the Ur III Dynasty, son of Shulgi (2094-2047 BCE). ... Shu-sin succeded his brother Amar-Sin as the King of Ur, and he came into conflict with the Amorites. ... Ibbi-Sin, son of Shu-Sin, was king of Sumer and Akkad and last king of the Ur III dynasty, and reigned circa 2028 BC-2004 BC. During his reign, the Sumerian empire was attacked repeatedly by Amorites. ...

1st Dynasty of Kish

Inscriptions have been found bearing some Early Dynastic II names from the King List. After the flood, Kingship is said to have resumed at Kish, under the reign of a king Etana. This first name on the list accompanied by any additional detail is that of Etana, whom it calls "the shepherd, who ascended to heaven and consolidated all the foreign countries". He was estimated by Roux^[3] to have lived approximately 3000 BC. Of the 11 kings that followed over a period assumed to have been about 350 years, a number of Semitic Akkadian names are recorded, suggesting that these people made up a sizable proportion of the population of this northern city. The first monarch on the list whose historical existence has been independently attested through archaeological finds is Enmebaragesi of Kish (ca. 2700 BC), 22nd king of that dynasty, said to have conquered Elam and built the temple of Enlil in Nippur. His successor, Agga, is said to have fought with Gilgamesh of Uruk, the 5th king of that city. From this time, for a period Uruk seems to have had some kind of hegemony in Sumer. This illustrates a weakness of the Sumerian kinglist, as contemporaries are often placed in successive dynasties, making reconstruction difficult. Ancient Sumerian king. ... In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic (from the Biblical Shem, Hebrew: שם, translated as name, Arabic: سام) was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages. ... Akkadian (lišānum akkadītum) was a Semitic language (part of the greater Afro-Asiatic language family) spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly by the Assyrians and Babylonians. ... Enmebaragesi (Me-Baragesi, En-Men-Barage-Si, Enmebaragisi), according to the Sumerian king list, was a king of Kish who subdued Elam and reigned 900 years, but was captured single handedly by Dumuzid the fisherman of Uruk, predecessor of Gilgamesh. ... Kish [kish] (Tall al-Uhaymir) was an ancient city of Sumer, now in central Iraq. ... Elam (Persian: تمدن ایلام) is one of the oldest recorded civilizations. ... The city of Nippur (Sumerian Nibru, Akkadian Nibbur) (now it is in Afak town,Al Qadisyah Governorate) was one of the most ancient (some historians date it back to 5262 B.C. [1][2]) of all the Babylonian cities of which we have any knowledge, the special seat of the... For other uses, see Gilgamesh (disambiguation). ... Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ...

1st Dynasty of Uruk

Meshkiagkashar is listed as the first King of Uruk. He was followed by Enmerkar, claimed by David Rohl as having been Nimrod the Hunter, mentioned in the Bible as founding Erech. The epic Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta tells of his voyage by river to Aratta, often considered an early form of the name Urartu, but believed by some Iranian archaeologists to have been a reference to the newly-discovered Jiroft civilization although it cannot be reached by river from Sumer. Among the kings of Uruk who followed is Dumuzi the Shepherd, who also appears in mythology as a husband and consort of Inanna, goddess of Uruk. He was followed by Lugalbanda, also known from fragmentary legends. Uruk (Sumerian Unug, Biblical Erech, Greek Orchoë and Arabic وركاء Warka), was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates, on the line of the ancient Nil canal, in a region of marshes, about 140 miles (230 km) SSE from Baghdad. ... Enmerkar, according to the Sumerian king list, was the builder of Uruk, and was said to have reigned for 420 years. It adds that he brought the official kingship with him from the city of Eana, after his father Mesh-ki-ag-gasher, son of Utu, had entered the sea... David M. Rohl is a British Egyptologist and historian who has put forth several controversial theories concerning the chronology of Ancient Egypt and Palestine. ... In the Bible and in legend, Nimrod (Standard Hebrew נִמְרוֹד Nimrod, Tiberian Hebrew נִמְרֹד Nimrōḏ), son of Cush, grandson of Ham, great-grandson of Noah, was a Mesopotamian monarch and a mighty hunter before Yahweh. He is mentioned in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10), in the First Book of Chronicles, and... Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta is a legendary Sumerian account of the greatest antiquity, possibly based on genuine events of the 3rd millennium BC. It is one of a series of accounts describing the conflicts between Enmerkar, king of Unug-Kulaba (Uruk), and the unnamed king of Aratta (probably... Aratta was an ancient state formation of renown somewhere in the Middle East, ca. ... Urartu at its greatest extent 743 BC Urartu (Biainili in Urartian) was an ancient kingdom in the mountainous plateau between Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, and Caucasus mountains, later known as the Armenian Highland, and it centered around Lake Van (present-day eastern Turkey). ... Bowl depicting scorpions. ... Northwest Semitic Tammuz (Hebrew תַּמּוּז, Standard Hebrew Tammuz, Tiberian Hebrew Tammûz), Arabic تمّوز Tammūz; Akkadian Duʾzu, Dūzu; Sumerian Dumuzid (DUMU.ZID the true son) was the name of an Ancient Near Eastern deity. ... Inanna was one of the most revered of goddesses among later Sumerian mythology. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The most famous monarch of this dynasty was Lugalbanda's son Gilgamesh, hero of the Epic of Gilgamesh — copies of which have been found as far off as Hattusas in Anatolia, Megiddo in Israel and Tell el Amarna in Egypt. For other uses, see Gilgamesh (disambiguation). ... The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Babylonia and is among the earliest known literary works. ...

