Shimashki dynasty

Shimashki dynasty
𒈗𒂊𒋛𒈦𒄀𒆠 (Sumerian)
*lugal-ene si-mash-gi^KI*
Shimashki dynasty; 𒈗𒂊𒋛𒈦𒄀𒆠 (Sumerian); lugal-ene si-mash-giKI
	A map of the Near East detailing the approximated territorial extent of the Elamite Empire during the Shimashki dynasty Shimashki class=notpageimage\| Approximate location of the territory of Shimashki, in Western Asia, modern Iran. Shimashki Shimashki (Iran)
Parent family	Awan dynasty
Country	Elam
Founded	c. 2100 BC
Founder	Girnamme I
Final ruler	Idattutemti
Historic seat	Shimashki
Titles	List Sukkalmah; Sukkal; Sukkal of Susa; Sukkal of Elam and Shimashki and Susa; Sukkal and Ippir of Susa; King of Anshan and Susa; King of Simashki; Enlarger of the Empire; Governor of Elam; Prince of Elam; Governor of Susa; Shepherd of the people of Susa; Shepherd of Inshushinak;
Connected families	Sukkalmah dynasty
Dissolution	c. 1880 BC

The Shimashki or Simashki dynasty (Šimaški) (𒈗𒂊𒋛𒈦𒄀𒆠, lugal-ene si-mash-gi^ki "Kings of the country of Simashgi"), was an early dynasty of the ancient region of Elam, to the southeast of Babylonia, in approximately 2100–1900 BCE.^[1] A list of twelve kings of Shimashki is found in the Elamite king-list of Susa, which also contains a list of kings of Awan dynasty.^[2] It is uncertain how historically accurate the list is (and whether it reflects a chronological order^[3]), although some of its kings can be corroborated by their appearance in the records of neighboring peoples.^[2] The dynasty corresponds to the middle part of the Old Elamite period (dated c.2700 – c. 1600 BC). It was followed by the Sukkalmah Dynasty. Shimashki was likely near today's Masjed Soleyman.

Nature of the "Dynasty"

Daryaee suggests that, despite the impression from the king-list that the rulers of Shimashki was a dynasty of sequential rulers, it is perhaps better to think of Shimashki as an alliance of various peoples "rather than a unitary state."^[4]

Occupation of Mesopotamia

Territory of the Shimashki in the Mesopotamia area.

The Shimashki confederacy led an alliance against the Ur III Empire, and managed to defeat its last ruler Ibbi-Sin.^[5] After this victory, they destroyed the kingdom, looted the capital of Ur, and ruled through military occupation for the next 21 years.^[5]^[6]

Dynastic list of twelve kings of the Awan dynasty and twelve kings of the Shimashki dynasty, 1800–1600 BC, Louvre Museum

The Shimashki rulers became participants in an ongoing conflict with the rulers of Isin and Larsa after the fall of Third Dynasty of Ur.^[7]

Under the Shimashki and their successors the Sukkalmah, Elam then became one of the most powerful kingdoms of West Asia, influencing the territories of Mesopotamia and Syria through commercial, military or diplomatic contacts.^[5] Expansion in Mesopotamia was only halted by the Babylonian king Hammurabi in the 18th century BC.^[5] After a prolonged conflict, the military forces of Elam were finally forced to retreat their forces positioned along the Tigris river, and to return to Susa.^[5]

Paleography

Shimashki is first mentioned on the inscription to an image of Puzur-Inshushinak, king of Awan around 2100 BC, which depicts a Shimashkian king as subordinate to him.^[8]

The Shimashki dynasty was followed by the Sukkalmah dynasty (c. 1900–1500).^[7]

Individual Rulers

Nude man with weapons Ur III Shimashki dynasty 2000–1940 BC. Louvre Museum

The names in the king-list, as found in Potts, are "Girnamme, Tazitta, Ebarti, Tazitta, Lu[?]-[x-x-x]-lu-uh-ha-an, Kindattu, Idaddu, Tan-Ruhurater, Ebarti, Idaddu, Idaddu-napir, Idaddu-temti, twelve Sumerian kings" (bracketed letters original).^[9]

