PRASENJIT
/ EANNATUM
![](601px-P1130735_Louvre_st%E8le_des_Vautours_rwk.jpg)
Eannatum,
King of Lagash, riding a war chariot (detail of the Stele of the
Vultures). His name "Eannatum" is written vertically in
two columns in front of his head. Louvre Museum
Pasenadi
/ Prasenjit / Badhryashwa / Ennatum / Entemena (Sumerian: É.AN.NA-tum)
was a Sumerian Ensi (ruler or king) of Lagash circa 2500 - 2400
BCE. He established one of the first verifiable empires in history:
he subdued Elam and destroyed the city of Susa as well as several
other Iranian cities, and extended his domain to Sumer and Akkad.
One inscription found on a boulder states that Eannatum was his
Sumerian name, while his "Tidnu" (Amorite) name was Lumma.
Conquest
of Sumer :
Eannatum, grandson of Sargon
/ Ur-nanshe / Ur-Nina and son of Mudgal
/ Madgal / Akurgal, was a king of Lagash who conquered all of
Sumer, including Ur, Nippur, Akshak (controlled by Zuzu), Larsa,
and Uruk (controlled by Enshakushanna, who is on the King List).
He
entered into conflict with Umma, waging a war over the fertile plain
of Gu-Edin. He personally commanded an army to subjugate the city-state,
and vanquished Ush, the ruler of Umma, finally making a boundary
treaty with Enakalle, successor of Ush, as described in the Stele
of the Vultures and in the Cone of Entemena :
![](438px-Sumerian_Cuneiform_Stone_Cone._Cone_of_Enmetena,_king_of_Lagash.jpg)
Extract
from the Cone of Enmetena, Room 236 Reference AO 3004, Louvre Museum
32
- 38 :
e2-an-na-tum ensi lagaški pa-bil3-ga en-mete-na ensi lagaški-ka-ke
"Eannatum, ruler of Lagash, uncle of Entemena, ruler of Lagash"
39
- 42 :
en-a2-kal-le ensi2 ummaki-da ki e-da-sur "fixed the border
with Enakalle, ruler of Umma"
![](lagesh.jpg)
Eannatum
I was king of Lagash, circa 2400 BC
Eannatum made Umma a tributary, where every person had to pay a
certain amount of grain into the treasury of the goddess Nina and
the god Ingurisa.
Conquest
outside Sumer :
![](350px-Eannatum_composite.jpg)
Eannatum
of Lagash in full dress, reconstitution
Eannatum expanded his influence beyond the boundaries of Sumer.
He conquered parts of Elam, including the city Az off the coast
of the modern Persian Gulf, allegedly smote Shubur, and, having
repulsed Akshak, he claimed the title of "King of Kish"
(which regained its independence after his death) and demanded tribute
as far as Mari :
"He
(Eannatum) defeated Zuzu, the king of Akshak, from the Antasurra
of Ningirsu up to Akshak and destroyed him."
"The king of Akshak ran back to his land."
"He defeated Kish, Akshak, and Mari from the Antasurra of Ningirsu."
"To Eannatum, the ruler of Lagash, Inanna gave the kingship
of Kish in addition to ensi-ship of Lagash, because she loved him."
-
Inscriptions of Eannatum.
Eannatum recorded his victories on a stone inscription :
![](600px-Brick_of_Eannatum-AO_351-IMG_9167-gradient.jpg)
Eannatum,
the ensi of Lagash, who was granted might by Enlil, who constantly
is nourished by Ninhursag with her milk, whose name Ningirsu had
pronounced, who was chosen by Nanshe in her heart, the son of Akurgal,
the ensi of Lagash, conquered the land of Elam, conquered Urua,
conquered Umma, conquered Ur. At that time, he built a well made
of baked bricks for Ningirsu, in his wide temple courtyard. Eananatum's
god is Shulutula. Then did Ningirsu love Eannatum".
-
Brick of Eannatum-AO 351, Louvre Museum
However, revolts often arose in parts of his empire. During Eannatum’s
reign, many temples and palaces were built, especially in Lagash.
The city of Nina, probably a precursor of Niniveh, was rebuilt,
with many canals and reservoirs being excavated.
Stele
of the Vultures :
![](524px-Stele_of_Vultures_detail_02.jpg)
A fragment of the Stele of the Vultures showing vultures
with severed human heads in their beaks and a fragment of cuneiform
script
The so-called Stele of the Vultures, now in the Louvre, is a fragmented
limestone stele found in Telloh, (ancient Girsu) Iraq, in 1881.
The stele is reconstructed as having been 1.80 metres (5 ft 11 in)
high and 1.30 metres (4 ft 3 in) wide and was set up ca. 2500–2400
BCE. It was erected as a monument of the victory of Eannatum of
Lagash over Ush, king of Umma, leading to a boundary treaty with
his successor Enakalle of Umma.