1st Dynasty of Ur

Meskalamdug is the first recorded King (Lugal from Lu=man, Gal=Great) of the city of Ur. Another king named on the list, Mesannepada of Ur, seems through archaeological evidence to have succeeded his grandfather, Meskalamdug, and father, Akalamdug. Mesannepada is recognised as the first king of Early Dynastic III phase, defeating Lugalkildu of Uruk (ca .2560 BC) and Mesilim of Kish, founder of the short-lived 2nd Dynasty of that city. Mesannepada thereafter assumed the title "King of Kish" for himself, a title that seems to have been used by most kings of the preeminent dynasties for some time afterward. For other uses, see Ur (disambiguation). ... Mesannepada (or Mesanepada, Mes-Anni-Padda) was the first king in the first dynasty of Ur, in ca. ... For other uses, see Ur (disambiguation). ... Meskalamdug (hero of the good land) was an early king of Ur who is not named on the Sumerian king list. ... Mesilim (c. ...

En-hegal, is recorded as the first known ruler of Lagash, being tributary to Uruk. His successor Lugal-Shag-Egur was similarly tributary to the first Dynasty of Ur. Mesalim, founder of the 2nd Dynasty of Kish, achieved some kind of independence of these Dynasties. Mesilim was also mentioned in some of the earliest monuments from Lagash that claim he arbitrated a border dispute between Lugal-shag-engur, high priest of Lagash, and the high priest of their traditional rival, the neighbouring town of Umma. Lagash (Akkadian lagaš) or Sirpurla (Sumerian ŠIR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ... Umma was an ancient city in Sumer. ...

The Sumerian records also show Nin-Kasalsi, as the first ruler of the city of Adab, at about this time. Like the later "King" of the 3rd Dynasty of Kish, Nin-Kasalsi was a woman. Shortly thereafter Sumerian records begin for a dynasty of rulers of the city of Mari, far to the north. The city of Adab (modern site Bismaya), between Telloh and Nippur (modern-day Iraq), was important in the Ur III period but declined afterwards. ... Mari may refer to: Ethnic Mari El, a republic of Russian Federation Mari language, Finno-Ugric language Mari people, a Volga-Finnic people People Mari (composer), a video game music composer Mari (singer), a female vocalist Saint Mari, a Christian saint Other Mari (goddess), the main divinity of pre-Christian...

