Near East Kingdoms

Shaduppum (City State) (Southern Mesopotamia)

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The city states of Sumer formed one of the first great civilisations in human history (see feature link). This Near Eastern civilisation emerged a little way ahead of that of Africa's ancient Egypt, and up to a millennium before that of the Indus Valley culture. It 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. Southern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq and the western edge of Iran) was subjected to permanent settlement, initially in the form of pastoralists but soon as farmers too. Cultures around the edges of this progression included the Hassuna and Samarra which began this settlement process, and perhaps elements of the Hissar culture in the Iranian highlands were also involved.

By the late fourth millennium BC, Sumer was divided into approximately a dozen city states which were independent of one another and which used local canals and boundary stones to mark their borders. Many early historical events in the region are found only in the Sumerian king list, which notates the rulers of the city states (and see feature link), but archaeology has also uncovered a wealth of detail.

One of the more minor Sumerian cities was Shaduppum or, more accurately, Šaduppûm (the modern archaeological site of Tell Harmal on the outskirts of Baghdad). This city was remarkably small, amounting to just 1.8 hectares of land in spread, and remarkably raised, on a mound which even now is four metres in height above the plain.

It seems to have been a fortified military stronghold as well as an administrative centre. The site lies between several archaeological sites within the vicinity of the River Diyala and in Baghdad's outer 'Baghdad al-Jedida' district. In fact Baghdad's suburbs now enclose both it and the site of the similarly-sized city of Uzarlulu which sits about 2.5 kilometres to the north-east.

(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 US Central Command Cultural Property Training Resource, and Some Old Babylonian Archives in Context, Laith M Hussein (Palaeo-Babylonian Archives: 140 years of publications and studies (1882-2022), Online Symposium, 25 May 2023), and Amorites in the early Old Babylonian Period, R de Boer (Universiteit Leiden, The Netherlands, doctoral thesis which is available to download as a PDF (author's corrected version)), and Beginnings of Old Babylonian Babylon: Sumu-abum and Sumu-la-El, Rients de Boer (Journal of Cuneiform Studies, Vol 70, 2018, and available to read via JSTOR).)

c.2300 BC

It is Sargon who claims to be the first king to unite Mesopotamia (Sumer and Agade, plus a wide swathe of northern Mesopotamia), although Enshakushanna of Uruk has already achieved that in the mid-twenty-fifth century BC.

This is the approximate period in which the northern edges of Sumer undergo a range of developments which include the gradual appearance of new cities. They are smaller and less politically powerful than those of the south, largely being dependencies of the Akkadian empire in their early years. 'Layer VII' at Shaduppum dates to about this period.

c.1900 - 1830 BC

It is in this period that several very minor regional kings govern individual cities, largely Amorites. Such minor cities are especially numerous in the River Diyala area, close to what remains at this time the small city of Babylon.

Amongst those mentioned in clay tablets are Išmeḫ-bala, Sumu-nabi-yarim, Ḫammi-dušur, Sîn-abušu, and Ikun-pi-Sin of Nerebtum, Shaduppum, and Uzarlulu.

Dates are not known, although rough approximations can be ascertained by connecting events which are mentioned for or from other cities and across several tablets. The order shown here is not confirmed, merely being arrived at due to the aforementioned cross-referencing.

c.1900 BC

A ruler by the name of Abdi-Erah is not to be confused with the later Abdi-Erah of the 'Mananâ' dynasty. Little is known about this Abdi-Erah, although he is the main writer of letter AS 22 40 which survives on a clay tablet.

A year name for Abdi-Erah turns up at Eshnunna and another at Tutub. His death is commemorated in a year name from Shaduppum. Evidence regarding his seat of power remains scant, with Tutub more likely to be a vassal city and Eshnunna therefore a more likely location.

c.1880s? BC

Yadkur-El is one ruler who can be placed in Uzarlulu with greater certainty. The oath in a sale document from this town is sworn by the god Sin (whose temple is at Tutub) and Yadkur-El. Also discovered by archaeology is an impression of a servant's seal which mentions Yadkur-El.

The most remarkable thing about Yadkur-El is the fact that his death is commemorated in a year name which has been found at three different sites: Uzarlulu, Tutub, and Shaduppum. However, no year names have so far been found which can clearly be attributable to him.

c.1880s? BC

Sumu-Amnānum of Shadlash is known only from two inscriptions, one of which comes from Nerebtum while the other comes from Uzarlulu. Both are dedications to Inanna, 'the lady of Šadlaš'.

When precisely he rules at Shadlash is unknown, but it probably takes place before the reign of Sumu-numhim - who is known from the Nerebtum treaty - so approximately during the time of Sumu-nabi-yarim (or Sumun-abi-yarim) of Uzarlulu or that of Mašparum.

The latter's home city is unknown, as are those of two other contemporary kings - Abdi-Erah and Šiqlānum (possibly of Eshnunna) - but all of them are dated between about 1900-1880 BC. It is Mašparum who is involved in negotiating with Ḫalun-pi-umu of Marad regarding his intentions to go to war.

fl c.1880? BC

King of Nerebtum, Tutub, & Uzarlulu. Gained Shaduppum.

c.1880? BC

Hammi-dušur succeeds Sumu-nabi-yarim in Nerebtum, Tutub, and Uzarlulu. Whereas Sumu-nabi-yarim's name is not attested at Shaduppum, Hammi-dušur year names are certainly found there.

