The Isin-Larsa period (circa 2025-1763 BCE,
Middle Chronology
The chronology of the ancient Near East is a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties. Historical inscriptions and texts customarily record events in terms of a succession of officials or rulers: "in the year X of king Y". Com ...
, or 1961-1699 BCE,
Short Chronology)
is a phase in the
history of ancient Mesopotamia, which extends between the end of the
Third Dynasty of Ur
The Third Dynasty of Ur, also called the Neo-Sumerian Empire, refers to a 22nd to 21st century BC ( middle chronology) Sumerian ruling dynasty based in the city of Ur and a short-lived territorial-political state which some historians consider t ...
and the conquest of Mesopotamia by King
Hammurabi
Hammurabi (Akkadian: ; ) was the sixth Amorite king of the Old Babylonian Empire, reigning from to BC. He was preceded by his father, Sin-Muballit, who abdicated due to failing health. During his reign, he conquered Elam and the city-states ...
of
Babylon leading to the creation of the
First Babylonian dynasty
The Old Babylonian Empire, or First Babylonian Empire, is dated to BC – BC, and comes after the end of Sumerian power with the destruction of the Third Dynasty of Ur, and the subsequent Isin-Larsa period. The chronology of the first dynasty ...
.
According to the approximate conventional dating, this period begins in 2025 BCE and ended in 1763 BCE.
It constitutes the first part of the
Old Babylonian period
The Old Babylonian Empire, or First Babylonian Empire, is dated to BC – BC, and comes after the end of Sumerian power with the destruction of the Third Dynasty of Ur, and the subsequent Isin-Larsa period. The chronology of the first dynasty ...
(2025-1595 BCE), the second part being the period of domination of the
first dynasty of Babylon, which ends with the
Sack of Babylon in 1595 BCE and the rise of the
Kassites.
The Third Dynasty of Ur immediately preceded the Isin-Larsa period, and its fall was due to the combined attacks of the
Amorites
The Amorites (; sux, 𒈥𒌅, MAR.TU; Akkadian: 𒀀𒈬𒊒𒌝 or 𒋾𒀉𒉡𒌝/𒊎 ; he, אֱמוֹרִי, 'Ĕmōrī; grc, Ἀμορραῖοι) were an ancient Northwest Semitic-speaking people from the Levant who also occupied lar ...
from the west, and the
Elamites from the east.
As its name suggests, the Isin-Larsa period saw successively the emergence of two great powers in Lower Mesopotamia: the kingdom of
Isin, which attempts to seek the succession of the kingdom of
Ur after its fall and established the
Dynasty of Isin, and the kingdom of
Larsa
Larsa ( Sumerian logogram: UD.UNUGKI, read ''Larsamki''), also referred to as Larancha/Laranchon (Gk. Λαραγχων) by Berossos and connected with the biblical Ellasar, was an important city-state of ancient Sumer, the center of the cult ...
, whose fall marks the end of the period.
In reality, neither of these two kingdoms exercised an undeniable hegemony in Lower Mesopotamia, and they had to coexist with other less powerful kingdoms (such as
Uruk
Uruk, also known as Warka or Warkah, was an ancient city of Sumer (and later of Babylonia) situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates River on the dried-up ancient channel of the Euphrates east of modern Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Harm ...
,
Babylon, and
Mankisum), while further north their influence was non-existent and gave way to other powerful political entities (
Eshnunna
Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar in Diyala Governorate, Iraq) was an ancient Sumerian (and later Akkadian) city and city-state in central Mesopotamia 12.6 miles northwest of Tell Agrab and 15 miles northwest of Tell Ishchali. Although situated in th ...
,
Ekallatum,
Mari,
Yamkhad
Yamhad was an ancient Semitic kingdom centered on Ḥalab (Aleppo), Syria. The kingdom emerged at the end of the 19th century BC, and was ruled by the Yamhadite dynasty kings, who counted on both military and diplomacy to expand their realm. ...
). The dynasties of this period have in common a Semitic
Amorite
The Amorites (; sux, 𒈥𒌅, MAR.TU; Akkadian: 𒀀𒈬𒊒𒌝 or 𒋾𒀉𒉡𒌝/𒊎 ; he, אֱמוֹרִי, 'Ĕmōrī; grc, Ἀμορραῖοι) were an ancient Northwest Semitic-speaking people from the Levant who also occupied la ...
origin, even if they quickly acculturated to Mesopotamian traditions.
Isin as the main polity (2025–1924 BCE)
When the deteriorating Third Dynasty of
Ur (
Ur III
The Third Dynasty of Ur, also called the Neo-Sumerian Empire, refers to a 22nd to 21st century BC ( middle chronology) Sumerian ruling dynasty based in the city of Ur and a short-lived territorial-political state which some historians consider t ...
