Near East Kingdoms

Harran (City State) (Northern Mesopotamia)

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In southern Mesopotamia the city states of Sumer formed one of the first great civilisations in human history (see feature link). This Near Eastern civilisation developed out of the end of the Pottery Neolithic across the Fertile Crescent, a period which had seen Neolithic Farmer practices spread far and wide across the Near East and beyond.

As irrigation improved so the more southerly reaches of the Euphrates could at last be occupied by humans and their animals, with permanent settlements arising from the sixth millennium BC. Initially these were pastoralist settlements, but soon farming villages appeared and they gradually grew and improved. At the same time, northern Mesopotamia experienced its own burgeoning development processes, largely starting under the Hassuna culture.

These processes took longer here than they did in the south, in what is now northern Iraq, the western edge of Iran, the south-eastern corner of Turkey, and the eastern wedge of Syria. An urban lifestyle only really appeared in the third millennium BC, thanks in part to such influences being imposed during Sumerian empire-building periods. Archaeology has uncovered a wealth of detail about settlements in this region, but many more sites remain to be examined.

The city of Harran is located far up the Euphrates, on the border between modern Syria, Turkey, and Iraq (and the area is now part of south-eastern Turkey). It was one of the later city states to be founded on the extreme periphery of general Sumerian influence. Being expanded from a village in the mid-third millennium BC, it served as a religious centre.

The main reason for its early existence was its location on the trade route across northern Mesopotamia and down to Ur in the south. Details of its early rule are very thin, but it seems to have been developed as a holding of the state of Ebla. However, it had its own ruler for at least a short period around 2400 BC, as recorded when an Eblaite princess married him.

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(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information from History of the Ancient Near East c.3000-323 BC, Marc van der Mieroop (Blackwell Publishing, 2004, 2007), from Historical Atlas of the Ancient World, 4,000,000 to 500 BC, John Heywood (Barnes & Noble, 2000), from Mesopotamia: Assyrians, Sumerians, Babylonians, Enrico Ascalone (Dictionaries of Civilizations 1, University of California Press, 2007), from Early Mesopotamia: Society and Economy at the Dawn of History, J N Postgate (Routledge, 1994), from The First Empires, J N Postgate (Oxford 1977), from Mesopotamia, Chris Scarre (Ed, Past Worlds - The Times Atlas of Archaeology, Guild Publishing, London 1989), and from External Links: Ancient Worlds, and Ancient History, Anthony Michael Love ('List 3' of Sumerian rulers at Sarissa.org), and Harran (The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project), and Harran (Madain Project).)

c.2500 BC

The city of Harran is understood to be founded around the twenty-fifth century BC, and is certainly extant and inhabited by about 2400 BC. Details are unavailable, but the general presumption is that Sumerian traders are at least partially responsible, possible those of Ur as its influential 'First Dynasty' takes control.

While southern Mesopotamia flourished during the third millennium BC, it took longer for the same effect to be felt in northern Mesopotamia, with the first larger cities and city states only really emerging towards the end of the millennium (click or tap on map to view full sized)

c.2400 BC

Iblul-Il of Mari is credited with conquering Ebla (and its subject city of Harran). Ebla reaches its peak of achievement and development between this approximate date and about 2250 BC. The Eblaites elect a local as their new ruler, and it is presumably this new ruler who sends a daughter to be married to Harran's ruler.

fl c.2400 BC

Unnamed ruler of Harran.

fl c.2400 BC

Eblaite princess who married Harran's ruler.

c.2334 - 1900 BC

Ebla is devastated by the Akkadian empire, probably under Sargon (who later states that he passes through Mari and uses it as his base of operations in his campaign to the west). Egyptian pottery seals which list Pepi I are among the debris.

Ebla's uncertain archaeology makes it hard to pin this on Sargon though, or even his immediate successors. The city of Ebla retains local rule, presumably along with controlling governance in Harran.

This rock crystal cylinder seal of the 'Early Dynastic I' period in Mesopotamia (dating to about 2800 BC) shows two ibex, a gazelle, an animal's leg and a fly

c.1800 - 1761 BC

The powerful city state of Mari under Yahdun-Lim conquers Harran. He has sent troops north towards the Mediterranean to join those of Yamkhad in fighting against several previously subject tribal states. Those apparently include Harran and Tuttul.

The enemy armies are defeated and their towns are attacked. Possibly included in this attack, the Yaminites are also pursued as far west as the Lebanon mountains. Subsequently, early Assyrian influences make Harran a centre for the moon god Sin. This god retains its hold in the city well into the Christian era.

fl c.1775 BC

King. Defated by Mari and made a vassal.

fl c.1775 - 1750 BC

Governor? Vassal of Mari.

c.1775 BC

Itur Asdu is a significant high-ranking official during the reign of Zimri-Lim of Mari, most likely a governor or royal agent. He is known via the extensive Mari archives, serving as head official across a wider area than Harran alone, handling important political correspondence, receiving messages from prophets, and even undertaking diplomatic missions to Mari's ally and opponent, Babylon.

Babylon began life as a modest town which had been seized from Kazallu, but was quickly fortified by the building of a city wall in the nineteenth century BC

c.1750 BC

Semitic-speaking Israelite groups which are following Terah from Ur temporarily settle in Harran before moving southwards into Canaan. The city of Harran lies on the approximate border between Syria and the freshly-conquered Hittite lands of the Hatti in Anatolia.

c.1750s - 1600 BC

The city of Harran and its surrounding lands are controlled by various Akkadian groups during this period. Details are obscure, and partially confusing as the city of Agade has already re-emerged as an Amorite city state within the Babylonian state.

c.1650 BC

Jacob of the Israelites spends some years in Harran where, according to the Old Testament, he meets his wives. As he returns them and his large family to Hebron, Jacob stops off at the Canaanite city of Shechem where his daughter is attacked.

When taken over by Israelites in the eleventh century BC, Schechem was allocated to the territory of the tribe of Ephraim

Jacob's sons slay all the males within the city walls. Upon his return home, Jacob succeeds Isaac as the leader of his people, with his twelve sons forming the basis of the later tribes of Israel.

c.1600 BC

Aramaean-speaking groups have been infiltrating into the northern edges of Syria, although at first they are being held back by the power of Mitanni. However, they do secure the city of Harran where they create an Aramaean state by the name of Aram-Nahara'im.