Middle East Kingdoms

City State of Mari

Mari was located just inside the border of Syria on the site of Tell Hariri on the west bank of the Euphrates - the most northerly of all the Sumerian city states. Thought to have been inhabited since the fifth millennium BC, the inhabitants of Mari were Semitic, probably part of the Eblaite and Akkadian migration. Their village became a flourishing city state from about 2900 BC until circa 1760 BC as a strategic stronghold between Sumer and the city states of Syria and northern Mesopotamia. It was destroyed in the 24th century BC and only revived when the Amorites succeeded the Sumerians. Hammurabi's Babylonian Empire eventually conquered and sacked it in the eighteenth century BC.

This is the tenth set of entries on the Sumerian list comprising kings 60-65. Six kings achieved dominance over Sumer, ruling for 136 / 184 years (Lists 1 & 2). Here, "List 1" is primarily used, backed up by "List 2" and "List 3" (see Sumer for details). There are also further names which are not on the list (apart from Ilshu) and which seem to clash in their estimated dates. These are listed with a shaded background following Ilshu.

fl c.2600? BC

Ninni-Zaza

God-king deified with a temple in his name, founded c.2600 BC.

Mari holds the kingship from Adab, gaining ascendancy over areas of northern Sumer (the dates do not fit in with those established for Adab if the kingship is gained at the start of this dynasty, so more probably the kingship is secured in around 2350 BC, perhaps only by Carrum-iter, with the list including his entire dynasty to reflect his right to rule).

c.2500 - 2470 BC

Ilshu / Anabu? / Anapu

Ruled for 30/90 years.

c.2470 - 2453 BC

(Name unknown) / Anba

Son. Ruled for 17/7 years.

c.2470 - 2450 BC

Lamgi-Mari

c.2453 - 2423 BC

(Name unknown) / Bazi

Ruled for 30 years. The 'Leatherworker'.

c.2450 - 2445 BC

Ikun-Shamash

c.2445 - 2425 BC

Ikun-Shamagan

c.2440 - 2425 BC

Mari is involved in frequent warfare against the dominant Lagash.

c.2425 - 2400 BC

Iblul-Il

c.2400 BC

Iblul-Il is credited with conquering the city state of Ebla.

c.2423 - 2403 BC

(Name unknown) / Zizi

Ruled for 20 years. The 'Fuller'.

c.2403 - 2373 BC

(Name unknown) / Limer

Ruled for 30 years. The 'Gudu Priest'.

c.2373 - 2364 BC

(Name unknown) / Carrum-iter

Or Sharrum-Ite. Ruled for 9/7 years. Gained the kingship?

c.2364? BC

The king list records the kingship next passing briefly to the Third Dynasty of Kish.

c.2334? BC

Mari is destroyed, although opinion is divided on the culprit. It is likely either Sargon of Akkad (who later states that he passed through Mari on his campaign to the west, using it as a base of operations), or Mari's traditional commercial rivals, the people of Ebla. The region declines in importance with the city probably becoming little more than a village.

c.2260s? BC

At around the same time as the city is again destroyed, this time by Ebla, a 'dynasty of generals' (Akkadian shakkanakku) perhaps comes into being as early as the reign of Manishtushu of Akkad. They rule the city as an independent state which remains that way for the next 350 years.

c.2000? BC

Ibit-Lim

A member of the dynasty of generals. Also controlled Ebla.

AMORITE RULERS OF MARI

Some time before 2000 BC the population of Mari began to swell again as a result of the arrival of a confederation of tribes in Sumer called the Amorites. By 1900 BC those of their population already settled in nearby Tel Ashara (Terqa), about sixty kilometres to the north, managed to subdue Mari and establish a relatively stable kingdom. A second age of prosperity began for the city, although records for it are sparse.

c.1900 BC

The 'dynasty of generals' comes to an end, for reasons unknown, and Mari may even be abandoned. Either way, the Amorite peoples living in Tel Ashara, the north-western Syrian Sim'alite branch, are able to move in and take over the region, establishing their own dynasty by c.1850 BC.

c.1820 - 1811 BC

Yaggid-Lim / Iagitlim

Mari and Ekallatum begin a feud that lasts until c.1761 BC.

c.1811 - 1795 BC

Yahdun-Lim / Iadhun-Lim

Assassinated by his servants.

c.1800? BC

Yahdun-Lim sends troops north towards the Mediterranean, to join those of Yamkhad in fighting against several previously subject Syrian tribal states, including Tuttul. The enemy armies are defeated and their towns are attacked.

c.1795 - 1791 BC

Sumu-Yamam

Son.

c.1791 BC

Shamshi-Adad sets up an empire which stretches from the Mediterranean to the Zagros Mountains, the kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia. He conquers Mari, placing Yasmah-Adad, one of his sons, on the throne.

c.1791 - 1776 BC

Yasmah-addu / Yasmah-Adad

Upper Mesopotamian 'Governor of Mari'. Overthrown.

c.1776 BC

Upon the death of Shamshi-Adad, his kingdom falls apart. In Mari, the Amorite Zimri-Lim destroys Yasmah-Adad's forces. Yasmah-Adad himself is either killed or flees (sources fail to agree). The new ruler establishes strong ties with Babylon and Alep. He had already married Princess Shiptu, daughter of Sumu'epuh of Alep, and had been sold the city state of Alakhtum. He also establishes trade relations with at least thirty-two kings (mentioned in the palace archives), including those of Apum.

c.1776 - 1761 BC

Zimri-Lim / Zimrilim

Expanded royal palace to 300+ rooms. Founded state archives.

c.1761 BC

Hammurabi turns on his old ally, defeating Zimri-Lim in battle and conquering Mari. Two years later Mari is sacked and devastated by Hammurabi and the region is incorporated into the Babylonian Empire. The area is subsequently occupied by scattered groups of Assyrians and  Babylonians, with the former city remaining a village. Power in the Middle Euphrates shifts some 100kms north to Zimri-Lim's homeland of Terqa.

c.1730 BC

The Kassites invade Mesopotamia, taking Mari.

KASSITE RULERS OF MARI

The Kassites were another non-Semitic, non-Indo-European mountain people just like the Amorites. They invaded the Babylonian Empire in the eighteenth century BC and eventually conquered it, ruling over it until 748 BC.

c.1730 - 1705 BC

Gandash

Kassite leader when they invaded the Babylonian Empire.

c.1715 BC

The invading Kassite army under Gandash is crushed by Iluma-Ilum of the Sealand Dynasty. However, Gandash does successfully conquer Mari, and the Kassite kings reside there.

c.1705 - 1690 BC

Agum I

c.1690 - 1680 BC

Kashtiliash I

King of Hana.

c.1680 - 1665 BC

Ushshi

c.1665 - 1650 BC

Abirattash

c.1650 - 1640 BC

Kashtiliash II

c.1640 - 1630 BC

Urzigurumash

c.1630 - 1600 BC

Harbashihu

c.1600 - 1595 BC

Tiptakzi

c.1595 BC

Agum II

Conquered Babylon.

c.1595 BC

The economically weakened Babylonian Empire is sacked by the Hittites, allowing the Kassites to move south from Mari and take over control of Babylonia.

c.331 BC

The village of Mari disappears from history upon the arrival of the Greeks.