Sumerian King List

Sumerian King List
Photograph: unknown> Transcription: Stephen Herbert Langdon (1876-1937) · Public domain · source
Name	Sumerian King List
Language	Sumerian
Location	Mesopotamia, Sumer
Discovered	19th century

Sumerian King List

The Sumerian King List is a ancient Sumerian text that lists the kings of Sumer, a region in Mesopotamia, along with their lengths of reign. The list is significant because it provides valuable information about the kings of Sumer and their relationships to the city-states of Ancient Sumer. The Sumerian King List is also important for understanding the development of Ancient Babylon and its connections to the earlier Sumerian civilization.

Overview of the Sumerian King List

The Sumerian King List is a clay tablet that was created in the 3rd millennium BC. The tablet is a composite of several earlier lists, and it is not a single, unified document. The list begins with the mythical kings of Sumer, who are said to have ruled before the great flood, and continues with the kings of the various Sumerian city-states. The list provides information about the names of the kings, their lengths of reign, and the city-states they ruled.

Historical Context and Significance

The Sumerian King List was created during a time of great upheaval in Mesopotamia. The Sumerian civilization was in decline, and the Akkadian Empire was rising to power. The list may have been created to legitimize the rule of the Akkadian kings by linking them to the earlier Sumerian kings. The Sumerian King List is also significant because it provides evidence of the existence of a Sumerian cultural identity that predates the rise of Ancient Babylon.

Structure and Content of the List

The Sumerian King List is structured as a series of king-lists, each of which corresponds to a particular city-state. The list begins with the city-state of Eridu, which is said to have been the first city in Sumer. The list then proceeds to list the kings of the other city-states, including Uruk, Ur, and Nippur. The list provides information about the names of the kings, their lengths of reign, and the city-states they ruled. The list also includes information about the mythical kings of Sumer, who are said to have ruled before the great flood.

Kings Listed and Their Reigns

The Sumerian King List includes a number of notable kings, including Etana, Ziusudra, and Gilgamesh. The list also includes information about the lengths of reign of each king, which vary from a few years to thousands of years. The list provides evidence of the Sumerian concept of kingship, which emphasized the divine right of kings to rule.

Relationship to Ancient Babylonian History

The Sumerian King List is closely related to the history of Ancient Babylon. The list provides evidence of the cultural and historical connections between the Sumerian civilization and the Babylonian civilization. The list also provides information about the development of the Babylonian concept of kingship, which was influenced by the earlier Sumerian concept.

Archaeological Discoveries and Translations

The Sumerian King List was first discovered in the 19th century by Austen Henry Layard, a British archaeologist. The list has since been translated into several languages, including English, French, and German. The most famous translation of the list was made by Piotr Michalowski, a Polish-American Assyriologist.

Impact on Understanding Ancient Mesopotamia

The Sumerian King List has had a significant impact on our understanding of Ancient Mesopotamia. The list provides valuable information about the kings of Sumer and their relationships to the city-states of Ancient Sumer. The list also provides evidence of the cultural and historical connections between the Sumerian civilization and the Babylonian civilization. The Sumerian King List is an important tool for understanding the development of Ancient Babylon and its connections to the earlier Sumerian civilization.

Category:Ancient Sumerian texts Category:Babylonian history Category:King lists Category:Ancient Mesopotamian history