Nude woman statuette Ur III Shimashki dynasty 2000–1940 BC. Louvre Museum

Girnamme ruled at the same time as Shu-Sin, king of Ur, and was involved, as either a groom or simply a facilitator, in the marriage of Shu-Sin's daughter.^[10] Gwendolyn Leick places this event in 2037 BC.^[10] Girnamme, along with Tazitta and Ebarti I, appears in "Mesopotamian texts establishing food rations issued to messengers," texts from 2044 to 2032 BC.^[8]

Tazitta, the second figure in the list, is referred to in a document from the eighth year of the reign of Amar-Sin of Ur.^[3]

Ebarat I (Old Elamite ia-ab-ra-at), king number 3 in the Shimashki kings list (SKL). He is mentioned in several documents of Third Dynasty of Ur, from year 44 of Šulgi (the earliest) to year 8 of Šu-Sin. Documents show that he ruled at about the same time as Girnamme and at the same time as Tazitta, kings #1 and #2 from the SKL. The inscription on bronze bowl MS 4476 mentions Ebarat (^de-ba-ra-at) as a father of Kindattu and grandfather of Idadu I, kings no 6 and 7 in the SKL. The spelling ia-a-ba-ra-at later became e-ba-ra-at and e-ba-ar-ti reflecting the historic shift of /’a/ to /e/ in Elamite.

Cylinder seal and modern impression. Worshiper before a seated ruler or deity, seated female under a grape arbor, Old Elamite, ca early 2nd millennium BC.

Kindattu was also known as Kindadu.^[11] A Kindattu, who according to Daryaeee was "apparently" the Shimashkian king of the list above, lead the army that destroyed the Third Dynasty of Ur in 2004 BC.^[3] The operation was a joint effort between Kindattu and his then-ally Ishbi-Erra, who defeated Ur and captured Ibbi-Sin, its king.^[8] The Ishbi-Erra hymn claims that Ishbi-Erra later expelled Kindattu from Mesopotamia.^[3]

Idaddu I (also known as Indattu-Inshushinak,^[8] or simply Indattu) called himself "king of Shimashki and Elam".^[8] According to Stolper and André-Salvini, he was the son of Kindattu,^[8] while Gwendolyn Leick calls him "son of Pepi," claiming that Kindattu may have been his grandfather.^[12] According to Leick he ascended to the throne of Shimashki around 1970 BC.^[12]

Tan-Ruhurater, also known as Tan-Ruhuratir, formed an alliance with Bilalama, the governor of Eshnunna, by marrying Bilama's daughter Mê-Kubi.^[13]^[14]

Ebarti II of Shimashki may have been the same individual known as Ebarat, a Sukkalmah, or "Grand Regent".^[15] If so, he was ruler simultaneously to the next member of the list of twelve Shimaskin kings: Idaddu II.^[15]

Idaddu II was the son of Tan-Ruhurater, during whose reign he oversaw building projects as the governor of Susa.^[16] According to Leick, he was the last of the Shimashkian kings.^[1]

List of rulers

The following list should not be considered complete:

