Shibtu (reigned 1775 BC – 1761 BC) was the wife of Zimrilim and

queen consort A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but hi ...

of the ancient

city-state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world throughout history, including cities such as Rome, ...

of Mari in modern-day

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

. Historian Abraham Malamat described her as "the most prominent of the Mari ladies."

Life

Shibtu was born to the royal family of the kingdom of Yamhad. Her parents were Yarim-Lim I, king of Yamhad, and Gashera, his queen consort.Dalley, 2002, p. 97. Zimrilim was forced to flee Mari when his father the king,

Iakhdunlim Yahdun-Lim (or ''Yakhdunlim, Yahdunlim''; from Akkadian language, Akkadian ''ia-aḫ-du-un-li-im'', in Amorite language, Amorite ''Yaʿdun-lîm'') was the king of Mari, Syria, Mari probably in 1820—1796 BC. He was of Amorite origin, and became k ...

, was assassinated in a palace coup and Yasmah-Adad usurped the throne. Zimrilim allied himself with Yarimlim of Yamhad who helped him regain his throne in Mari and their alliance was cemented with the marriage of Zimrilim to Shibtu. Zimrilim and Shibtu's offspring included at least seven daughters. One of them was appointed as the mayor of a nearby town.Smith, Entry: West Asia Several of their daughters went on to marry into other royal families from the

ancient Near East The ancient Near East was home to many cradles of civilization, spanning Mesopotamia, Egypt, Iran (or Persia), Anatolia and the Armenian highlands, the Levant, and the Arabian Peninsula. As such, the fields of ancient Near East studies and Nea ...

, including Ibbatum, who married Himidiya, the king of Andarik, and Inib-Sharri who married Ibal-Addu, ruler of Ashlakka.

Queen of Mari

Shibtu enjoyed extensive administrative powers as queen. During Zimrilim's absence, Shibtu handled the administration of the city, the royal palace and the temple. The tablets found at Mari reveal regular correspondence between Shibtu and her husband in his absence. The letters were mostly administrative in nature, including reports on the state of the city and military and intelligence briefings. Personal letters were also exchanged, including one notifying the king of her giving birth to a boy and girl twins. Shibtu's letters reflected deep affection for her husband and concern over his health and wellbeing during his campaigns. Zimrilim, likewise, sent letters back updating her on his battles and whereabouts, and instructing her on the running of the city.Dalley, 2002, p. 98. In one of her letters, Shibtu informs Zimrilim, upon his request, on the

oracle An oracle is a person or thing considered to provide insight, wise counsel or prophetic predictions, most notably including precognition of the future, inspired by deities. If done through occultic means, it is a form of divination. Descript ...

's prophecy that the

Babylon Babylon ( ) was an ancient city located on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, within modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about south of modern-day Baghdad. Babylon functioned as the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-s ...

ian attack against Mari would end in failure. The prophecy, however, was wrong and the Babylonians under Hammurabi sacked Mari in 1761 BC. In addition to her political roles, Shibtu managed and supervised her large household and the industries of the palace workshops.

Political agency and wealth

According to Sabloff, Shibtu was “second-in-command” and followed behind her husband. As she would usually represent Zimrilim, she would make official visits and travel around the kingdom on his behalf. Whilst he entrusted Shibtu with kingdom and palace affairs, the governing council was mostly consulted for major decisions. Historian accounts reflect upon the potential power the principal wives such as Shibtu has on the policies. In her case, some historian accounts suggest she is acknowledged as a woman with visions and dreams of political ambitions. Furthermore, when Zimrilim's mother died, Shibtu was authorized to administer reserves of precious materials such as metal and wool. Shibtu also received continuous gifts from her father amongst others.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * {{Authority control 18th-century BC monarchs 18th-century BC women Ancient queens regnant Ancient queens consort Mari, Syria Year of birth unknown 18th-century BC deaths Ancient Mesopotamian women Yamhad dynasty