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Old Assyria and the Rise and Fall of Old Babylon. 2,000-1800 BCE: Reorganization. After Ur fell, Ashur, later to become the capital of Assyria, established LTD in Anatolia
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2,000-1800 BCE: Reorganization • After Ur fell, Ashur, later to become the capital of Assyria, established LTD in Anatolia • Merchant organizations (karum) policed themselves and acted as intermediaries between the city state and individual traders. • Established 20 trading cities in Anatolia (modern Turkey) with a governmental center the bit Karim • Smaller towns involved had a wabartum, a simple trading post • Highly organized trade developed
Donkey Caravans • At this time the camel was known but not domesticated. Caravans used donkeys. • Donkeys pulled chariots as well! • Large caravans required 200-250 donkeys. Each could only carry a limited load. • Trade was active two months a year. Traded in metals (especially tin) and woolen goods. Payment tended to be in gold and silver. • Profitability was good but limited. Goods traded in caravans was limited. Often extended credit with high interest
The Isin-Larsa Period • Two southern Mesopotamian city states ruled by descendants of the Amorites that destabilized the 3rd dynasty of Ur. • Ishbi-Erra from Mari founded the dynsaty of Isin (2017-1985 BCE). Established control over Nippur, Uruk and Eridu and late in his reign, Ur • His son, Shu-Ilushu, extended the conflict to Elam and recovered the statue of Nanna, Ur’s patron. • Adopted Sumerian culture, language, writing and literature. An important bridge culture. • Absorbed by another Amorite dynasty at Larsa
The Larsa Period • Larsa co-existed with the Isin dynasty but had little centralized power or ambition • Gungunum (1932-1906 BCE) of Larsa took Ur from Lipit-Ishtar of Isin. This act destabilized Isin • Usurpers to the throne and political instabilty kept Isin in decline as Larsa grew in power. • 1865 BCE: environmental changes destabilized Larsa and the dynasty fell into political instability • Isin and Larsa competed with one or the other gaining ascendancy until the rise of Babylon
The Odd Theory of Substitute Kings • Explains the odd burials of the royal tombs of Ur • A commoner would be given the throne for a short period of time, and then ritually killed and buried as a king. A reaction to bad omens! • Enlil-Bani, the gardener king (1860-1837) was one such king that remained king when the actual ruler (Irra-imitti) died from drinking hot broth!
Larsa's Last Stand • Kudur-Mabak gained the throne in 1834, but really functioned as a general and put his son Warad-sim on the throne while he expanded Larsa’s territory. • Warad-sim had a short reign followed by Rim-sim, his younger brother. • Consolidated all the old territory of Sumer, but was blocked from further expansion to the north by kingdom of Shamshi-Adad and the new growing power of Babylon
Shamshi-Adad (1809-1776 BCE) • Assyria’s first king. Conquered Ashur and took the title sharrum as opposed to ruba’um (prince, chief) or belum (lord) • A family affair: set his heir Ishme-Dagan as prince of his old city of Ekalla-tum and Yasmah-Adad, his younger son, over Mari. • Isheme-Dagan later became vassal king over Asshur and Shamshi–Adad created a new capitol, Shubat-Enlil. Controlled all northern Mesopotamia . • 20,000 letters document rule and sibling rivalry
Foundation Cone of Ningursuhttp://www.collector-antiquities.com/315/
For Ningursu the mighty warrior of Enlil his king Gudea Ensi of Lagash a resplendent marvel The Eni temple, brilliant lion headed eagle he rebuilt and restored Trans. by Bron Lipkin
Babylon • Small town called Babil, unimportant • Later called by Semites Bab-ilim (gateway of the god) and later still Bab-ilani (gateway of the gods) Greeks transliterated it Babulon and hence we call it Babylon It had little political significance until Hammurabi By the end of his reign, his kingdom would equal the size of Ur III’s territory
The Rise of Hammurabi • Most important Amorite leader • Ruled 1792-1750 BCE • Created a powerful but short-lived empire • Patient but resolute ruler: gradually conquered states and added territory • Made and broke a series of alliances with city-states until he gained total control
The Growth of the State • 1787 Captured Isin and Uruk • 1784 Captured Rapiquim and Malgium • Consolidated state, built canals and temples • 1764: Victory over an alliance of Elam, Subartu, Gutium, Eshnunna, and Malgium • 1763 Allied with Mari and Eshnunna, defeated Larsa and captured King Rimi-sin • 1757 Destroyed Mari • 1755 Captured Eshnunna
Rimi-Sin Letter "To Nurija the .... say: `Thus (saith) Rim-Sin his lord. I have written thee to give ships to Mannum but thou has not given ships. Many soldiers because of the .... of people (?) have perished in the river ..... Ten ships and thirty-six-hundred .... which Mannum-kima-�am�i has demanded (?) of thee thou hast not given. With the soldiers who have died (be) thy soul! But for the soldiers as many as remain entrust 20 ka (of grain each) to the hands of Ilumarum ....."