#	Name	Succession	Title	Approx. dates	Notes
Gutian period (c. 2154 – c. 2119 BC)
	Unknown	Unclear succession	King of Shimashki	Uncertain, fl. c. 2240 – c. 2100 BC d. c. 2100 BC	temp. of Puzur-Inshushinak
Awan dynasty (c. 2600 – c. 2120 BC)^[17]^[18]
12^th	Puzur-Inshushinak 𒅤𒊭𒀭𒈹𒂞	Nephew of Khita (?)	Military Governor of Elam Governor of Susa Mighty King of Elam King of Awan	Uncertain, fl. c. 2240 – c. 2100 BC	temp. of Puzer-Mama temp. of Gudea temp. of Ur-Nammu
"Twelve kings of Awan." — Susanian Dynastic List
Ur III period (c. 2119 – c. 2025 BC)
Shimashki dynasty (c. 2120 – c. 1980 BC)
	Girnamme I (?)	Unclear succession	King of Shimashki	Uncertain, fl. c. 2120 – c. 2028 BC
	Ebarat I (?) 𒂊𒁀𒊏𒀜	Relative of Gir-Namme I (?)	King of Shimashki
1^st	Girnamme II	Relative of Ebarat I (?)	King of Shimashki		temp. of Shulgi
3^rd	Ebarat II 𒂊𒁀𒊏𒀜	Relative of Tazitta I	King of Shimashki		temp. of Shulgi
2^nd	Tazitta I	Relative of Gir-Namme I (?)	King of Shimashki		temp. of Amar-Sin
4^th	Tazitta II	Unclear succession	King of Shimashki		temp. of Shu-Sin
5^th	Lurak-Luhhan	Unclear succession	King of Shimashki	Uncertain, fl. c. 2028 BC d. c. 2022 BC	temp. of Shu-Sin
	Tan-Ruhuratir I (?)	Same person as Lurak-Luhhan (?)	King of Shimashki	Uncertain, fl. c. 2028 BC	temp. of Shu-Sin
	Hutran-Temti I (?)	Same person as Kindattu (?)	King of Shimashki		temp. of Shu-Sin
7^th	Indattu-Inshushinak I 𒀭𒄿𒁕𒁺	Son of Hutran-Temti I (?)	King of Shimashki		temp. of Ibbi-Sin
Isin-Larsa period (c. 2025 – c. 1894 BC)
6^th	Kindattu 𒆠𒅔𒁕𒌅	Son of Ebarat I (?)	King of Shimashki	Uncertain, fl. c. 2028 – c. 2001 BC (26 years)	Conquered Ur c. 2004 BC temp. of Ishbi-Erra
	Imazu	Son of Kindattu	King of Anshan	Uncertain, fl. c. 2015 BC	temp. of Shu-Ilishu
8^th	Tan-Ruhuratir II	Son of Indattu-Inshushinak I (?)	King of Shimashki	Uncertain, fl. c. 2001 – c. 1980 BC	temp. of Iddin-Dagan
	Indattu-Inshushinak II (?)	Son of Tan-Ruhuratir I (?)	King of Shimashki	Uncertain, fl. c. 2001 – c. 1980 BC	temp. of Bilalama
Epartid dynasty (c. 1980 – c. 1850 BC)
9^th	Ebarat III 𒂊𒁀𒊏𒀜	Unclear succession	Sukkalmah King of Anshan and Susa King of Shimashki	Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC	temp. of Iddin-Dagan
10^th	Indattu-Inshushinak III 𒀭𒄿𒁕𒁺	Son of Pepi^[19]	King of Shimashki	Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC (≥3 years)	temp. of Gungunum
	Shilhaha	Son of Ebarat II	Sukkalmah King of Anshan and Susa	Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC
	Kuk-Nashur I	Son of Shilhaha	Sukkalmah	Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC
Sukkalmah dynasty (c. 1850 – c. 1450 BC)
	Palar-Ishshan	Unclear succession	Sukkalmah	Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC
	Kuk-Sanit	Son of Palar-Ishshan (?)
	Lankuku	Father of Kuk-Kirwash
	Kuk-Kirwash	Nephew of Palar-Ishshan (?)	Sukkalmah Sukkal of Elam and Shimashki and Susa
	Tem-Sanit	Son of Kuk-Kirwash		Uncertain, fl. c. 1928 – c. 1894 BC
	Kuk-Nahhunte	Son of Kuk-Kirwash		Uncertain, fl. c. 1928 – c. 1894 BC
Old Babylonian period (c. 1894 – c. 1450 BC)
	Attakhushu	Son of Kuk-Nashur I (?)	Sukkal and Ippir of Susa Shepherd of the people of Susa Shepherd of Inshushinak	Uncertain, fl. c. 1928 – c. 1894 BC
	Tetep-Mada	Son of Kuk-Nashur I (?)	Shepherd of the people of Susa	Uncertain, fl. c. 1928 – c. 1894 BC
11^th	Idattunapir	Unclear succession	King of Shimashki	Uncertain, fl. c. 1894 – c. 1792 BC	temp. of Sumuabum
12^th	Idattutemti	Unclear succession	King of Shimashki	Uncertain, fl. c. 1894 – c. 1792 BC
"Twelve kings of Shimashki." — Susanian Dynastic List
	Shirukduh	Descendant of Shilhaha (?)	Sukkalmah	Uncertain, fl. c. 1792 – c. 1778 BC	temp. of Shamshi-Adad I
	Siwe-Palar-Khuppak	Son of Shirukduh (?)	Sukkalmah Sukkal of Susa Prince of Elam	Uncertain, reigned c. 1778 – c. 1745 BC	temp. of Hammurabi
	Tan-Uli	Unclear succession	Sukkalmah Sukkal	Uncertain, fl. c. 1745 – c. 1650 BC
	Temti-Halki	Son of Tan-Uli (?)	Sukkalmah Sukkal of Elam and Simashki and Susa	Uncertain, fl. c. 1745 – c. 1650 BC

