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  Isin Shown within Iraq | |
| Alternative name | Ishan al-Bahriyat |
|---|---|
| Location | Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate,Iraq |
| Region | Mesopotamia |
| Coordinates | 31°53′06″N45°16′07″E / 31.88500°N 45.26861°E /31.88500; 45.26861 |
| Type | Settlement |
| History | |
| Periods | Early Dynastic, Isin-Larsa, Old Babylonian, Kassite, Neo-Babylonian |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1924, 1926, 1973-1989 |
| Archaeologists | Stephen Herbert Langdon, Raymond P. Dougherty, Barthel Hrouda |
Isin (Sumerian:𒉌𒋛𒅔𒆠,romanized: I3-si-inki,[1] modernArabic:إيشان بحرياتIshan al-Bahriyat) is anarchaeological site inAl-Qādisiyyah Governorate,Iraq which was the location of theAncient Near East city of Isin, occupied from the late 4th millenniumUruk period up until at least the late 1st millennium BCNeo-Babylonian period. It lies about 40 km (25 mi) southeast of the modern city ofAl Diwaniyah.
Thetutelary deity of Isin, dating back to at least theEarly Dynastic period, was the healing goddessGula with a major temple (, E-gal-ma) sited there as well as smaller installations for the related gods ofNinisina andSud.[2][3]
Isin is located approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of the ancient city ofNippur. The site covers an area of about 150 hectares with a maximum height of about 10 meters.
By 1922 the site had been suggested as that of Isin.[4] Ishan al-Bahriyat was visited byStephen Herbert Langdon for a day to conduct a sounding, while he was excavating atKish in 1924. He found inscribed bricks ofIshme-Dagan andEnlil-bani.[5] Two years later Raymond P. Dougherty, on behalf of the American Schools of Oriental Research, conducted a two-day survey of the site finding inscribed bricks ofBur-Sin and Neo-Babylonian rulerNebuchadnezzar II.[6][7][8]
Modern archaeological work at Isin was accomplished in 11 seasons between 1973 and 1989 by a team of German archaeologists led by Barthel Hrouda on behalf of the Munich Institute for Near Eastern Archaeology. Hundreds of cuneiform tablets from the Old Babylonian period, in buildings abandoned after being destroyed by fire, were recovered.[9][10][11][12] However, as was the case at many sites in Iraq, research was interrupted by theGulf War (1990–1991) and theIraq War (2003 to 2011). Since the end of excavations, extensive looting is reported to have resumed at the site. Even when the German team began their work, the site had already been heavily looted.[13] A significant find, in theNinurta shrine of the Gula temple, was an alabaster mace head of the Akkadian Empire rulerManishtushu inscribed "Man-istusu, king of the world, dedicated (this mace) to the goddess Ninisina". An inscription of Takil-ilissu, ruler ofMalgium was also found.[14] Early find included a Jemdet Nasr stamp seal and a small stone lion figurine of the Uruk period.[15]
The primary focus of the excavations was the four meter wide wall enclosedGula temple complex. The complex showed construction through at least the Isin I, Kassite, and Neo-Babylonian periods with 3rd millennium BC finds suggested its earlier existence. Finds included 30 dog burials, copper pendants inscribed with dog images, and clay dog figurines, one with a prayer to Gula. An inscribed brick ofAdad-apla-iddina, 8th ruler of the 2nd dynasty of Isin, dedicated to the healing goddessNin-ezena was also found. On another section of the main mound 3rd millennium BC buildings provided "gold jewellery, bronze weapons, cylinder seals, and a few cuneiform tablets of which two date back to the Early Dynastic period", a clay nail of Isme-Dagan referring to construction of the bad-gal "Great Wall" city wall of Isin and an inscribed brick ofUr-du-kuga.[16] In the Kassite layer an Early Dynastic III statue, 16.5 cm in height, of a kneeling man wearing only a triple belt.[17] Just to the south of the temple complex two Early Dynastic I period buildings were found.[18]
Isin sat on the Isinnitum canal, a vital branch of the Euphrates. Controlling Isin meant controlling the water flow and trade moving toward the south.
The site of Isin was occupied at least as early as theUbaid period based on pottery shards.
In the Early Dynastic III (c. 2750-2350 BCE), significant occupation began.