) finally collapsed at the hands of the
Elamites at the end of the third millennium BCE, a power vacuum was left that other city-states scrambled to fill. The last king of the Ur III dynasty,
Ibbi-Sin
Ibbi-Sin ( sux, , ), son of Shu-Sin, was king of Sumer and Akkad and last king of the Ur III dynasty, and reigned c. 2028–2004 BCE ( Middle chronology) or possibly c. 1964–1940 BCE (Short chronology). During his rei ...
, lacked the resources and the organized government needed to expel the Elamite invaders. One of his governmental officials,
Ishbi-Erra, relocated from Ur to Isin, another city in southern
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...
, and established himself as a ruler there. One of Ishbi-Erra's year names reports his defeat of Ibbi-Sin in battle.
[Vaughn E. Crawford, An Ishbi-Irra Date Formula, Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 13-19, 1948]
Although he is not considered to be a part of the Third Dynasty of Ur, Ishbi-Erra did make some attempts at continuing the trappings of that dynasty, most likely to justify his rule.
Ishbi-Erra had ill luck expanding his kingdom, however, for other city-states in Mesopotamia rose to power as well —
Eshnunna
Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar in Diyala Governorate, Iraq) was an ancient Sumerian (and later Akkadian) city and city-state in central Mesopotamia 12.6 miles northwest of Tell Agrab and 15 miles northwest of Tell Ishchali. Although situated in th ...
and
Ashur were developing into powerful centers. However, he did succeed in repulsing the Elamites from the Ur region. This gave the Isin dynasty control over the culturally significant cities of Ur,
Uruk
Uruk, also known as Warka or Warkah, was an ancient city of Sumer (and later of Babylonia) situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates River on the dried-up ancient channel of the Euphrates east of modern Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Harm ...
, and the spiritual center of
Nippur.
For over 100 years, Isin flourished. Remains of large building projects, such as temples, have been excavated. Many royal edicts and law-codes from that period have been discovered. The centralized political structure of Ur III was largely continued, with Isin's rulers appointing governors and other local officials to carry out their will in the provinces. Lucrative trade routes to the Persian Gulf remained a crucial source of income for Isin.
Rise and dominance of Larsa (c. 1924–1763 BCE)
The city of Larsa had been subject to the city of Lagash, which had been captured by the Isin ruler
Ishbi-Erra. He and his successors appointed governors to rule over Larsa. One such governor was an
Amorite
The Amorites (; sux, 𒈥𒌅, MAR.TU; Akkadian: 𒀀𒈬𒊒𒌝 or 𒋾𒀉𒉡𒌝/𒊎 ; he, אֱמוֹרִי, 'Ĕmōrī; grc, Ἀμορραῖοι) were an ancient Northwest Semitic-speaking people from the Levant who also occupied la ...
named
Gungunum, who eventually broke with Isin and established his own independent dynasty in Larsa. This was akin to a ''coup d'état'', and Isin quickly lost political and economic force, which it never again regained.
The exact events surrounding Isin's disintegration as a kingdom are mostly unknown, but some evidence can be pieced together from the historical and archaeological record. For Gungunum to legitimize his rule and deliver a blow to Isin, he captured the city of Ur. As the region of Larsa was the main center of trade via the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bod ...
, Isin had lost access to enormously profitable trade routes. Ur was a city with tremendous historic and cultic significance; at some point, another cultic center, Nippur, was also lost. Documents also indicate that Isin had a huge problem maintaining access to its water sources. Gungunum's two successors,
Abisare Abisare ruled the ancient West Asian city-state of Larsa from 1841 BC to 1830 BC. He was an Amorite.Chronology of the Larsa Dynasty, E.M. Grice , C.E. Keiser, M. Jastrow, AMS Press, 1979, The annals of his 11-year reign record that he smote Isin i ...
(c. 1841–1830 BCE) and
Sumuel (c. 1830–1801 BCE), both took steps to completely cut off Isin's access to canals by rerouting them into Larsa.
Larsa grew powerful, but never accumulated much territory. At its peak, under king
Rim-Sin I (c. 1758–1699 BCE), Larsa only controlled 10-15 other city-states — nowhere near the territory controlled by other dynasties in Mesopotamian history. Nevertheless, huge building projects and agricultural undertakings have been found by archaeologists.
Around 1860 BCE, an outsider named Enlil-bani seized the throne of Isin, ending the hereditary dynasty established by Ishbi-Erra over 150 years earlier.