Administration • 150 Letters are preserved that show how Hammurabi ruled the captured city of Larsa • Paid great attention to day to day affairs • Little if any delegation • Created his Law Code to provide standardized justice throughout his realm • Unknown how often the law was invoked or utilized: most scholars (including Gordon) tend to believe that these law codes were basically ignored.
Old Babylonian Society • King above all, and actively involved in all levels of society • Awilum (freemen) • Awilum often deep in debt and owed labor and taxes • Mushkenum (not slaves, but dependent on the state somehow) • Wardum (Slaves) • Slaves could own property and even other slaves!
Samsuiluna (1749-1712) • Son of Hammurabi • During reign, City of Larsa rebelled • Territory continually shrunk • Larsa leveled the cities Ur and Uruk • A small and weakened kingdom survived until 1550 • No natural boundaries
The End of Old Babylon • Indo-European tribes appeared in Anatolia • One, the Hittites, invaded deep into Mesopotamia 1600 BCE • Withdrew with plunder and further weakened the state • 1550 BCE the Kassites rode out of Armenia and toppled Babylon • Maintained culture with no real contribution until 1200 BCE
The Old Assyrians • Semitic people of the N.Tigris • Established around 2,000 BCE • Flourished around the same time as the Old Babylonian Kingdom • Became subject people of the Hurrians from Anatolia • Regained independence in the 14th century • Did not form a significant kingdom until the 9th c. BCE
Ebla (Tell Mardikh) • 100 acre site • Excavated from 1964 to present • Occupied from 3500 to 200 BCE • Level IIB1 date to 2400-2250 BCE • Corresponds to Ur III-Akkadian period • Naram Sin claimed to have destroyed Ebla • Royal Palace discovered in 1973 with 20,000 texts!
The Archives of Ebla: Economic and Court Caseshttp://digilander.libero.it/jimdigriz/jor_syr/ebla.html
Ebla Texts • Text script is in early Sumerian text of UR III period • Many similar to those of Sumer itself • Many scribal training texts: Eblaite-Sumer • Most diplomatic, administrative and legal material was in Eblaite • Syllabic material rather than pictograms • Scribes multi-lingual and used dictionaries
The Language • Eblaite is s Semitic language • Related to Akkadian and Hebrew • Be careful using articles and books about Ebla from the 1970-80’s • Incautious speculation tried to connect Ebla place names with Biblical names • Giovanni Pettinato (d. May 2011) • Now (some what) discredited
Ugarit • Syrian port city • Numerous text in a NW Semitic language • First translated by Cyrus Gordon • Full of mythological poetry and prose • Alphabetic spelling • Very important for the study of ancient Israel: See Gordon 92-93
The Kassites (1530-1170 BCE) • Asian people who adopted I.E. Military and Authority Structure. Territory divided into provinces • Unique language. Migrated from the nearby Zagros Mountains • Took over S and central Mesopotamia and adopted Babylonia culture • Quietly dominated the area until 1170 • Longest lasting Dynasty in Mesopotamia • Driven out by the Old Assyrian Empire.
