Meskigal ( sux, , ''mes-ki-g̃al₂-la'') was a Sumerian ruler of the

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...

n city of Adab in the mid-3rd millennium BCE, probably circa 2350 BCE. He was contemporary with

Lugal-zage-si Lugal-Zage-Si ( ; frequently spelled ''Lugalzaggesi'', sometimes ''Lugalzagesi'' or "Lugal-Zaggisi") of Umma (reigned c. 2358 - 2334 BCE middle chronology) was the last Sumerian king before the conquest of Sumer by Sargon of Akkad and the rise o ...

and the founder of the

Akkadian Empire The Akkadian Empire () was the first ancient empire of Mesopotamia after the long-lived civilization of Sumer. It was centered in the city of Akkad () and its surrounding region. The empire united Akkadian and Sumerian speakers under one ...

, Sargon of Akkad. In a fragmentary inscription, he claimed to have been on an expedition to the "Mountain of the

Cedar Cedar may refer to: Trees and plants *''Cedrus'', common English name cedar, an Old-World genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae *Cedar (plant), a list of trees and plants known as cedar Places United States * Cedar, Arizona * ...

forests" (, ''^KURg̃eš-erin'',

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

), perhaps together with

Sargon I Sargon I (also transcribed as Šarru-kīn I and Sharru-ken I) was the king (Išši’ak Aššur, "Steward of Assur") during the Old Assyrian period from 1920 BC to 1881 BC. On the Assyrian King List, Sargon appears as the son and successor of Ik ...

: It has been suggested that Meskigal had actually defected to the Akkadian Empire, in opposition to Lugal-zage-si. Another known case is Lugalushumgal, who was also a collaborator of the

. According to an inscription however, the Akkadian ruler

Rimush Rimush (or Rimuš, ''Ri-mu-uš'') was the second king of the Akkadian Empire. He was the son of Sargon of Akkad and Queen Tashlultum. He was succeeded by his brother Manishtushu, and was an uncle of Naram-Sin of Akkad. Rimush reported having a s ...

, successor of Sargon, captured him following a rebellion: It is uncertain if this is the same Meskigal being mentioned in these several inscriptions. There is a statue of Meskigal in the Baghdad Museum, in a style reminiscent of Akkadian statuary. Meskigal is also known from inscriptions.

References

{{Rulers of Sumer Sumerian rulers 24th-century BC Sumerian kings Kings of Adab Ancient rebels