[William W. Hallo, The Last Years of the Kings of ISIN, Journal of Near Eastern Studies, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 54-72, 1959]
Demise
Hammurabi
Hammurabi (Akkadian: ; ) was the sixth Amorite king of the Old Babylonian Empire, reigning from to BC. He was preceded by his father, Sin-Muballit, who abdicated due to failing health. During his reign, he conquered Elam and the city-states ...
of
Babylon founded the
First Babylonian dynasty
The Old Babylonian Empire, or First Babylonian Empire, is dated to BC – BC, and comes after the end of Sumerian power with the destruction of the Third Dynasty of Ur, and the subsequent Isin-Larsa period. The chronology of the first dynasty ...
and united the whole region, after defeating the city of
Larsa
Larsa ( Sumerian logogram: UD.UNUGKI, read ''Larsamki''), also referred to as Larancha/Laranchon (Gk. Λαραγχων) by Berossos and connected with the biblical Ellasar, was an important city-state of ancient Sumer, the center of the cult ...
in 1763 BCE, as well as
Eshnunna
Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar in Diyala Governorate, Iraq) was an ancient Sumerian (and later Akkadian) city and city-state in central Mesopotamia 12.6 miles northwest of Tell Agrab and 15 miles northwest of Tell Ishchali. Although situated in th ...
and
Mari.
After the defeat of Rim-Sin I by
Hammurabi
Hammurabi (Akkadian: ; ) was the sixth Amorite king of the Old Babylonian Empire, reigning from to BC. He was preceded by his father, Sin-Muballit, who abdicated due to failing health. During his reign, he conquered Elam and the city-states ...
of
Babylon, Larsa became a minor site, though it has been suggested that it was the home of the First
Sealand Dynasty
The First Sealand dynasty, (URU.KÙKIWhere ŠEŠ-ḪA of King List A and ŠEŠ-KÙ-KI of King List B are read as URU.KÙ.KI) or the 2nd Dynasty of Babylon (although it was independent of Amorite-ruled Babylon), very speculatively c. 1732–1460 B ...
of Babylon.
Art
Artistically, the Isin-Larsa period is a period of turmoil, marked by the rise of the influence of the
Amorites
The Amorites (; sux, 𒈥𒌅, MAR.TU; Akkadian: 𒀀𒈬𒊒𒌝 or 𒋾𒀉𒉡𒌝/𒊎 ; he, אֱמוֹרִי, 'Ĕmōrī; grc, Ἀμορραῖοι) were an ancient Northwest Semitic-speaking people from the Levant who also occupied lar ...
for the northwest of Mesopotamia. Life was often unstable, and non-Sumerian invasions a recurring theme. It is often difficult to distinguish between the art of Isin-Larsa and the art of the
First Babylonian Dynasty
The Old Babylonian Empire, or First Babylonian Empire, is dated to BC – BC, and comes after the end of Sumerian power with the destruction of the Third Dynasty of Ur, and the subsequent Isin-Larsa period. The chronology of the first dynasty ...
, except when inscriptions permit datable attribution.
File:Four-faced god, Ishchali, Isin-Larsa to Old Babylonia periods, 2000-1600 BC, bronze - Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago - (detail).jpg, Four-faced god, Ishchali, Isin-Larsa to Old Babylonia periods, 2000–1600 BC, bronze - Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago
File:Rim-Sin, King of Larsa.jpg,
File:Hymn Iddin-Dagan Louvre AO8864.jpg, A praise poem to Iddin-Dagān, currently at Musée du Louvre
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
File:Kings Larsa Louvre AO7025.jpg, List of the kings of Larsa, Louvre Museum
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
.
File:Votive dog Louvre AO4349 n2.jpg, Votive statuette of a dog, dedicated by a doctor from Lagash
Lagash (cuneiform: LAGAŠKI; Sumerian: ''Lagaš''), was an ancient city state located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Ash Shatrah, Iraq. Lagash (modern Al-Hiba) w ...
to goddess Ninisina, for the life of Sûmû-El, king of Larsa. Musée du Louvre.
File:Isin-Larsa period pottery - Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago - DSC07001.JPG, Ceramics from the Isin-Larsa period. Museum of Oriental Institute of Chicago
File:Terracotta male figurine holding an axe or adze, from Tell Telloh, Isin-Larsa period, c. 1900 BCE. Iraq Museum.jpg, Terracotta male figurine holding an axe or adze, from Tell Telloh, Isin-Larsa period, c. 1900 BCE. Iraq Museum
References
{{Rulers of Sumer
21st-century BC establishments
States and territories established in the 3rd millennium BC
States and territories disestablished in the 18th century BC
Sumer
Historical eras