On
it various incidents in the war are represented. In one register,
the king (his name appears inscribed around his head) stands in
front of his phalanx of heavily armoured soldiers, with a curved
weapon in his right hand, formed of three bars of metal bound together
by rings. In another register a figure, the king, his name again
inscribed around his head, rides on his chariot in the thick of
the battle, while his kilted followers, with helmets on their heads
and lances in their hands, march behind him.
On
the other side of the stele is an image of Ninurta, a god of war,
holding the captive Ummaites in a large net. This implies that Eannatum
attributed his victory to Ninurta, and thus that he was in the god's
protection (though some accounts say that he attributed his victory
to Enlil, the patron deity of Lagash).
The
victory of Eannatum is mentioned in a fragmentary inscription on
the stele, suggesting that after the loss of 3,600 soldiers on the
field, Ush, king of Umma, was killed in a rebellion in his capital
city of Umma: “[…] (Eanatum) defeated him. Its ( = Umma’s)
3600 corpses reached the base of heaven [...] raised (their) hands
against him and killed him in Umma.”.
![](566px-Stele_of_the_vultures_(war).jpg)
Eannatum
leading his troops in battle. Top: Eannatum leading a phalanx on
foot. Bottom: Eannatum leading troops in a war charriot. Fragment
of the Stele of the Vultures
![](St%E8le_des_Vautours_-_mus%E9e_du_Louvre,_AO_16109_-_Q1088425.jpg)
Stele
of the Vultures
![](630px-Stele_of_Vultures_detail_01_reverse.jpg)
Upper
register of the "mythological" side
![](640px-Stele_of_Vultures_detail_01b.jpg)
Detail
of the "battle" fragment
Other
inscriptions :
![](640px-Inscribed_brick_of_Eannatum.jpg)
Inscribed
brick of Eannatum, recording the sinking of a well in the forecourt
of the Temple of Ningirsu in Lagash
![](Name_of_Enneatum_on_an_inscription.jpg)
Name
of Enneatum on his Ningirsu inscription (top right corner)
![](550px-Eannatum_inscription_(British_Museum).jpg)
Eannatum
inscription (British Museum)
![](417px-2015-12_Galet_A_de_fondation_d%27Eanatum_AO_2677_(2).jpg)
A
foundation stone of Eannatum, dedicated to Ningirsu, tutelary god
of Lagash. It enumerates the victories of Eannatum from Elam to
Akshak. Louvre Museum
![](640px-Foundation_stone_of_Eannatum.jpg)
Foundation
stone of Eannatum (transcription)
![](640px-Eannatum_Ensi_Lagashki.jpg)
Inscription
Eannatum Ensi Lagashki "Eannatum, Ensi of Lagash"
![](600px-Brick_of_Eannatum-AO_351-IMG_9167-gradient.jpg)
Eannatum
describes his victories over the countries of Elam, Urua, Umma and
Ur, and well as the construction of a brick well in front of the
temple of Ningirsu
![](640px-Eannatum_King_of_Lagash_presiding_at_funeral_rites_on_the_battlefield.jpg)
Eannatum
King of Lagash presiding at funeral rites on the battlefield (20th
century reconstitution)
![](372px-Clay_tablet_mentioning_the_name_of_Eannatum,_prince_of_Lagash._From_Iraq,_c._2470_BCE._Iraq_Museum.jpg)
Clay
tablet mentioning the name of Eannatum, prince of Lagash. From Iraq,
c. 2470 BCE. Iraq Museum
![](422px-Fragment_of_a_vessel_mentioning_the_name_of_Eannatum,_prince_of_Lagash,_from_Iraq,_c._2470_BCE._Iraq_Museum.jpg)
Fragment
of a vessel mentioning the name of Eannatum, prince of Lagash, from
Iraq, c. 2470 BCE. Iraq Museum
![](640px-Stone_pebble_mentioning_the_name_of_Eannatum,_prince_of_Lagash,_from_Iraq,_c._2470_BCE,_Iraq_Museum.jpg)
Stone
pebble mentioning the name of Eannatum, prince of Lagash, from Iraq,
c. 2470 BCE, Iraq Museum
![](640px-Stone_plaque_or_tablet_mentioning_the_name_of_Eannatum,_prince_of_Lagash,_from_Iraq,_c._2470_BCE._Iraq_Museum.jpg)
Stone
plaque or tablet mentioning the name of Eannatum, prince of Lagash,
from Iraq, c. 2470 BCE. Iraq Museum
![](Detail._Cuneiform_inscription_on_a_limestone_object_from_Girsu,_Iraq,_mentioning_the_name_of_Eannatum_(Eannadou),_ruler_of_Lagash,_2500-2400_BCE._Ancient_Orient_Museum.jpg)
Detail.
Cuneiform inscription on a limestone object from Girsu, Iraq, mentioning
the name of Eannatum, Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul
Source
:
https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Eannatum