Shamshi-Adad II
Shamshi-Adad II or Šamši-Adad II, inscribed m(d)Šam-ši-dIM, was an Old Assyrian king who ruled in the mid-second millennium BC, ca. 1585–1580 BC (short chronology). His reign falls within the "dark age" period of Assyrian history where written records are scarce.
Shamshi-Adad II | |
---|---|
King of Assyria | |
King of the Old Assyrian Empire | |
Reign | 1585–1580 BC |
Predecessor | Erishum III |
Successor | Ishme-Dagan II |
Issue | Ishme-Dagan II |
Father | Erishum III |
Biography
There are no extant contemporary sources witnessing his reign. He was the son and successor of Erishum III and ruled for six years (6 MU.MEŠ) according to the Khorsabad[i 1] and the SDAS[i 2] copies of the Assyrian Kinglist, where he appears as the 57th name (the Nassouhi Kinglist[i 3] is poorly preserved in this part). He was succeeded by his son Ishme-Dagan II.[1]
The Synchronistic Kinglist[i 4] somewhat implausibly gives eight different early Kassite rulers as his contemporaries although only the first five and part of the sixth are legible. These are Agum IGI ašu, Kaštil[...]šu, Abirataš, Kaštilyašu, Tazzigurumaš, and Harba[...]. Brinkman argues that this is a stylistic device and points to the previous reign of Irišum III who is shown as contemporary to Ea-gâmil, the last king of the Sealand Dynasty and Gandaš, the first of the Kassite Dynasty, despite the Chronicle of Early Kings[i 5] recording that Ea-gâmil fled ahead of the army of Ulam-Buriaš, possibly the 12th Kassite king, at least a hundred years later.[2]
Inscriptions
- Khorsabad Kinglist, tablet IM 60017 (excavation nos.: DS 828, DS 32-54) ii 30–31.
- SDAS Kinglist, tablet IM 60484, ii 23.
- Nassouhi Kinglist, Istanbul A. 116 (Assur 8836).
- Synchronistic Kinglist, Ass 14616c, KAV 216, i 11–18.
- Chronicle of Early Kings (ABC 20) BM 96152, tablet B, rev. 12–14.
References
- Heather D. Baker (2008). "Šamši-Adad II". Reallexikon der Assyriologie: Prinz, Prinzessin - Samug, Bd. 11. Walter De Gruyter. pp. 635–636.
- J. A. Brinkman (1968). A political history of post-Kassite Babylonia, 1158-722 B.C. (AnOr. 43). Pontificium Instititum Biblicum. p. 29.
Preceded by Erishum III |
King of Assyria 1585–1580 BC |
Succeeded by Ishme-Dagan II |