CITY
STATE OF LAGESH / SIRPURLA
Lagash
(modern Tell al-Hiba) was also known as Sirpurla by the Sumerians,
and was located to the north-west of the confluence of the Euphrates
and Tigris. Home to the E-Ninnu temple - the shrine of Nin-girsu
(or Ninib, or Ninurta), the patron god of Lagash - it was one of
the oldest cities in Sumer. Nearby Girsu was the religious centre
for the state.
The
priest-rulers (Sumerian patesis) of Lagash are suspiciously absent
from the Sumerian king list. However, they are instead known from
inscriptions on several important monuments from around the twenty-fifth
century BC onwards. Lagash became one of the main players in Sumerian
politics, alongside Ur and Uruk.
c.2550
BC :
Mesilim of Kish is famous for drawing the border between Umma and
Lagash, a contentious point between these two cities. His decision,
accepted by both parties, appears to favour Lagash over Umma. Mesalim
sets up a steele to mark the border and builds a temple to Ningirsu
in Lagash.
c.2530
BC :
Enhengal
c.2510
BC :
Lugal-Sha-Gen-Sur / Lugal-Suggur : The last of the traditional
priest-kings.
As
the last of the traditional priest-kings of Lagash is replaced by
Ur-Nanshe, the city becomes a major player in Sumerian politics,
and the First Dynasty is founded with the throwing off of Ur's domination.
![](Sumer_Lagash_Figurine02_full.jpg)
A
figurine of a woman dated to Lagash at about 2500 BC
First
Dynasty :
While
not on the king list, one extremely fragmentary supplement listing
the First Dynasty has been found in Sumerian, and is known as the
Royal Chronicle of Lagash. According to this, by around two hundred
years after the deluge, mankind was having difficulty growing food
for himself, being dependent solely on rainwater; it further relates
that techniques of irrigation and the cultivation of barley were
then imparted by the gods.
Only
a few names can be made out on the following list of rulers, but
it seems that Eannatum of Lagash conquered Ur's First Dynasty, beginning
the Early Dynasty III Period in Sumer.
c.2494
- 2465 BC :
Ur-Nanshe
/ Ur-Nina :
First king of the dynasty. Ruled for 1,080 years (RCL List).
reigns
at Lagash and Girsu for over a century. The king likes to commemorate
his constructions, having himself portrayed in one relief as a simple
bricklayer, carrying a brick basket in front of his family.
Ur-Nanshe and his successors are engaged in contests with the Elamites
to the east and the kings of 'Kengi' and Kish to the north. The
city's intermittent wars with Akshak during this century probably
also start at this point.
c.2464
- 2455 BC :
Akurgal
: Son.
Possibly killed by Ensi Ush of Umma.
c.2455
- 2425 BC :
Eannatum
: Son.
Founded the first empire. 'He who subjects the lands.'
Eannatum
annexes virtually all of Sumer, including Kish, Nippur, Uruk (briefly),
Ur, and Larsa, and reduces his arch-rivals at Umma, eighteen miles
away, to a tributary state with the defeat of Enakalle. In addition,
he extends his realm to parts of Elam and along the Persian Gulf,
apparently using terror as a matter of policy. The Stele of the
Vultures describes the violent treatment meted out to his enemies.
Urur of Akshak leads a northern coalition against him but that is
destroyed, with Akshak recognising Lagash's supremacy along with
Mari.
Lagash is later eclipsed by Umma under Lugalzaggesi. Lagash is never
again a great power.
c.2430
BC :
Lugalure
of Uruk helps Lagash to defeat Umma after the latter launches an
attack on Lagash. Eannatum raises the stele of the vultures in place
of Mesilim's destroyed stele.
c.2425
- 2405 BC :
Enannatum
/ Inannatum I : Brother. High priest.
Urlumma
of Umma drains the boundary canal at Girsu and destroys shrines
there, forcing Enannatum to defend the religious centre by offering
battle at Ugigga, in the fields near Girsu. Urlumma is totally defeated
and flees, only to be killed at Umma. Enannatum establishes a vassal
ruler at Umma but he, too, proves to be hostile to Lagash.
c.2405
- 2375 BC :
Entemena
: Son. King. Last great ensi of Lagash.
c.2375
- 2365 BC :
Enannatum
/ Inannatum II : Son.
c.2365
- 2359 BC :
Enetarzi
: Usurper and oppressor. Either a priest or was installed
by them.
c.2359
- 2352 BC :
Lugalanda
: Another oppressor. Helped to the throne by the priesthood.
c.2352
- 2342 BC :
Urukagina
/ Uruinimgina : Usurper. Dated to c.2700 BC in older chronologies.
c.2342
BC :
Urukagina destroys much of the old bureaucracy, ending the influence
of the priests. He creates a near-idyllic state, but in the process
weakens Lagash to the point that it cannot (or will not) defend
itself from its mortal enemies in Umma. Lugalzaggesi of Umma sacks
Lagash and burns all of its holy temples. Urukagina flees to the
town of Girsu, which doesn't seem to have fallen to Umma, and disappears
from history.
c.2330
- 2193 BC :
Lagash
loses its independence to Sargon I's Akkadian empire (which also
serves to end the internecine war between it and Umma). The priest-kings
become Akkadian vassals until the overthrow of the empire by the
Gutians, when the priest-kings regain their independence, at least
nominally.
