Amar-Sin ( akk, : ''
DAmar
D Sîn'', after the Moon God
Sîn", the "
𒀭
''Dingir'' (, usually transliterated DIĜIR, ) is a Sumerian word for "god" or "goddess". Its cuneiform sign is most commonly employed as the determinative for religious names and related concepts, in which case it is not pronounced and is con ...
" being a silent honorific for "Divine"), initially misread as Bur-Sin (c. 2046-2037 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 ...
, or possibly ca. 1982–1973 BC
short 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 ...
) was the third ruler of the
Ur III Dynasty. He succeeded his father
Shulgi
Shulgi ( dŠulgi, formerly read as Dungi) of Ur was the second king of the Third Dynasty of Ur. He reigned for 48 years, from c. 2094 – c. 2046 BC (Middle Chronology) or possibly c. 2030 – 1982 BC ( Short Chronology). His accomplishme ...
(c. 2030–1982 BC). His name translates to 'bull calf of the moon-god'.
Reign
Year-names are known for all nine years of his reign. These record campaigns conducted against
Urbilum
Erbil, also called Hawler (, ar, أربيل, Arbīl; syr, ܐܲܪܒܹܝܠ, Arbel), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It lies in the Erbil Governorate. It has an estimated population of around 1,600,000.
Hu ...
, and several other regions with obscure names: Shashrum, Shurudhum, Bitum-Rabium, Jabru, and Huhnuri. Amar-Sin is otherwise known to have campaigned against Elamite rulers such as Arwilukpi of
Marhashi
Marhaši ( Sumerian: ''Mar-ḫa-šiKI'' , ''Marhashi'', ''Marhasi'', ''Parhasi'', ''Barhasi''; in earlier sources Waraḫše. Akkadian: "Parahshum" ''pa2-ra-ah-shum2-ki'') was a 3rd millennium BC polity situated east of Elam, on the Iranian platea ...
, and the
Ur Empire under his reign extended as far as the northern provinces of
Lullubi
Lullubi, Lulubi ( akk, 𒇻𒇻𒉈: ''Lu-lu-bi'', akk, 𒇻𒇻𒉈𒆠: ''Lu-lu-biki'' "Country of the Lullubi"), more commonly known as Lullu, were a group of tribes during the 3rd millennium BC, from a region known as ''Lulubum'', now the Sha ...
and
Hamazi
Hamazi or Khamazi ( Sumerian: , ''ha-ma-zi''ki, or ''Ḫa-ma-zi2''ki) was an ancient kingdom or city-state of some importance that reached its peak c. 2500–2400 BC. Its exact location is unknown, but is thought to have been located in the ...
, with their own governors. He also ruled over
Assur
Aššur (; Sumerian: AN.ŠAR2KI, Assyrian cuneiform: ''Aš-šurKI'', "City of God Aššur"; syr, ܐܫܘܪ ''Āšūr''; Old Persian ''Aθur'', fa, آشور: ''Āšūr''; he, אַשּׁוּר, ', ar, اشور), also known as Ashur and Qal'a ...
through the Akkadian governor
Zariqum
Zariqum or Zarriqum was a Sumerian governor (''šakkanakkum'') of the city of Assur under the Third Dynasty of Ur, attested there between the 44th year of Shulgi () and the 5th year of Amar-Sin ().
He is the only governor of the city during this ...
, as confirmed by his monumental inscription.
Amar-Sin's reign is notable for his attempt at regenerating the ancient sites of
Sumer
Sumer () is the earliest known civilization in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. It is one of the cradles of c ...
. He apparently worked on the unfinished
ziggurat
A ziggurat (; Cuneiform: 𒅆𒂍𒉪, Akkadian: ', D-stem of ' 'to protrude, to build high', cognate with other Semitic languages like Hebrew ''zaqar'' (זָקַר) 'protrude') is a type of massive structure built in ancient Mesopotamia. It has ...
at
Eridu
Eridu ( Sumerian: , NUN.KI/eridugki; Akkadian: ''irîtu''; modern Arabic: Tell Abu Shahrain) is an archaeological site in southern Mesopotamia (modern Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq). Eridu was long considered the earliest city in southern Mesopotam ...
