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Sumer is the earliest known civilization in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia, emerging during the Chalcolithic and early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. Like nearby Elam, it is one of the cradles of civilization, along with Egypt, the Indus Valley, the Erligang culture of the Yellow River valley, Caral-Supe, and Mesoamerica. Living along the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Sumerian farmers grew an abundance of grain and other crops, a surplus which enabled them to form urban settlements. The world's earliest known texts come from the Sumerian cities of Uruk and Jemdet Nasr, and date to between c. 3350 – c. 2500 BC, following a period of proto-writing c. 4000 – c. 2500 BC.
The Sumerian King List or Chronicle of the One Monarchy is an ancient literary composition written in Sumerian that was likely created and redacted to legitimize the claims to power of various city-states and kingdoms in southern Mesopotamia during the late third and early second millennium BC. It does so by repetitively listing Sumerian cities, the kings that ruled there, and the lengths of their reigns. Especially in the early part of the list, these reigns often span thousands of years. In the oldest known version, dated to the Ur III period but probably based on Akkadian source material, the SKL reflected a more linear transition of power from Kish, the first city to receive kingship, to Akkad. In later versions from the Old Babylonian period, the list consisted of a large number of cities between which kingship was transferred, reflecting a more cyclical view of how kingship came to a city, only to be inevitably replaced by the next. In its best-known and best-preserved version, as recorded on the Weld-Blundell Prism, the SKL begins with a number of antediluvian kings, who ruled before a flood swept over the land, after which kingship went to Kish. It ends with a dynasty from Isin, which is well-known from other contemporary sources.
The history of Sumer spans the 5th to 3rd millennia BCE in southern Mesopotamia, and is taken to include the prehistoric Ubaid and Uruk periods. Sumer was the region's earliest known civilization and ended with the downfall of the Third Dynasty of Ur around 2004 BCE. It was followed by a transitional period of Amorite states before the rise of Babylonia in the 18th century BCE.
Nanum or Nanium, according to the Sumerian King List, was one of four rivals vying to be king of the Akkadian Empire during a three-year period following the death of Shar-kali-sharri. This chaotic period came to an end when Dudu consolidated his power over the realm.
Imi, according to the Sumerian King List, was one of four rivals vying to be king of the Akkadian Empire during a three-year period following the death of Shar-kali-sharri. This chaotic period came to an end when Dudu consolidated his power over the realm.
Enmebaragesi (Sumerian: 𒂗𒈨𒁈𒄄𒋛En-me-barag-gi-se [EN-ME-BARA2-GI4-SE]) originally Mebarasi (𒈨𒁈𒋛) was the penultimate king of the first dynasty of Kish and is recorded as having reigned 900 years in the Sumerian King List. Like his son and successor Aga he reigned during a period when Kish had hegemony over Sumer. Enmebaragesi signals a momentous documentary leap from mytho-history to history, since he is the earliest ruler on the king list whose name is attested directly from archaeology.
The history of Mesopotamia ranges from the earliest human occupation in the Paleolithic period up to Late antiquity. This history is pieced together from evidence retrieved from archaeological excavations and, after the introduction of writing in the late 4th millennium BC, an increasing amount of historical sources. While in the Paleolithic and early Neolithic periods only parts of Upper Mesopotamia were occupied, the southern alluvium was settled during the late Neolithic period. Mesopotamia has been home to many of the oldest major civilizations, entering history from the Early Bronze Age, for which reason it is often called a cradle of civilization.
Akshak was a city of ancient Sumer, situated on the northern boundary of Akkad, sometimes identified with Babylonian Upi. It is known, based on an inscription "‘Ur-kisala, the sangu-priest of Sin of Akshak, son of Na-ti, pasisu-priest of Sin to Salam presented [this statue]." that there was a temple of the god Sin in Akshak.
Ilulu or Elulu, according to the Sumerian King List, was one of four rivals vying to be king of the Akkadian Empire during a three-year period following the death of Shar-kali-sharri. This chaotic period came to an end when Dudu consolidated his power over the realm.
Aga commonly known as Aga of Kish, was the twenty-third and last king in the first dynasty of Kish during the Early Dynastic I period. He is listed in the Sumerian King List and many sources as the son of Enmebaragesi. The Kishite king ruled the city at its peak, probably reaching beyond the territory of Kish, including Umma and Zabala.
En-tarah-ana of Kish was the fourth Sumerian king in the First Dynasty of Kish, according to the Sumerian king list. The Weld-Blundell Prism was damaged at this point, so Thorkild Jacobsen had restored this ruler's name as Bahina. En-tarah-ana is unlikely to have existed as his name does not appear on texts dating from the period in which he was presumed to have lived. He is awarded a reign of 420 years, 3 months, and 3 and a half days. Why the length of his reign is so specific compared to the recorded lengths of the other kings of the Early Dynastic is unknown.
Kalibum of Kish was the seventh Sumerian king in the First Dynasty of Kish, according to the Sumerian king list. This name is written "Ga-lí-bu-um ... normalized as Kalibum", and is believed to be derived from the Akkadian for 'hound'. Kalibum is unlikely to have existed as his name does not appear on texts dating from the period in which he was presumed to have lived.
Kalumum of Kish was the eighth Sumerian king in the First Dynasty of Kish, according to the Sumerian king list. Like the other members of the First dynasty prior to Etana, he was named for an animal; his name "Kalumun" is Akkadian for "lamb". Kalulum is unlikely to have existed as his name does not appear on texts dating from the period in which he was presumed to have lived.
Zuqaqip of Kish was the ninth Sumerian king of the semi-legendary First Dynasty of Kish, according to the Sumerian King List, where his length of reign is given as 900 years. His name means "Scorpion". Zuqaqip is unlikely to have existed as his name does not appear on texts dating from the period in which he was presumed to have lived.
Mashda of Kish was the eleventh Sumerian king in the First Dynasty of Kish, according to the Sumerian king list. He was a son of the king Atab. Like the other members of the First dynasty prior to Etana, he was named for an animal; his name "Mashda" is Akkadian for "gazelle". Mashda is unlikely to have existed as his name does not appear on texts dating from the period in which he was presumed to have lived.
Arwium of Kish was the twelfth Sumerian king in the First Dynasty of Kish, according to the Sumerian king list. His father was Mashda, the previous ruler. Like the other members of the First dynasty prior to Etana, he was named for an animal; his name "Arwium" is Akkadian for "male gazelle". Arwium is unlikely to have existed as his name does not appear on texts dating from the period in which he was presumed to have lived.
Tizqar of Kish was the nineteenth Sumerian king in the First Dynasty of Kish and succeeded his father Zamuq as ruler, according to some versions of the Sumerian King List. His name does not appear in Early Dynastic inscriptions, meaning that he is unlikely to have been a real historical person.
Ilku of Kish was the twentieth Sumerian king in the First Dynasty of Kish, according to the Sumerian King List. His name does not appear in Early Dynastic inscriptions, meaning that he is unlikely to have been a real historical person.
Ur-Nungal of Uruk was the sixth Sumerian ruler in the First Dynasty of Uruk, according to the Sumerian King List, which also claims he ruled 30 years. Both the Sumerian King List and the Tummal Chronicle state he was the son of Gilgamesh, but only the Sumerian King List records he was the father of Udul-kalama.
References
- ↑ Thorkild Jacobsen, The Sumerian King List (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1939), pp. 112-115
