Shibtu (reigned 1775 BC – 1761 BC) was the wife of Zimrilim and queen consort 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 since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...

of Mari in modern-day

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

. 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 Yamhad was an ancient Semitic people, Semitic kingdom centered on Aleppo, Ḥalab (Aleppo), Syria. The kingdom emerged at the end of the 19th century BC, and was ruled by the Yamhad dynasty, Yamhadite dynasty kings, who counted on both military ...

. 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, 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 the home of early civilizations within a region roughly corresponding to the modern Middle East: Mesopotamia (modern Iraq, southeast Turkey, southwest Iran and northeastern Syria), ancient Egypt, ancient Iran ( Elam, ...

, 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 This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial 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 agency considered to provide wise and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions, most notably including precognition of the future, inspired by deities. As such, it is a form of divination. Description The word ...

's prophecy that the

Babylon ''Bābili(m)'' * sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 * arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel'' * syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel'' * grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn'' * he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel'' * peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru'' * elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...

ian attack against Mari would end in failure. The prophecy, however, was wrong and the Babylonians under

Hammurabi Hammurabi (Akkadian: ; ) was the sixth Amorite king of the Old Babylonian Empire, reigning from to BC. He was preceded by his father, Sin-Muballit, who abdicated due to failing health. During his reign, he conquered Elam and the city-states ...

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 women rulers Ancient queens consort Mari, Syria Year of birth unknown 18th-century BC deaths Ancient Mesopotamian women Yamhad dynasty 18th-century BC people