| Bel-bani | |
|---|---|
| Issi'ak Assur | |
| King of Assur | |
| Reign | c. 1700–1691 BC[1] |
| Predecessor | Adasi |
| Successor | Libaya |
| Issue | Libaya |
| Father | Adasi |
Bel-bani orBēl-bāni, inscribedmdEN-ba-ni, “the Lord is the creator,” was the king ofAssyria fromc. 1700 to 1691 BC and was the first ruler of what was later to be called the dynasty of the Adasides.[2] His reign marks the inauguration of a new historical phase following the turmoil of the competing claims of the seven usurpers who preceded him. He was the 48th king to appear on the Assyrian King List and reigned for ten years.[3]
He was the son ofAdasi, the last of the seven monarchs who were “sons of nobody,” i.e. unrelated to previous kings, and who had competed for the throne over a period of six years. He was to be revered by later monarchs, notablyEsarhaddon (681–669 BC) but also his second and third sonsShamash-shum-ukin andAshurbanipal, for restoring stability and founding a dynasty which endured and where he assumed semi-mythical status as their ancestor figure.[4] Esarhaddon described himself as "a lasting offspring (liplippi dārû) of Belu-bani the son of Adasi, precious scion of Baltil (pir'i BAL.TILsûquru)." Baltil, the “city of wisdom,” was the name of the ancient precincts of the godAšshu in the innermost part of the city ofAssur.[5]
He was succeeded byLibaya, which the Assyrian King List gives as his son, although Landsberger has suggested that he was in fact his brother.[4]
| Preceded by | King of Assyria 1700–1691 BC | Succeeded by |