Shakkanakku ( Sumerian: , GIR.NITA or ''šagina'', , ''Shakkanakku''), was an Akkadian-language title designating a military governor. Mari was ruled by a dynasty of hereditary Shakkanakkus which was originally set by the

Akkadian Empire The Akkadian Empire () was the first known empire, succeeding the long-lived city-states of Sumer. Centered on the city of Akkad (city), Akkad ( or ) and its surrounding region, the empire united Akkadian language, Akkadian and Sumerian languag ...

and gained independence following Akkad's collapse. It is considered that the Shakkanakkus gained some form of independence and came to be considered as "Kings" from the time of

Apil-Kin Apil-kin ( ''a-pil-gin6''; died 2091 BC), was a ruler of the city of Mari, Syria, Mari, northern Mesopotamia, after the fall of Akkadian Empire, Akkad c. 2127-2091 BCE. He was a son of Ishgum-Addu, and ruled 35 years, according to the ''Shakkanak ...

. A critical analysis of the Shakkanakku List of Mari has been published. The title is also known around the same time in

Elam Elam () was an ancient civilization centered in the far west and southwest of Iran, stretching from the lowlands of what is now Khuzestan and Ilam Province as well as a small part of modern-day southern Iraq. The modern name ''Elam'' stems fr ...

, where several "Shakkanakku (Military Governor) of the country of

" with typically Akkadian names ruled for the Akkadian kings.Translation into French in The title also existed in

Qatna Qatna (modern: , Tell al-Mishrifeh; also Tell Misrife or Tell Mishrifeh) was an ancient city located in Homs Governorate, Syria. Its remains constitute a tell situated about northeast of Homs near the village of al-Mishrifeh. The city was an ...

in the 14th century BC, and

Dilmun Dilmun, or Telmun, ( Sumerian: ,Transliteration: Similar text: later 𒉌𒌇(𒆠), NI.TUKki = dilmunki; ) was an ancient East Semitic–speaking civilization in Eastern Arabia mentioned from the 3rd millennium BC onwards. Based on contextual ...

under the

Kassites The Kassites () were a people of the ancient Near East. They controlled Babylonia after the fall of the Old Babylonian Empire from until (short chronology). The Kassites gained control of Babylonia after the Hittite sack of Babylon in 1531 B ...

Shakkanakkus under the Akkadians

Shakkanakkus, or ''Shagina'' military governors are known from the time of the

. For example,

Shar-kali-sharri Shar-Kali-Sharri (, ''Dingir, DShar-ka-li-Sharri''; died 2193 BC) reigned c. 2218–2193 BC (middle chronology) as the ruler of Akkadian Empire, Akkad. In the early days of cuneiform scholarship the name was transcribed as "Shar-Gani-sharri". In ...

had a military governor in

Nippur Nippur (Sumerian language, Sumerian: ''Nibru'', often logogram, logographically recorded as , EN.LÍLKI, "Enlil City;"I. E. S. Edwards, C. J. Gadd, N. G. L. Hammond, ''The Cambridge Ancient History: Prolegomena & Prehistory'': Vol. 1, Part 1, Ca ...

taking charge of the construction of the temple of

Enlil Enlil, later known as Elil and Ellil, is an List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian god associated with wind, air, earth, and storms. He is first attested as the chief deity of the Sumerian pantheon, but he was later worshipped by t ...

. One of his year names reads: "Year in which Szarkaliszarri appointed Puzur-Esztar the ''shagina'' (general) to build the temple of Enlil."

Main Shakkanakkus of Mari

Several Shakkanakkus of Mari are known from archaeological artifacts: File:Ishtup-Ilum statue (front, wider).jpg, Statue of

Ishtup-Ilum Ishtup-Ilum, also Ishtup-El (, ''Ish-dub-ilum''; died 2136 BC) was a ruler of the city of Mari, one of the military governors known as '' Shakkanakku'' in northern Mesopotamia, after the fall of Akkad. He was probably a contemporary with the Se ...

, Shakkanakku of Mari. (c.2150 BC) File:Idi-ilum Louvre AO 19486 n01.jpg, Statue of Iddi-Ilum, Shakkanakku of Mari. (c. 2090 BC) File:Statue of Puzur-Ishtar.jpg, Puzur Ishtar, Shakkanakku of Mari. (c. 2050 BC) File:Statue of governor of Tura Dagan, Mari. Originally from Mari, found in Babylon. 1894-1594 BCE. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul.jpg,

Tura-Dagan Tura-Dagan (, ''Tu-ra- Dda-gan''; died 2050 BC) was a ruler of the city of Mari, northern Mesopotamia during the Ur III period. He was son of Apil-Kin, and brother of Ili-Ishar. He held the title of Shakkanakku (military governor), which was b ...

, Shakkanakku of Mari. Originally from Mari (c. 2071–2051 BC).

List of Shakkanakku rulers of Mari

Main Shakkanakkus of Elam

The title is also known around the same time in

, as in the inscription of the "Table au Lion",

Puzur-Inshushinak Puzur-Inshushinak (Linear Elamite: ''Puzur Sušinak''; Akkadian: , ''puzur3- dinšušinak'', also , ''puzur4- dinšušinak'' " Inshushinak (is) protection"; ), also sometimes thought to read Kutik-Inshushinak in Elamite, was a king of Elam, and ...

appears as "Puzur-Inshushin(ak)

Ensi Ensi may refer to: Title * Ensign (rank), (as an abbreviation of) * Ensí Ensi (cuneiform: , "lord of the plowland"; Emesal dialect: ''umunsik''; ) was a Sumerian title designating the ruler or prince of a city-state. Originally it may h ...

(Governor) of

Susa Susa ( ) was an ancient city in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris, between the Karkheh River, Karkheh and Dez River, Dez Rivers in Iran. One of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East, Susa served as the capital o ...

, Shakkanakku (Military Governor) of the country of

" ( ''kutik-inshushinak ensi shushi^ki skakkanakku mati NIM^ki'').Translation into French in A ruler with an Akkadian name,

Ili-ishmani Ili-ishmani ( '' i3-li2-isz-ma-ni''; ) was a ruler of Elam around 2150 BC. His name is purely Akkadian, and he was in charge of Elam at the time of Naram-Sin and/or Shar-Kali-Sharri, and probably their vassal. His title of "Military Governor" (' ...

, at the time of

Naram-Sin of Akkad Naram-Sin, also transcribed Narām-Sîn or Naram-Suen (: '' DNa-ra-am D Sîn'', meaning "Beloved of the Moon God Sîn", the "𒀭" a determinative marking the name of a god; died 2218 BC), was a ruler of the Akkadian Empire, who reigned –22 ...

Shar-Kali-Sharri Shar-Kali-Sharri (, ''Dingir, DShar-ka-li-Sharri''; died 2193 BC) reigned c. 2218–2193 BC (middle chronology) as the ruler of Akkadian Empire, Akkad. In the early days of cuneiform scholarship the name was transcribed as "Shar-Gani-sharri". In ...

, also used the same title of "Skakkanakku of the country of Elam". This suggest that Ili-ishmani was a vassal of the Akkadian Empire.

List of the Shakkanakkus of Elam

References

Sources

* * * * * Gubernatorial titles Akkadian Empire {{Rulers of the Ancient Near East