Second
Dynasty :
After
the conquest of the Lagash by Agade in about 2330 BC, the priest
kings eventually returned to prominence in the city. Once the Akkadian
empire itself had been destroyed by the Gutians, Lagash apparently
prospered, being far enough south of the Gutian base near Agade
to enjoy a higher level of freedom than before.
(Additional
information by Edward Dawson.)
c.2260
BC :
Ki-Ku-Id
Lagash
plays a part in Uruk's revolt against the Akkadian
empire.
![](Sumer_Lagash_Gudea01_full.jpg)
Foundation
figures of Gudea, who was an energetic builder of temples. The peg
figurines were placed in the foundations and commemorate the ruler's
piety
c.2250
BC :
Engilsa
c.2230
BC :
Ur-A
c.2200
BC :
Lugalushumgal
Puzer-Mama
Sumer is overwhelmed by an invasion of Gutians. They set up base
near Agade and rule as overlords from there.
c.2193
BC :
Ur-Utu
Ur-Mama
Lu-Baba
Lugula
Kaku
/ Kakug
c.2164
- 2144 BC :
Ur-baba
/ Ur-bau : (On some lists Ur-Bau founds a third dynasty
in Lagash).
c.2144
- 2124 BC :
Gudea
: Son-in-law.
Gudea
rises to local prominence during an apparent climate-induced collapse
in the region, promoting artistic development and continuing the
Akkadian kings' claims to divinity from his capital at Girsu. The
figurine (below) of Gudea is, however, an interesting one.
It is beardless, while the name itself appears to contain the root
'gut-' which also forms the name of the Gutians - possibly coincidentally
or perhaps in tribute. Who would be beardless, though? Mesopotamians
all seem to be bearded in this period. Any potential Indo-European
involvement in the Gutians would be bearded. An Egyptian would probably
be bearded (but not always). Could Gudea have had an Egyptian parent?
Or, dare it be said, is Gudea a woman?
![](Sumer_Gudea01_full.jpg)
A
figurine of Gudea of Lagash, who came to prominence in southern
Mesopotamia, for the most part outside of direct Gutian rule but
still subject to its influence
However,
Sumer is still subject to Gutian rule. After Gudea, the city of
Lagash appears to lose its importance and almost completely fades
from historical view.
c.2124
- 2119 BC :
Urningirsu
: Son. Last vassal of the Gutians. Sometimes Ur-Ningursu
II
c.2119
- 2117 BC :
Pirigme
/ Ugme : Brother.
c.2117
- 2113 BC :
Ur-GAR
: Possible vassal of Uruk.
c.2113
- 2110 BC :
Nammahani
/ Nammakhni / Namhani : Son-in-law. Also ruled Umma.
Nammahani
co-operates fully with the Gutians before their final expulsion
and possibly in their attempts to re-invade. He is considered a
traitor to Sumer and he is eventually killed by Ur-Nammu of Ur.
The final four kings are all vassals of Ur.
c.2090
- 2080 BC :
Ur-Ninsuna
: (On some lists Ur-Ninsuna founds a fourth dynasty in
Lagash).
c.2080
- 2070 BC :
Ur-Nikimara
c.
2070 - 2050 BC :
Lu-Kirilaza
c.2050
- 2023 BC :
Ir-Nanna
c.2023
BC :
Ir-Nanna
declares independence from a steadily declining Ur. The king may
continue to rule for some years afterwards but there are no records
to show it. It seems likely that Lagash falls to Isin when that
city assumes control of most of central Sumer.
Amorite
Rulers of Lagash :
The
Amorites had been inhabitants of Sumer for some centuries, and rose
to fill the gap left by the end of Sumerian civilisation.
c.2004
BC :
When the Elamites conquer Ur, they also take control of much of
Sumer for a short period.
c.1998
BC :
Lagash falls under the control of Isin when the latter captures
Ur.
c.1920?
BC :
Gungunum, Isin's governor of the province of Lagash, seizes Ur.
This move cuts Isin's vital trade route, economically crippling
the city. Lagash now comes under the control of Ur's new independent
rulers.
c.300
- 250 BC :
The
remains of the E-Ninnu temple are razed to the ground and a fortress
is built upon its ruins. Amid traces of the earlier temple built
by Gudea, with bricks still bearing their cuneiform inscriptions,
some newer bricks bear an inscription in Aramaic and Greek of a
certain Hadad-nadin-akhe, ruler of a small, late Babylonian kingdom.
This is within territory that had been part of the Seleucid empire
since 305 BC. The date is corroborated by Greek coins at the site
mentioning the kings of Characene (a district situated on the east
bank of the Tigris, not very far from the junction with the Euphrates).
fl
c.275 BC
Hadad-nadin-akhe
/ Hadadnadinakhe : A king of Characene.
Source
:
https://www.historyfiles.co.uk/
KingListsMiddEast/
MesopotamiaLagash.htm
#First%20Dynasty