Early Dynastic Period (c.2900-c.2270 BC)
By the beginning of the third millennium BC the urbanisation process that had begun during the Uruk period had reached its peak and involved the whole of southern Mesopotamia. At the same time urban centres had developed in northern Iraq, notably Mari and Assur. With the Sumerians predominant in the extreme south and the Semites predominant in central Mesopotamia (a region later called Akkad) only eighteen major cities are known for the whole area: Adab, Akshak, Badtibira, Eridu, Girsu, Isin, Kish, Lagash, Larak, Larsa, Nina, Nippur, Shuruppak, Sippar, Umma, Ur, Uruk and Zabalam.
Compiled in its present form not before the late nineteenth century the Sumerian King List purports to list the rulers of different cities from the beginning of time. For the early kings the lengths of reigns given are immense and clearly belong to legendary time, an assumption confirmed by the fact that they are presented as ruling ‘before the flood’. It is possible to place this flood c.2900 BC and after this time the kings mentioned are eventually credited with seemingly realistic lengths of reign. For this period a variety of terms are used to designate the head of state: ‘lugul’ = ‘big man’, ‘ensi’ = ‘governor’, and at Uruk ‘en’ = ‘lord’.
• Kish I-IV (c.2750-c.2340 BC)
The city-states undoubtedly fought each other to gain control of land and trade routes but some also had political or religious motives. Sumerian Kish was in a Semitic area and to conquer these two groups was to unite them under the same rule. To be king of Kish was almost equivalent to being king of Sumer and Akkad, i.e. of the whole country. Nippur was also desired because it was the seat of Sumer’s supreme god Enlil and therefore the religious home of the Sumerians.
In myth the kingship was lowered from heaven to the city of Eridu then passed successively through five cities until the Flood. It is possible that the First Dynasty of Kish was at least partly historical. Etana (r.c.2750 BC) ruled all of Sumer and is the first Sumerian king to be known from any source other than the List. Enmebaragesi (r.c.2615-c.2585 BC) is the first Sumerian king to be authenticated by two inscriptions. The List states that he won a victory over Elam, the first mention of the long conflict between Mesopotamia and Elam. Agga (r.c.2585 BC), son of Enmebaragesi, was defeated and the kingship was taken to Uruk.
Kish defeated Awan and regained the kingship. Mesilim (r.c.2550 BC) arbitrated in a border dispute between the cities of Lagash and Umma, setting up his stele to mark the boundary line. In c.2430 BC Kish II was defeated and the kingship was taken to Hamazi (a kingdom thought to be located in the western Zagros).
Kish defeated Mari and regained the kingship. Queen Ku-Baba of Kish III (r.c.2400 BC) was said to have been by origin an innkeeper. For a brief period the kingship went to Akshak but it soon returned to Kish. Ur-Zababa of Kish IV (r.c.2340 BC) was dethroned by his cupbearer, the future Sargon of Akkad (Sharrukin; r.c.2270-c.2215 BC).
• Uruk I-III (c.2750-c.2271 BC)
Meskiangasher (r.c.2750 BC) founded a rival dynasty at Uruk (=Erech), far to the south of Kish. During his rule he ‘entered the sea (Mediterranean) and climbed the mountains (Zagros)’, i.e. he created an empire. Meskiangasher was succeeded by his son Enmerkar (r.c.2730) who according to legend subjugated the land of Aratta (not yet identified). Lugalbanda (r.c.2700 BC) is generally held to be the father of Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh (r.c.2600 BC) is the central character in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the greatest surviving work of early Mesopotamian literature. Gilgamesh is generally accepted as an historical figure since inscriptions have been found that confirm the historical existence of other figures associated with him, such as Enmebaragesi and Agga of Kish-I. Uruk-I was defeated c.2550 BC and the kingship passed to Ur.
Uruk regained the kingship from Hamazi. Enshakushanna (r.c.2440 BC) conquered Akkad, Kish and Nippur and claimed hegemony over all of Sumer. In c.2420 BC Uruk II was defeated and the kingship went to Ur.
Lugalzagesi of Umma (r.c.2296-c.2271 BC) overthrew Lagash. He took Uruk and established himself as king of that city (Uruk III). He then conquered the rest of Sumer and later boasted that his empire stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean.
• Ur I, II (c.2600-c.2342 BC)
Meskalamdug (r.c.2600 BC) was a king whose name was not included in the List. His tomb found in the Royal Cemetery at Ur contained numerous gold artefacts now lost. His wife’s name was Ninbanda. The kingship was brought from Uruk and Mesannepadda (r.c.2563-c.2524 BC) founded the First Dynasty of Ur. It seems that Lagash conquered Ur and the kingship passed to Awan.
Ur regained the kingship from Uruk II. Little is known of Ur II except that when it fell the kingship passed to Lugal-annemundu of Adab (r.c.2350 BC) who is credited with an empire extending from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean, bordered by the Taurus Mountains to the north and the Zagros Mountains in the east. At his death the empire dissolved and the kingship went to Mari.
• Lagash-I and Umma (c.2530-2342 BC)
The rulers of Lagash are not mentioned in the List, they are known only from inscriptions. Ur-Nanshe (r.c.2494-c.2465 BC) founded an independent dynasty that reigned at Lagash and Girsu. Eannatum (r.c.2455-c.2425 BC) fought with Enakalle of Umma (r.c.2445 BC) over a field that lay between their two states. Eannatum restored Mesilim’s stele to its former place and commemorated his victory with the famous ‘Stele of Vultures’, so-called from the birds of prey tearing up the corpses of the vanquished. After this he liberated Sumer from the Elamite bands; subduing Uruk, Ur and other cities as well as conquering parts of Elam. Next he moved northwards to conquer Kish, Nippur and Akshak.
Enannatum-I (r.c.2425-c.2405 BC) defeated an attack by Ur-Lumma of Umma (r.c.2425 BC). Ili (r.c.2420 BC) was established as vassal of Umma but then he also attacked Lagash. Entemena (r.c.2405-c.2375 BC) overcame Ili and concluded a pact with Lugalkinishedudu of Uruk II (r.c.2410-c.2390 BC). After Entemena, the priests of Ningursu (the city-god of Lagash) seized the throne. Urukagina (r.c.2351-c.2342 BC) ended the influence of the priests. He is famous for his judicial, social and economic reforms, but the process weakened Lagash’s military superiority. Lugalzagesi of Umma captured Lagash and destroyed it.
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