.
The Babylonian ''
Weidner Chronicle'' records the following: "Amar-Sin... changed the offerings of large oxen and sheep of the Akitu festival in Esagila. It was foretold that he would die from goring by an ox, but he died from the
corpion?'bite' of his shoe."
Attempted Coup
The administrative documentation from Amar-Sin's reign suggests that in his final years, he was confronted with some internal strife, and it is likely that his brother,
Shu-Sin
Shu-Sin, also Šu-Suen ( akk, : '' DŠu D Sîn'', after the Moon God Sîn", the "𒀭" being a silent honorific for "Divine", formerly read Gimil-Sin) was king of Sumer and Akkad, and was the penultimate king of the Ur III dynasty. He succeeded h ...
, was behind an effort to ovethrow him. The imperial guard, the agà-ús, were replaced in Amar-Sin's seventh year with a unit called the gàr-du, often the gàr-du of Amar-Sin. This unit disappears from the record in his ninth year shortly after his death. Also in his seventh year, the king hosted military officials from throughout the empire at a banquet in Ur, where they were required to swear an oath of loyalty. Cylinder seals bearing dedications to the king Shu-Sin appear towards the end of Amar-Suen's reign, but certainly before his death. The provincial governors also see some unusual transitions during this time, including being ousted during the middle of Amar-Sin's reign, only to return to their post after his death.
Taken together, it seems likely that Shu-Sin attempted to take power during his brother's reign. It is unclear if Amar-Sin was assassinated during this period, or if he died of natural causes.
Year names of Amar-Sin
All the year names of Amar-Sin are known, and, as was standard for the time, document events during that king's reign. While some events are military conquests, most of Amar-Sin's years record cultic activities. Some examples include:
Artifacts
File:Statue fragment beariing incised cuneiform inscription of Amar-Sin,ca. 2046–2038 B.C. Neo-Summerian.jpg, Statue fragment bearing incised cuneiform inscription of Amar-Sin, ca. 2046–2038 B.C. Neo-Sumerian
File:Stamped mud-brick of Amar-Sin.JPG, Stamped mud-brick of Amar-Sin
Fired clay brick stamped with the name of Amar-Sin, Ur III, from Eridu, currently housed in the British Museum.jpg, Fired clay brick stamped with the name of Amar-Sin, Ur III, from Eridu
Eridu ( Sumerian: , NUN.KI/eridugki; Akkadian: ''irîtu''; modern Arabic: Tell Abu Shahrain) is an archaeological site in southern Mesopotamia (modern Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq). Eridu was long considered the earliest city in southern Mesopotam ...
. British Museum.
File:Cuneiform tablet impressed with cylinder seal. Receipt of goats,ca. 2040 B.C. Neo-Summerian.jpg, Cuneiform tablet impressed with cylinder seal. Receipt of goats, ca. 2040 BC, year 7 of Amar-Sin. Neo-Sumerian.
File:Cuneiform tablet impressed with cylinder seal. Receipt of goats,ca. 2040 B.C. Neo-Summerian (drawing).jpg, Cuneiform tablet impressed with cylinder seal. Receipt of goats, ca. 2040 BC, Neo-Sumerian (drawing).
File:Amar-Sin (name).jpg, Inscription with the name "Amar-Sin"
File:Dedication tablet of Amar-Sin.jpg, Dedication tablet of Amar-Sin
See also
*
Correspondence of the Kings of Ur
The ''Correspondence of the Kings of Ur'' (CKU), also known as the ''Royal Correspondence of Ur'', is a collection of 24 literary letters written in the Sumerian language and attributed to kings of the Ur III period, 2048–1940 BCE (2112–2004 ...
*
Mashkan-shapir
Mashkan-shapir (modern Tell Abu Duwari, Al Qadisyah Governorate, Iraq) was an ancient '' tell'' roughly north of Nippur and around southeast of Baghdad. The city god of Mashkan-shapir was Nergal and a temple named Meslam dedicated to him was bu ...
Notes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Amar-Sin
Sumerian rulers
21st-century BC Sumerian kings
20th-century BC Sumerian kings
Third Dynasty of Ur