In the Akkadian period (c. 2350-2150 BCE), Isin is known to have been occupied by theAkkadian Empire.[19]
An intensive building program began at Isin during theUr III empire in the late 3rd millennium BC. With the fall of Ur, anAmorite dynasty took power in the city, during theIsin-Larsa period. The city then fell toBabylon and suffered a period of abandonment. Activity resumed under theKassites, followed by a period of local control. Isin was occupied to various degrees until the Neo-Babylonian period.[20]
With the final decline of the Ur III empire at the end of the third millennium BC, a power vacuum was left that other city-states scrambled to fill.Ishbi-Erra, said to be an Amorite, fromMari, and an Ur III official under its final rulerIbbi-Sin, gained rulership of Isin and began theFirst Dynasty of Isin. TheElamites had attacked Isin and Ur, capturing Ur.[21] One of Ishbi-Erra's acts was to expel the Elamites from Ur and the region, his year name being "Year (Iszbi-Irra the king) brought out of Ur, with his strong weapon, the Elamite who was dwelling in its midst".[22] Although theSumerian King List gives a 33-year reign for Ishbi-Erra only one royal inscription has been found.
"For the god Enlil, lord of the foreign lands, his lord, Isbi-Err[a], mighty king, lord of <his> land, fashioned a great lyre for him, which ... the heart. He dedicated it [for his own] life. The name of this lyre is 'Isbi-Erra trusts in the god Enlil'."[23]
Following an abrupt climate change around 2036-2023 BCE, probably caused by a major volcanic eruption, drought his the region and caused severe economic hardship which caused the Ur III to decline and ultimately end in 2004 BCE. The province of Isin broke out and formed an independent kingdom underIshbi-Erra, along with its rival Larsa, saw the decentralization of irrigation networks and agricultural fields.
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TheFirst Dynasty of Isin was founded byIshbi-Erra (r. 2018-1985 BCE) and lasted over two centuries. Ishbi-Erra continued the traditions of the previous Ur III period, and Isin reached its peak and became a powerful city-state in the Middle Bronze I. A notable ruler wasIshme-Dagan (r. 1954-1935 BCE) for whom a number of hymns were written, in a style thought to be imitative ofShulgi, the ruler of Ur III.[24]
With the rise ofLarsa and a number of smaller Amorite city-states, the influence of Isin slowly declined. The rivalry between Isin and Larsa has led this phase of the Middle Bronze I to be the term theIsin-Larsa period.
The exact events surrounding Isin's disintegration as a kingdom are mostly unknown, but some evidence can be pieced together. Documents indicate that access to water sources presented a huge problem for Isin. Isin also endured an internal coup of a sort whenGungunum the royally appointed governor ofLarsa andLagash province, seized the city of Ur. Ur had been the main center of the Gulf trade; thus this move economically devastated Isin. Additionally, Gungunum's two successorsAbisare andSumuel (c. 1905 BC and 1894 BC) both sought to cut Isin off from its canals by rerouting them into Larsa. At some point, Nippur was also lost. Isin would never recover. Around 1860 BC, an outsider named Enlil-bani seized the throne of Isin, ending the hereditary dynasty established by Ishbi-Erra over 150 years earlier.[25]
Although politically and economically weak, Isin maintained its independence from Larsa for at least another forty years, ultimately succumbing to Larsa's rulerRim-Sin I.
After theFirst Dynasty of Babylon rose to power in the early 2nd millennium and captured Larsa, much significant construction occurred at Isin.
For most of his reign,Hammurabi of Babylon (r. 1792-1750 BCE) was an ally of Rim-Sin I, the long-lived king of Larsa who controlled Isin. However, in his 30th and 31st regnal years (c.1763-1762 BCE), Hammurabi turned his military focus southward against Isin-Larsa. Larsa became a provincial administrative center in the Babylonian Empire.
In 1723 BCE, the Isin was fell in the 27th year of the reign ofSamsu-iluna (r. 1749-1712 BCE), based on tablets found there. The year name reads: ""The year in which Samsu-iluna the king (destroyed) the wall of Isin...". The word "destroyed" often mean the destruction of fortifications such as city-walls. Shortly after the wars of Samsu-iluna, the irrigation systems in the Isin-Nippur region suffered a catastrophic failure. This may have been a deliberate "scorched earth" tactic or a byproduct of the lack of centralized maintenance during the revolt. Following Samsu-iluna’s reign, archaeological layers show a massive hiatus. Isin, along with Nippur and Uruk, was largely abandoned. The city does not show significant signs of re-occupation until the Kassite Period (c. 1400 BCE).