Dynasty of Lagash

Ur-Nina

At about 2494 BC, Ur-Nina (also called Ur Nanshe), the new high priest of Lagash, achieved independence from A-annepadda, son of Mesannepada of Ur, and made himself king, founding a dynasty. He succeeded Lugal-Shag-Ekur as high priest. In the ruins of a building attached by him to the temple of Nina, terra cotta bas reliefs of the king and his sons have been found, as well as lions' heads in onyx reminiscent of Egyptian work and onyx plates. These were dedicated to the goddess Bau. One inscription states that ships of Dilmun (Bahrain) brought him wood as tribute from foreign lands. He was succeeded by his son Akurgal in about 2465 BC. Ur-Nina (or Ur-Nanshe) was the first king of the dynasty of Lagash, probably in the first half of the 24th century BC. He is the earliest king for whose reign a roughly accurate historical date is known. ... Nina is a given name. ... Terra cotta is a hard semifired waterproof ceramic clay used in pottery and building construction. ... Bas-relief (pronounced bah-relief, French for low relief) is a method of sculpting which entails carving or etching away the surface of a flat piece of stone or metal creating a sculpture portrayed as a picture. ... Dilmun (sometimes transliterated Telmun) is associated with ancient sites on the islands of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. ...

Eannatum

Stele of the vultures

Eannatum, grandson of Ur-Nina, made himself master of the whole of the district of Sumer, together with the cities of Uruk (ruled by Enshakushanna, of the King List), Ur, Nippur, Akshak, and Larsa. He also annexed the kingdom of Kish; however, it recovered its independence after his death. Umma was made tributary - a certain amount of grain being levied upon each person in it, that had to be paid into the treasury of the goddess Nina and the god Ingurisa. Image File history File links Photo of Stele of the vultures taken from cdli. ... Image File history File links Photo of Stele of the vultures taken from cdli. ... Eannatum was a Sumerian king of Lagash who established one of the first verifiable empires in history. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Akshak was a city of ancient Sumer, situated on the northern boundary of Akkad, sometimes identified with Babylonian Upi (Greek Opis). ... Larsa (the Biblical Ellasar, Genesis 14:1), was an important city of ancient Babylonia, the site of the worship of the sun-god, Shamash, represented by the ancient ruin mound of Senkereh (Senkera). ...

The so-called "Stele of the Vultures," now in the Louvre, was erected as a monument of the victory of Eannatum of Lagash over Enakalle of Umma. On this, various incidents in the war are represented. In one scene, the king stands in his chariot with a curved weapon in his right hand, formed of three bars of metal bound together by rings, while his kilted followers, with helmets on their heads and lances in their hands, march behind him. This article is about the museum. ...

Eannatum's campaigns extended beyond the confines of Sumer. He overran a part of Elam, took the city of Az on the Persian Gulf, and exacted tribute as far as Mari; however many of the realms he conquered were often in revolt. During his reign, temples and palaces were repaired or erected at Lagash and elsewhere; the town of Nina --that probably gave its name to the later Niniveh-- was rebuilt, and canals and reservoirs were excavated. Elam (Persian: تمدن ایلام) is one of the oldest recorded civilizations. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... Mari may refer to: Ethnic Mari El, a republic of Russian Federation Mari language, Finno-Ugric language Mari people, a Volga-Finnic people People Mari (composer), a video game music composer Mari (singer), a female vocalist Saint Mari, a Christian saint Other Mari (goddess), the main divinity of pre-Christian... This article is about the ancient Middle Eastern city of Nineveh. ...

En-anna-tum

He was succeeded by his brother, En-anna-tum I. 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. Akshak too achieved independence with a line of rulers extending from Puzur-Nirah (2420-2400), Ishu-Il (2400-2360) and Shu-Sin (c2360), son of Ishu-Il, before being defeated by the rulers of Kish. En-anna-tum I succeeded his brother Eannatum as king of Lagash. ...

Entemena

His son and successor Entemena (ca 2455-2425 BC) restored the prestige of Lagash. Illi of Umma was subdued, with the help of his ally Lugal-kinishe-dudu of Uruk, successor to Enshakushanna and also on the king-list. This Lugal-kinishe-dudu seems to have been the predominant figure at the time, since he also claimed to rule Kish and Ur. Entemena, son of En-anna-tum I, reestablished Lagash as a power in Sumer. ... Lagash (Akkadian lagaš) or Sirpurla (Sumerian ŠIR.BUR.LAKI; modern Tell al-Hiba), northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, was one of the oldest cities of Sumer and later Babylonia. ...