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b Gwendolyn Leick (31 January 2002). Who's Who in the Ancient Near East. Routledge. p. 72. ISBN 978-1-134-78795-1.
^ ^a ^b I. E. S. Edwards; C. J. Gadd; N. G. L. Hammond (31 October 1971). The Cambridge Ancient History. Cambridge University Press. p. 654. ISBN 978-0-521-07791-0.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Touraj Daryaee (16 February 2012). The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History. Oxford University Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-19-020882-0.
^ Touraj Daryaee (16 February 2012). The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History. Oxford University Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-19-020882-0.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Bryce, Trevor (2009). The Routledge Handbook of the Peoples and Places of Ancient Western Asia: The Near East from the Early Bronze Age to the fall of the Persian Empire. Routledge. p. 221. ISBN 9781134159079.
^ D. T. Potts (12 November 2015). The Archaeology of Elam: Formation and Transformation of an Ancient Iranian State. Cambridge University Press. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-107-09469-7.
^ ^a ^b Sigfried J. de Laet; Ahmad Hasan Dani (1994). History of Humanity: From the third millennium to the seventh century B.C. UNESCO. p. 579. ISBN 978-92-3-102811-3.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Matthew Stolper; Béatrice André-Salvini (1992). "The Written Record". The Royal City of Susa: Ancient Near Eastern Treasures in the Louvre. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 262. ISBN 978-0-87099-651-1.
^ D. T. Potts (1999). The Archaeology of Elam. Cambridge University Press. p. 141.
^ ^a ^b Gwendolyn Leick (31 January 2002). Who's Who in the Ancient Near East. Routledge. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-134-78795-1.
^ Touraj Daryaee (16 February 2012). The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-19-973215-9.
^ ^a ^b Gwendolyn Leick (31 January 2002). Who's Who in the Ancient Near East. Routledge. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-134-78795-1.
^ On the alliance, see Katrien De Graef; Jan Tavernier (7 December 2012). Susa and Elam. Archaeological, Philological, Historical and Geographical Perspectives.: Proceedings of the International Congress held at Ghent University, December 14–17, 2009. BRILL. p. 54. ISBN 978-90-04-20741-7.
^ On Bilalama's position as governor of Eshnunna, see Douglas Frayne (1990). Old Babylonian Period (2003-1595 BC). University of Toronto Press. p. 491. ISBN 978-0-8020-5873-7.
^ ^a ^b Elizabeth Carter; Matthew W. Stolper (1984). Elam: Surveys of Political History and Archaeology. University of California Press. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-520-09950-0.
^ Gwendolyn Leick (31 January 2002). Who's Who in the Ancient Near East. Routledge. p. 76. ISBN 978-1-134-78796-8.
^ Some archaeologists have suggested that Simashki was located in the north of Elam and Anshan near modern Isfahan.
^ Cameron, 1936; The Cambridge History of Iran; Hinz, 1972; The Cambridge Ancient History; Majidzadeh, 1991; Majidzadeh, 1997; Vallat "Elam ...", 1998.
^ Hinz, 1972.

