Kassites (c.1531-c.1155 BC)
The evidence suggests that the Kassites originated in the Zagros and began to infiltrate Mesopotamia during the early second millennium
BC. An attack by them was repelled by Samsuiluna in his ninth year. They gained control of northern Babylonia when their king Agum II kakrime (r.c.1531-c.1481 BC) occupied the throne left vacant by the death of Samsuditana. Ulamburiash (r.c.1400 BC) defeated the king of Sealand, Ea-gamil (r.c.1405-c.1396 BC), uniting the whole of southern Mesopotamia under Kassite rule.
Burnaburiash-I (r.c.1470 BC) signed an agreement with the Assyrian king Puzur-Ashur III (r.c.1472-c.1458 BC) concerning their shared border. Karaindash (r.c.1400 BC) signed a similar treaty with the Assyrian king Ashur-bel-nisheshu (r.c.1407-c.1399 BC). Kurigalzu-I (r.c1374 BC) constructed a new capital city Dur Kurigalzu (=Aqar Quf), ‘the fortress of Kurigalzu’, west of Babylon. Kadashman-Enlil-I (r.c.1374-c.1359 BC) and Burnaburiash II (r.c.1359-c.1333 BC) were in correspondence with Amenhotep III (r.c.1390-c.1352 BC) and Amenhotep IV (r.c.1352-c.1336 BC).
During the reign of Burnaburiash, Assyria emerged as a major power. A marriage was arranged between the daughter of Ashur-uballit-I (r.c.1353-c.1318 BC) and a son of Burnaburiash. When their son Karahardash (r.c.1333 BC) succeeded Burnaburiash, ‘Kassite troops’ killed him and installed Nazibugash (r.c.1332 BC), described as ‘son of nobody’, on the throne. Reacting to the death of his grandson, Ashur-uballit invaded Babylonia and placed Kurigalzu II (r.c.1332-c.1308 BC), a member of the Babylonian royal family, on the throne.
The re-emergence of Assyria led to attempts to recover lost territory. Enlil-nirari (r.c.1317-c.1308 BC) defeated Kurigalzu II at Sugagu and annexed the northern part of Babylonia to Assyria. Arik-den-ili (r.c.1307-c.1296 BC) fought in the mountains to the north and east. Adad-nirari-I (r.c.1295-c.1264 BC) defeated Nazimaruttash (r.c.1307-c.1282 BC), adding considerable Babylonian territory to Assyria.
Kurigalzu II temporarily occupied Elam and Nazimaruttash also seems to have made a successful attack on Elam. Kashtiliash IV (r.c.1232-c.1225 BC) attacked Assyria and Tukulti-Ninurta-I (r.c.1233-c.1197 BC) responded by raiding into Babylonia, capturing Babylon itself and Sippar, and deporting Kashtiliash IV. Elam responded by twice invading the country, capturing several cities, among them Sippar. The Kassite Adad-shuma-usur (r.c.1216-c.1187 BC) captured the kingship of southern Babylonia.
Shutruk-nahhunte-I of Elam (r.c.1185-c.1155 BC) launched a carefully prepared attack against Babylonia, conquered Sippar and imposed heavy tribute on defeated towns and villages. He then took Kish and Babylon, drove out the Kassite king Zababa-shum-iddina (r.c.1158 BC), and appointed his elder son, Kutir-nahhunte II (r.c.1155-c.1150 BC), governor of Babylonia. The last Kassite king Enlil-nadin-ahhe (r.c.1157-c.1155 BC) managed to stay on the throne for three years until he was captured by Kutir-nahhunte.
Post-Kassite Rule (c.1155-c.729 BC)
When the weakened Kassite Dynasty finally collapsed, a native Babylonian, Marduk-kabit-ahheshu (r.c.1155-c.1146 BC), founded a new dynasty based at Isin and thus known as the Second Dynasty of Isin.
The most successful of the Isin kings appears to have been Nebuchadnezzar-I (r.c.1126-c.1103 BC). During his reign he waged war with Elam where in the city of Susa he found the statue of the god Marduk, captured by an invading Elamite army, and restored it to the main temple in Babylon.
Marduk-nadin-ahhe (r.c.1100-c.1082 BC), attacked Ekallatum. Tiglath-pileser-I (r.c.1115-c.1076 BC) retaliated by raiding northern Babylonia: Dur Kurigalzu, Sippar, Opis and Babylon were seized, and the royal palaces burnt. Marduk-shapik-zeri (r.c.1082-c.1969 BC) travelled to meet Ashur-bel-kala (r.c.1074-c.1056 BC) in Sippar and while he was away he was usurped by Adad-apla-iddina (r.c.1069-c.1046 BC). A serious famine is recorded and numerous references are made to Aramaean incursions. The Aramaeans, though, were not natural city-dwellers and they would have had difficulty retaining authority over the larger cities.
The fifth and sixth dynasties can be regarded as Kassite attempts to restore stability. The fifth dynasty emerged in the extreme south and is known as the Second Dynasty of Sealand; the kings of the sixth or Bazi Dynasty came from a region not ruled by the Kassites previously.
The seventh dynasty consisted of a single king, Mar-biti-apla-usur (r.c.985-c.979 BC) of Elamite descent. During the reign of the eighth dynasty king Nabu-mukin-apli (r.c.979-c.943 BC) it is recorded that the New Year festival of Marduk, involving public processions of the god’s statue, could not take place for nine years because security was so bad due to heavily armed Aramaean settlers.
The situation in Babylonia had become extremely confused by this time, with various Babylonian, Kassite, Chaldaean and Arabian groups vying for power. In his inscriptions Adad-nirari II (r.911-891 BC) claims that he defeated Shamash-mudammiq (r.c.920-c.900 BC) at Mount Yalman (probably located southeast of Jebel Hamrin) and conquered Babylonia.
Nabu-shuma-ukin-I (r.c.900-c.888 BC) reversed the earlier Assyrian advances and moved the Babylonian border back to the vicinity of the Lesser Zab. Nabu-apla-iddina (r.c.888-c.855 BC) was able to avoid both outright war and significant loss of territory. He agreed a treaty with Shalmaneser III (r.859-824 BC), which Shalmaneser re-affirmed when he put down a dynastic revolt by the brother of Marduk-zakir-shumi-I (r.c.855-c.919 BC). Shamshi-Adad V (r.824-811 BC) invaded northeast Babylonia and Baba-aha-iddina (r.c.813-c.811 BC) was captured and taken prisoner.
Eriba-Marduk (r.c.769-c.761 BC), a member of the Bit Yakin tribe, restored stability to the country. During the reign of Nabu-shuma-ishkun (r.c.761-c.748 BC) the men of Borsippa had to fight to retain their fields against marauders. Disruptions, especially from Aramaeans and Chaldaeans, continued into the reign of Nabonassar (r.c.748-c.724 BC). During the reign of Nabonassar, Tiglath-pileser III (r.745-727 BC) seized control of the Tigris-Diyala region. Nabu-nadin-zeri (r.c.734-c.732 BC) was assassinated by one of his provincial governors, Nabu-shuma-ukin II (r.c.732 BC). He, in turn, was eliminated by the ruler of the Chaldaean tribe of Amukanu, Nabu-mukin-zeri (r.c.732-c.729 BC).
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