A tripod of silver dedicated by Entemena to his god is now in the Louvre. A frieze of lions devouring ibexes and deer, incised with great artistic skill, runs round the neck, while the eagle crest of Lagash adorns the globular part. The vase is a proof of the high degree of excellence to which the goldsmith's art had already attained. A vase of calcite, also dedicated by Entemena, has been found at Nippur. Doubly refracting Calcite from Iceberg claim, Dixon, New Mexico. ... The city of Nippur (Sumerian Nibru, Akkadian Nibbur) (now it is in Afak town,Al Qadisyah Governorate) was one of the most ancient (some historians date it back to 5262 B.C. [1][2]) of all the Babylonian cities of which we have any knowledge, the special seat of the...

After Entemena, a series of weak, corrupt priest-kings is attested for Lagash. The last of these, Urukagina, was known for his judicial, social, and economic reforms, and his may well be the first legal code known to history. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Empire of Lugal-anne-mundu of Adab

Following this period, the region of Mesopotamia seems to have come under the sway of a Sumerian conqueror from Adab, Lugal-anne-mundu (ca. 2400-2330 BC), ruling in Uruk, Ur and Lagash. According to inscriptions, he ruled from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean, and up to the Zagros Mountains, including Elam. However, his empire fell apart with his death. The most important king of city-state Adab in Sumeria. ...

His power may have been limited, however, as his reign seems to have been contemporaneous with the Third Dynasty of Kish, inaugurated by Ku-bau or Ku-baba (ca .2400-2360 BC), unique in the fact that she was the only woman ever to reign as "king". Before overthrowing the rule of En-Shakansha-Ana of the 2nd Uruk Dynasty and becoming monarch, the king-list says she was a tavern-keeper. In later centuries she was worshipped as a minor goddess, achieving important status in the Hurrian and Hittites periods, when she was identified with the Hurrian goddess Hannahannah^{[citation needed]}. In the post-Hittite Phrygian period she was called Kubele (Latin Cybele), Great Mother of the Gods. See Kug-Baba for the sumerian queen. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The word Hurrian may refer to: An ancient people of the Near East, the Hurrians. ... Relief of Suppiluliuma II, last known king of the Hittite Empire The Hittites were an ancient people from Kaneš who spoke an Indo-European language, and established a kingdom centered at Hattusa (Hittite URU) in north-central Anatolia from the 18th century BC. In the 14th century BC, the Hittite... Hurrian Mother Goddess Hannahannah (from Hurrian Hannah = mother). Hannahannah also appears to have been the pre-Sumerian Goddess Inanna, and to be the origin of the Biblical Hannah, mother of Samuel; the Canaanite Anath, and the Christian St Anne. ... In antiquity, Phrygia (Greek: ) was a kingdom in the west central part of the Anatolia. ... A fountain in Madrid depicting Cybele in her chariot drawn by lions, in the Plaza de Cibeles Originally a Phrygian goddess, Cybele (Greek: Κυβέλη) was a deification of the Earth Mother who was worshipped in Anatolia from Neolithic times. ...

Empire of Lugal-zage-si of Umma

Urukagina was overthrown and his city Lagash captured by Lugal-Zage-Si, the high priest of Umma. Lugal-zage-si also took Uruk and Ur, and made Uruk his capital. In a long inscription that he caused to be engraved on hundreds of stone vases dedicated to En-lil of Nippur, he boasts that his kingdom extended "from the Lower Sea (Persian Gulf), along the Tigris and Euphrates, to the Upper Sea" or Mediterranean. His empire was finally overthrown by Sargon of Akkad, who founded the first Semitic Empire. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Tigris is the eastern member of the pair of great rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of Anatolia through Iraq. ... For the song River Euphrates by the Pixies, see Surfer Rosa. ... Mediterranean redirects here. ... Sargon of Akkad, also known as Sargon the Great (Akkadian Å arru-kinu, cuneiform Å AR.RU.KI.IN , meaning the true king or the king is legitimate), was an Akkadian king famous for his conquest of the Sumerian city-states in the 24th and 23rd centuries BC.[1] The founder of... The Akkadian Empire usually refers to the Semitic speaking state that grew up around the city of Akkad north of Sumer, and reached its greatest extent under Sargon of Akkad. ...

Akkadian Empire

Main article: Akkadian Empire

The Akkadian Empire usually refers to the Semitic speaking state that grew up around the city of Akkad north of Sumer, and reached its greatest extent under Sargon of Akkad. ...

