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Dadusha (reigned c. 1800–1779 BC) was one of the kings of the central Mesopotamian city
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 the ...
, located in the Diyala Valley. He was the son of the Eshnunna king Ipiq-Adad II (reigned c. 1862–1818 BC). Although previously kings of Eshnunna had referred to themselves as ensi (governor) of the city god
Tishpak Tishpak (Tišpak) was a Mesopotamian god associated with the ancient city Eshnunna and its sphere of influence, located in the Diyala area of Iraq. He was primarily a war deity, but he was also associated with snakes, including the mythical mus ...
, in the early 19th century rulers of Eshnunna began referring to themselves as King (Sumerian
lugal Lugal ( Sumerian: ) is the Sumerian term for "king, ruler". Literally, the term means "big man." In Sumerian, ''lu'' "𒇽" is "man" and ''gal'' " 𒃲" is "great," or "big." It was one of several Sumerian titles that a ruler of a city-state coul ...
). Dadusha's father Ipiq-Adad II and his brother Naram-Suen (reigned c. 1818–? BC), who ruled Eshnunna before him, both used the title king and Dadusha followed suit. Ipiq-Adad II extended the control of Eshnunna to incorporate other cities in the Diyala Valley, including Nerebtum,
Shaduppum Shaduppum (modern Tell Harmal) is an archaeological site in Baghdad Governorate (Iraq). Nowadays, it lies within the borders of modern Baghdad. History of archaeological research The site, 150 meters in diameter and 5 meters high, was excavated ...
, and Dur-Rimush. Dadusha followed the expansionist policies of his father and his brother Naram-Suen, mixing war and diplomacy to increase his control over areas. His continued expansionism caused Eshnunna to become one of the most powerful states in the Mesopotamian region in the early 18th century. Dadusha was succeeded by his son Ibal pi’el II (reigned c. 1779–65 BC).


Stele of Dadusha

In 1781 BC, Dadusha joined forces with the king of Upper Mesopotamia, Shamshi-Adad, in order to subdue the area between the two Zab Rivers. They were successful in this endeavor, and Dadusha had a victory stele commissioned commemorating the event. The stele is an elongated stone monument which originally stood at the Temple of Adad at Eshnunna. The front side is carved with four registers while the narrow sides were inscribed with 220 lines of a cuneiform text divided into 17 columns; 180 cm high, 37 cm wide and 18,5 cm thick. The stele was found accidentally in 1983 while digging out a well in the outskirts of the ancient Eshnunna (modern-day Tell Asmar) in Diyala Governorate, Iraq. The center of the front side was damaged during the discovery. The upper register (the image of heroism) shows Dadudha (left) in a position of a slayer, tending on the defeated and slain King of Qabara, Banu-Ishtar. A standing male figure (right) adores Dadusha; this is probably a crown-prince or a military general. The sun-disc with its rays of Shamash, combined with the crescent of Sin, appears at the central upper part. At the bottom of the image, the city walls of Qabara appear. This stele commemorates his victory over the city of Qabara in Arbela (modern-day Erbil, in Iraqi Kurdistan) and its king Banu-Ishtar, with the help of king Shamshi-Adad (also Shamshi-Addu) of
Ekallatum Ekallatum (Akkadian: 𒌷𒂍𒃲𒈨𒌍, URUE2.GAL.MEŠ, Ekallātum, "the Palaces") was an ancient Amorite city-state and kingdom in upper Mesopotamia. The exact location of it has not yet been identified, but it is thought to be located somewher ...
. The stele dates back to the Old-Babylonian period, c. 1800-1779 BC. It is on display at the Old-Babylonian Gallery of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad, Republic of Iraq. During the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and subsequent ransacking of the Iraq Museum in April 2003, the stele escaped looting and vandalism. File:Detail, top register of the stele of Dadusha, king of Eshnunna, c. 1800 BCE. From Tell Asmar, Iraq. Iraq Museum.jpg, Detail, top register of the stele of Dadusha File:Detail, 2nd register of the stele of Dadusha, king of Eshnunna, c. 1800 BCE. From Tell Asmar, Iraq. Iraq Museum.jpg, Detail, 2nd register of the stele of Dadusha File:Detail, 3rd register of the stele of Dadusha, king of Eshnunna, c. 1800 BCE. From Tell Asmar, Iraq. Iraq Museum.jpg, Detail, 3rd register of the stele of Dadusha File:Detail, 4th register of the stele of Dadusha, king of Eshnunna, c. 1800 BCE. From Tell Asmar, Iraq. Iraq Museum.jpg, Detail, 4th register of the stele of Dadusha File:Detail, side view of the stele of Dadusha, king of Eshnunna, c. 1800 BCE. From Tell Asmar, Iraq. Iraq Museum.jpg, Detail, side view of the stele of Dadusha showing the cuneiform text


Laws of Eshnunna

Two tablets found during excavations at the site Shaduppu (modern Tell Harmel) in 1945 and 1947 contain laws similar to the
Code of Hammurabi The Code of Hammurabi is a Babylonian legal text composed 1755–1750 BC. It is the longest, best-organised, and best-preserved legal text from the ancient Near East. It is written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian, purportedly by Hamm ...
, but predating them. The Laws of Eshnunna were written during or just before the reign of Dadusha, although it is not conclusive whether Dadusha wrote them or not. Some of the laws included in this code are similar to Hammurabi's Code and Moses’ Code in Exodus. For example, they all contain a code pertaining to what happens when an ox gores a man.


References

{{reflist Kings of Eshnunna 18th-century BC Sumerian kings Kings of the Universe 18th-century BC people