Hammi-dušur comes to rule a substantial part of the lower Diyala region around 1880-1865 BC, and his accession is commemorated in two types of year names which have been found at Tutub and Shaduppum.

In the same period, Abī-madar is perhaps the first ruler in the River Diyala region to be named as a ruler in documents from two different sites. Perhaps the most interesting one stems from Shaduppum in the form of IM 63130 regarding the division of an inheritance.

Year names for Abī-madar occur at Shaduppum, commemorating the making of a zarzarum and the building of a ramum. Two year names come from Tutub, these referring to a mīšarum edict by Abī-madar, possibly the earliest Old Babylonian period occurrence of such an edict.

In addition, an Abī-madar year name comes from Eshnunna in which he brings a statue into the god Sîn's temple. A person called Abī-madar is also mentioned in a later-dated letter which is sent by the king of Eshnunna to Sîn-abūšu (possibly of Nerebtum).

c.1870? BC

One king who is associated with early Old Babylonian Nerebtum (perhaps succeeding Sîn-abūšu there) is Ikun-pi-Sin who seemingly rules in Uzarlulu around 1870 BC. He is first known from a Tutub year name, one which credits him with the capture of Diniktum.

c.1865? - 1823 BC

King of Nerebtum & Tutub? Gained Shaduppum.

c.1865? BC

Hammi-dušur's realm in the Lower Diyala is ruled after him by Sîn-abūšu who must be been related to Hammi-dušur. No patronyms are given for Sîn-abūšu, however, but some proof comes from two year names to place him in Nerebtum, Shaduppum, and Tutub.

Sîn-abūšu must accede the throne around 1865 BC. The Mari archive states that Amīnum captures Shaduppum in 1862 BC which must be at the beginning of Sîn-abūšu's reign. Apart from that archive mention, there are no indications for this event and Sîn-abūšu's year names continue to be used in Shaduppum.

c.1864? BC

The second feat which can be attributed to Sîn-abūšu is the taking of the land of 'Ṣit' a year after the Amīnum attack. This country is tentatively located around the towns of Mankisum and Šitullum, along the Tigris around Durand.

A broken Mari tablet also places him in 1851 BC, ensuring a reign of at least fourteen years. While Hammi-dušur has previously agreed a treaty with the city of Shadlas, it seems that hostilities continue.

One of Sîn-abūšu's year names attests to a siege of that city. He is apparently unsuccessful in conquering and incorporating Shadlash into his kingdom for any lasting time because, several decades later, it has a ruler by the name of Sumu-Šamaš.

c.1828 -1823 BC

After about 1862 BC, the city of Eshnunna under Ibiq-Adad II has been expanding its territory to incorporate the Diyala valley as far as its confluence with the Tigris. Previously independent minor cities are now subjugated (seemingly between about 1828-1823 BC).

These cities include Dur-Rimush, Nerebtum, Shaduppum (around 1823 BC), and Uzarlulu. It may be Apil-sin of Babylon who takes advantage of this by opportunistically grabbing for himself a few of Shaduppum's territorial holdings (which also include Tutub).

The city of Shaduppum is subsequently built anew on a fresh site by Ibiq-Adad II. The act is commemorated by Ibiq-Adad II in a subsequent year name.

c.1781 - 1780 BC

Dadusha of Eshnunna uses diplomacy to ally himself around 1781 BC with Shamshi-Adad's 'Kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia'. His intention is to conquer the region between the two rivers Zab. He does so, with the victory being commemorated in a victory stele on which he states that he hands over the lands to Shamshi-Adad.

It may only be a year or so before Shamshi-Adad turns on his new ally when he seizes Nerebtum and Shaduppum (and doubtless Dur-Rimush and Uzarlulu too), although these and many more small cities are quickly taken back when the kingdom later fails.

c.1779 - 1765 BC

The kingdom of 'Upper Mesopotamia' is attacked simultaneously by Yamkhad and Eshnunna around 1766 BC, leading to its disappearance and a general restoration of the old order. Eshnunna establishes itself as the strongest regional state.

Eshnunna's ruler during this period is Ibal-Pi'el II. It is during his reign that an archive is laid down by Igihluma, the rabiānum or mayor of Uzarlulu. It contains letters, harvest contracts, loan contracts, and related texts, most of which survive to be translated by archaeologists and scholars. The city of Shaduppum also contains some of his texts.

c.1762 BC

Eshnunna's hold over Shaduppum is quickly broken. The Babylonians capture the only remaining political power to oppose them when they take Eshnunna. They inherit well-established eastern trade routes and economic stability.

A string of small dependant cities also come with this conquest, including Dur-Rimush, Nerebtum, Shaduppum, and Uzarlulu. Shaduppum, though, may be destroyed by this action, as 'Layer II' contains a notable conflagration deposit. Some later inhabitation takes place, but not on the previous scale.

c.1595 BC

The Babylonian empire has been steadily declining following the arrival of the Hittites in the north, and due to over-farming of the fields which leads to increased salinisation and failing crops. The culture of the Hittites emerges, as does that of the Hurrian empire of Mitanni.

Around this time, the Hittites sack Babylon and destroy its leadership. The power vacuum allows the Kassites to emerge as Babylonia's new masters. It is during this period that the last occupation level is laid at Shaduppum, 'Layer I', with the small city being abandoned afterwards.