Shu-Sin, also Šu-Suen (: ''^DŠu^D Sîn'', after the Moon God Sîn", the "

𒀭 ''Dingir'' ⟨⟩, usually transliteration of cuneiform, transliterated DIĜIR, () is a Sumerian language, Sumerian word for 'god' or 'goddess'. Its Cuneiform script, cuneiform sign is most commonly employed as the determinative for religious n ...

" being a silent honorific for "Divine", formerly read Gimil-Sin) (died c. 2028 BC) was king of

Sumer Sumer () is the earliest known civilization, located in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (now south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. ...

and Akkad, and was the fourth king of the Ur III dynasty. He succeeded his father Amar-Sin, and reigned 2037–2028 BC (

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 ...

Reign

Following an open revolt of his

Amorite The Amorites () were an ancient Northwest Semitic-speaking Bronze Age people from the Levant. Initially appearing in Sumerian records c. 2500 BC, they expanded and ruled most of the Levant, Mesopotamia and parts of Egypt from the 21st century BC ...

subjects, he directed the construction of a fortified wall between the

Euphrates The Euphrates ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of West Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia (). Originati ...

and the

Tigris The Tigris ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the eastern of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian Desert, Syrian and Arabia ...

rivers in his fourth year, intending it to hold off any further Amorite attacks. He was succeeded by his son

Ibbi-Sin Ibbi-Sin (, ), (died c. 2004 BC) son of Shu-Sin, was king of Sumer and Akkad and last king of the Ur III dynasty, and reigned c. 2028–2004 BC (Middle chronology). During his reign, the Sumerian empire was attacked repeatedly by Amorites. As f ...

. An erotic poem addressed to Shu-Sin by a female speaker is preserved in a cuneiform tablet called Istanbul 2461. The poem's speaker expresses her strong desires and longings for the king. An inscription states that he gave his daughter in marriage to the ruler of Šimānum "His daughter was given as a bride to Simanum. Simanum, Habura, and the surrounding districts rebelled against the king, they chased his daughter away from her residence." Shu-Sin subsequently conquered Šimānum and restored his daughter there.

Year names of Shu-sin

The year names for the reign of Shu-sin are all known and give an information about the events of his reign. The most important ones are: 1 Year Szu-Sin became king
2 Year Szu-Sin the king of Ur made / caulked the boat of Enki (called the) 'ibex of the abzu'
3 Year Szu-Sin the king of Ur destroyed Simanum
4 Year Szu-Sin the king of Ur built the amurru wall (called) 'muriq-tidnim / holding back the Tidanum'
6 Year Szu-Sin the king of Ur erected a magnificent stele for Enlil and Ninlil
7 Year Szu-Sin, the king of Ur, king of the four quarters, destroyed the land of Zabszali
9 Year Szu-Sin the king of Ur built the temple of Szara in Umma

Artifacts

There is vast number of artifacts with inscriptions in the name of Shu-sin. Door socket inscribed with the name of Shu-Sin, king of Ur, Ur III. From Mesopotamia, Erbil Civilization Museum.jpg, Door socket inscribed with the name of Shu-Sin, king of Ur, Ur III. From Mesopotamia, Erbil Civilization Museum. File:Shu-Sin (name).jpg, Inscription with the name of Shu-Sin File:Seal of Gimil-Sin (Shu-Sin).jpg, Seal of Shu-Sin: "Shu-sin, the Great King, King of Ur, King of the four world quarters..." File:Inscribed stone ring of a fountain, the name of the Ur III king Shu-Sin appears. C. 2030 BCE, from Iraq. Pergamon Museum.jpg, Inscribed stone ring of a fountain, in the name of king Shu-Sin.

Pergamon Museum The Pergamon Museum (; ) is a Kulturdenkmal , listed building on the Museum Island in the Mitte (locality), historic centre of Berlin, Germany. It was built from 1910 to 1930 by order of Emperor Wilhelm II, German Emperor, Wilhelm II and accordi ...

. File:Shu-Sin inscription MEL 1924-2.jpg, Inscription of King Shu-Sîn, commemorating the construction of the temple of the god Shara at Umma. Musée national d'histoire et d'art, Luxembourg, Cabinet des Médailles. File:Seal of Abbakalla of Ur, riding a horse (reign of Shu-Sin, UR III, 2037–2028 BCE).jpg, Seal of Abbakalla of Ur, riding a horse (reign of Shu-Sin, UR III, 2037–2028 BCE), one of the first known such depiction.

References

*Nicole Brisch, The Priestess and the King: The Divine Kingship of Šū-Sîn of Ur, Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 126, no. 2, pp. 161–176, (Apr. - Jun., 2006) *

External links

Shu-Sin year names at cdli
, - {{Rulers of Sumer Sumerian kings 20th-century BC Sumerian kings Third Dynasty of Ur 21st-century BC deaths

Reign

Year names of Shu-sin

Artifacts

See also

References

External links