Bibliography

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[Leick2002-1] Gwendolyn Leick (31 January 2002). Who's Who in the Ancient Near East. Routledge. p. 72. ISBN 978-1-134-78795-1.

[EdwardsGadd19712-2] I. E. S. Edwards; C. J. Gadd; N. G. L. Hammond (31 October 1971). The Cambridge Ancient History. Cambridge University Press. p. 654. ISBN 978-0-521-07791-0.

[Daryaee2012p67-3] Touraj Daryaee (16 February 2012). The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History. Oxford University Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-19-020882-0.

[Daryaee2012p68-4] Touraj Daryaee (16 February 2012). The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History. Oxford University Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-19-020882-0.

[TB-5] Bryce, Trevor (2009). The Routledge Handbook of the Peoples and Places of Ancient Western Asia: The Near East from the Early Bronze Age to the fall of the Persian Empire. Routledge. p. 221. ISBN 9781134159079.

[Potts2015-6] D. T. Potts (12 November 2015). The Archaeology of Elam: Formation and Transformation of an Ancient Iranian State. Cambridge University Press. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-107-09469-7.

[LaetDani1994-7] Sigfried J. de Laet; Ahmad Hasan Dani (1994). History of Humanity: From the third millennium to the seventh century B.C. UNESCO. p. 579. ISBN 978-92-3-102811-3.

[Louvre1992p262-8] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Matthew Stolper; Béatrice André-Salvini (1992). "The Written Record". The Royal City of Susa: Ancient Near Eastern Treasures in the Louvre. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 262. ISBN 978-0-87099-651-1.

[9] D. T. Potts (1999). The Archaeology of Elam. Cambridge University Press. p. 141.

[Leick2002p78-10] Gwendolyn Leick (31 January 2002). Who's Who in the Ancient Near East. Routledge. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-134-78795-1.

[Daryaee2012p42-11] Touraj Daryaee (16 February 2012). The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-19-973215-9.

[Leick2002p92-12] Gwendolyn Leick (31 January 2002). Who's Who in the Ancient Near East. Routledge. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-134-78795-1.

[13] On the alliance, see Katrien De Graef; Jan Tavernier (7 December 2012). Susa and Elam. Archaeological, Philological, Historical and Geographical Perspectives.: Proceedings of the International Congress held at Ghent University, December 14–17, 2009. BRILL. p. 54. ISBN 978-90-04-20741-7.

[Frayne1990-14] On Bilalama's position as governor of Eshnunna, see Douglas Frayne (1990). Old Babylonian Period (2003-1595 BC). University of Toronto Press. p. 491. ISBN 978-0-8020-5873-7.

[CarterStolper1984p73-15] Elizabeth Carter; Matthew W. Stolper (1984). Elam: Surveys of Political History and Archaeology. University of California Press. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-520-09950-0.

[Leick2002p76-16] Gwendolyn Leick (31 January 2002). Who's Who in the Ancient Near East. Routledge. p. 76. ISBN 978-1-134-78796-8.

[17] Some archaeologists have suggested that Simashki was located in the north of Elam and Anshan near modern Isfahan.

[18] Cameron, 1936; The Cambridge History of Iran; Hinz, 1972; The Cambridge Ancient History; Majidzadeh, 1991; Majidzadeh, 1997; Vallat "Elam ...", 1998.

[Hinz-19] Hinz, 1972.

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