Gutian period

Main article: Gutian period

Following the fall of Sargon's Empire to the Gutians, a brief "dark ages" ensued; however, one prominent Sumerian ruler of this time was Gudea of Lagash. The Gutian kings came to some power in Mesopotamia in ca. ... The Gutian kings came to some power in Mesopotamia in ca. ... Statue of Gudea, British Museum London Gudea was a ruler (ensi) of the city of Lagash in Southern Mesopotamia who ruled ca. ...

"Sumerian Renaissance" (3rd Dynasty of Ur)

Main article: Third Dynasty of Ur

The Gutians were finally driven out by the Sumerians under Utu-hegal of Uruk — who was in turn defeated by Ur-Nammu of Ur, who founded what is known as the 3rd dynasty of Ur. Although the Sumerian language ("Emegir") was again made official, Sumerian identity was already in decline, as the population became continually more and more Semiticised. The Third Dynasty of Ur refers simultaneously to a 21st to 20th century BC (short chronology) Sumerian ruling dynasty based in the city of Ur and a short-lived territorial-political state that some historians regard as a nascent empire. ... Utu-hegal was one of the first King of Sumer after centuries of Akkadian and Gutian rule. ... Ur-Nammu (or Ur-Namma, Ur-Engur, ca. ... The third dynasty of Ur reinstalled Sumerian rule after several centuries of Akkadian and Gutian kings (Sumerian Renaissance). ... Sumerian ( native tongue) was the language of ancient Sumer, spoken in Southern Mesopotamia from at least the 4th millennium BCE. It was gradually replaced by Akkadian as a spoken language in the beginning of the 2nd millenium BCE, but continued to be used as a sacred, ceremonial, literary and scientific...

After this 'Ur-III' dynasty was destroyed by the Elamites in 2004 BC, a fierce rivalry developed between the city-states of Larsa, more under Elamite than Sumerian influence, and Isin, that was more Amorite (as the Semitic speakers had come to be called). The Semites ended up prevailing in Mesopotamia by the time of Hammurabi of Babylon, who founded the Babylonian Empire, and the language and name of Sumer gradually passed into the realm of antiquarian scholars (although their influence on Babylonia and all subsequent cultures was indeed great). A few historians assert that some Sumerians managed to preserve their identity in a sense, by forming the Magi, or hereditary priestly caste, noted among the later Medes. Larsa (the Biblical Ellasar, Genesis 14:1), was an important city of ancient Babylonia, the site of the worship of the sun-god, Shamash, represented by the ancient ruin mound of Senkereh (Senkera). ... An International Securities Identifying Number (ISIN) uniquely identifies a security. ... For the language, see Amorite language. ... For the computer game, see Hamurabi. ... For other uses, see Babylon (disambiguation). ... Babylonia was a state in southern Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq, combining the territories of Sumer and Akkad. ... For other uses, see Magi (disambiguation). ... Mede nobility. ...

Archaeologically, the fall of the Ur III dynasty corresponds to the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age. The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) consisted of techniques for smelting copper and tin from naturally occurring outcroppings of ore, and then alloying those metals in order to cast bronze. ...

See also

• Sumer
• Sumerian king list
• Babylonia and Assyria
• Invention of the Wheel
• History of writing ancient numbers

v • d • e Timeline of the Ancient Near East

Sumer (or Å umer; Sumerian: KI-EN-GIR [1]) was the earliest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in lower Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in the late 3rd millennium BC. The term... The Sumerian king list is an ancient text in the Sumerian language listing kings of Sumer from Sumerian and foreign dynasties. ... See also Category:Babylonia and Category:Assyria. ... For other uses, see Wheel (disambiguation). ... // The first method of counting was counting on fingers. ... Overview map of the Ancient Near East The term Ancient Near East or Ancient Orient encompasses the early civilizations predating Classical Antiquity in the region roughly corresponding to that described by the modern term Middle East (Egypt, Iraq, Turkey), during the time roughly spanning the Bronze Age from the rise...

References

• Charles Freeman (1996). Egypt, Greece and Rome. Oxford University Press. 

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. Encyclopædia Britannica, the eleventh edition The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...