Eannatum, King of Lagash, riding a war chariot (detail of the Stele of the Vultures). His name "Eannatum" (𒂍𒀭𒈾𒁺) is written vertically in two columns in front of his head.Louvre Museum.
Eannatum (Sumerian:𒂍𒀭𒈾𒁺É.AN.NA-tum2;fl.c. 2450 BC) was aSumerianEnsi (ruler or king) ofLagash. He established one of the first verifiable empires in history, subduingElam and destroying the city ofSusa, and extending his domain over the rest ofSumer andAkkad.[1] One inscription found on a boulder states that Eannatum was his Sumerian name, while his "Tidnu" (Amorite) name wasLumma.[citation needed]
He entered into conflict withUmma, waging a war over the fertile plain ofGu-Edin.[1] He personally commanded an army to subjugate the city-state, and vanquishedUsh, the ruler of Umma, finally making a boundary treaty withEnakalle, successor of Ush, as described in theStele of the Vultures and in theCone of Entemena:[2][1]
32–38
𒂍𒀭𒈾𒁺 𒉺𒋼𒋛 𒉢𒁓𒆷𒆠 𒉺𒄑𒉋𒂵 𒂗𒋼𒈨𒈾 𒉺𒋼𒋛 𒉢𒁓𒆷𒆠𒅗𒆤 e2-an-na-tum2 ensi2 lagaški pa-bil3-ga en-mete-na ensi2 lagaški-ka-ke4 "Eannatum, ruler ofLagash, uncle ofEntemena, ruler of Lagash" 39–42 𒂗𒀉𒆗𒇷 𒉺𒋼𒋛 𒄑𒆵𒆠𒁕 𒆠 𒂊𒁕𒋩 en-a2-kal-le ensi2 ummaki-da ki e-da-sur "fixed the border with Enakalle, ruler ofUmma" Extract from theCone of Enmetena, Room 236 Reference AO 3004, Louvre Museum.[3][4]
Eannatum madeUmma a tributary, where every person had to pay a certain amount of grain into the treasury of the goddess Nina and the god Ingurisa.[5][1]
Eannatum expanded his influence beyond the boundaries of Sumer. He conquered parts ofElam, including the city Az off the coast of the modernPersian Gulf, allegedly smoteShubur, and, having repulsedAkshak, he claimed the title of "King ofKish" (which regained its independence after his death) and demanded tribute as far asMari:[1]
"He (Eannatum) defeated Zuzu, the king ofAkshak, 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."
Eannatum recorded his victories on a stone inscription:
Eannatum, theensi of Lagash, who was granted might byEnlil, who constantly is nourished byNinhursag with her milk, whose nameNingirsu had pronounced, who was chosen byNanshe in her heart, the son ofAkurgal, theensi ofLagash, conquered the land ofElam, conqueredUrua, conqueredUmma, conqueredUr. At that time, he built a well made of baked bricks forNingirsu, in his wide temple courtyard. Eananatum's god isShulutula. Then did Ningirsu love Eannatum".
However, revolts often arose in parts of his empire. During Eannatum’s reign, many temples and palaces were built, especially in Lagash.[9] The city of Nina, which has been identified with the site ofTell-Zurghul, was rebuilt, with many canals and reservoirs being excavated.
A fragment of the Stele of the Vultures showingvultures with severed human heads in their beaks and a fragment ofcuneiform script
The so-calledStele of the Vultures, now in theLouvre, is a fragmented limestonestele found inTelloh, (ancient Girsu)Iraq, in 1881. The stele is reconstructed as having been 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) high and 1.3 metres (4 ft 3 in) wide and was set up c. 2450 BCE.[10] It was erected as a monument of the victory of Eannatum of Lagash overUsh, king of Umma, leading to a boundary treaty with his successorEnakalle ofUmma.[2][5]
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.[5]
On the other side of the stele is an image ofNinurta, 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 toEnlil, the patron deity of Lagash).[10][5]
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 ofUmma: “[…] (Eannatum) defeated him. Its (Umma’s) 3,600 corpses reached the base of heaven [...] raised (their) hands against him and killed him in Umma.”.[11]
Eannatum leading his troops in battle. Top: Eannatum leading a phalanx on foot. Bottom: Eannatum leading troops in a war chariot. Fragment of theStele of the Vultures
Inscribed brick of Eannatum, recording the sinking of a well in the forecourt of the Temple of Ningirsu in Lagash.[12]
Name of Eannatum on his Ningirsu inscription (top right corner).
Eannatum inscription (British Museum)
A foundation stone of Eannatum, dedicated toNingirsu, tutelary god of Lagash. It enumerates the victories of Eannatum fromElam toAkshak. Louvre Museum.[13][14]
Foundation stone of Eannatum (transcription)
InscriptionEannatum Ensi Lagashki "Eannatum,ensi ofLagash"
Eannatum describes his victories over the countries ofElam,Urua,Umma andUr, and well as the construction of a brick well in front of the temple ofNingirsu.[15][16]
Eannatum King of Lagash presiding at funeral rites on the battlefield (20th century reconstitution)
Clay tablet mentioning the name of Eannatum, prince of Lagash. From Iraq, c. 2470 BCE. Iraq Museum
Fragment of a vessel mentioning the name of Eannatum, prince of Lagash, from Iraq, c. 2470 BCE. Iraq Museum
Stone pebble mentioning the name of Eannatum, prince of Lagash, from Iraq, c. 2470 BCE, Iraq Museum
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, Ancient Orient Museum,Istanbul
^MAEDA, TOHRU (1981)."KING OF KISH" IN PRE-SARGONIC SUMER. Orient: The Reports of the Society for Near Eastern Studies in Japan, Volume 17. pp. 10 and 7.
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![Inscribed brick of Eannatum, recording the sinking of a well in the forecourt of the Temple of Ningirsu in Lagash.[12]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aInscribed_brick_of_Eannatum.jpg)
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![A foundation stone of Eannatum, dedicated to Ningirsu, tutelary god of Lagash. It enumerates the victories of Eannatum from Elam to Akshak. Louvre Museum.[13][14]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a2015-12_Galet_A_de_fondation_d%2527Eanatum_AO_2677_(2).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.[15][16]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBrick_of_Eannatum-AO_351-IMG_9167-gradient.jpg)
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