TheKassites took over in Babylon after its sack in 1531 BC, resumed building at Isin. Activity was primarily at the Gula temple and it appears that in that period Isin was only a cult center.
The final significant stage of activity occurred during the Second Dynasty of Isin at the end of the 2nd millennium, most notably by kingAdad-apla-iddina. Isin remained occupied at least as late as the second decade of the reign of the Persian rulerDarius I (c 507 BC), then in the control of the region.[26]
Of the at least 256 ruler year names about 75% have been found. Most have the standard format, aside from Bur-Sin who numbered his years. These year names combined with new tablet joins show that there were two additional rulers, Sumu-abum and Ikūn-pī-Išta, slotting in between Erra-imittī and Enlil-bān. The reign of Sumu-abum lasted less than a year.[27][28]
The city lay on the Isinnitum Canal, part of a set of waterways that connected the cities of Mesopotamia.[29] The patron deity of Isin wasNintinuga (Gula) goddess of healing, and a temple to her was built there. The Isin king Enlil-bani reported building a temple to Gula named E-ni-dub-bi, a temple for Sud named E-dim-gal-an-na, a temple E-ur-gi-ra toNinisina, as well as a temple for the god Ninbgal.[25][30]
Ishbi-Erra continued many of the cultic practices that had flourished in the precedingUr III period. He continued acting out thesacred marriage ritual each year. During this ritual, the king played the part of the mortalDumuzi, and he had sex with a priestess who represented the goddess of love and war,Inanna (also known asIshtar). This was thought to strengthen the king's relationship to the gods, which would then bring stability and prosperity on the entire country.
The Isin kings continued also the practice of appointing their daughters official priestesses of themoon god of Ur.
The literature of the period also continued in the line of the Ur III traditions when the Isin dynasty was first begun. For example, the royal hymn, a genre started in the preceding millennium, was continued. Many royal hymns written for the Isin rulers mirrored the themes, structure, and language of the Ur ones. Sometimes the hymns were written in the first person of a king's voice; other times, they were pleas of ordinary citizens meant for the ears of a king (sometimes an already dead one).
It was during this period that theSumerian King List attained its final form, though it used many much earlier sources. The very compilation of the List seems to lead up to the Isin Dynasty itself, which would give it much legitimacy in the minds of the people because the dynasty would then be linked to earlier (albeit sometimes legendary) kings.[31]
TheSumerian King List (SKL) gives a list of the rulers of only one dynasty of Isin. Thefirst Sealand,Kassite, andsecond Isin dynasties are known from theBabylonian King List (BKL). The following list should not be considered complete:
| # | Portrait or inscription | Ruler | Approx. date and length of reign | Comments, notes, and references for mentions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ur III period (c. 2119 – c. 2004 BC) | ||||
| First dynasty of Isin / Isin I dynasty (c. 2018 – c. 1792 BC) | ||||
| 1st |  | Ishbi-Erra 𒀭𒅖𒁉𒀴𒊏 | r. c. 2018 – c. 1985 BC (MC) r. c. 1953 – c. 1921 BC | |
| # | Portrait or inscription | Ruler | Approx. date and length of reign | Comments, notes, and references for mentions |
| Isin-Larsa period (c. 2004 – c. 1787 BC) | ||||
— Sumerian King List (SKL) | ||||
| 2nd |  | Shu-Ilishu 𒋗𒉌𒉌𒋗 | r. c. 1985 – c. 1975 BC (MC) r. c. 1920 – c. 1911 BC |
|
| 3rd | | Iddin-Dagan 𒀭𒄿𒁷𒀭𒁕𒃶 | r. c. 1975 – c. 1954 BC (MC) r. c. 1910 – c. 1890 BC |
|
| 4th |  | Ishme-Dagan 𒀭𒅖𒈨𒀭𒁕𒃶 | r. c. 1954 – c. 1935 BC (MC) r. c. 1889 – c. 1871 BC |
|
| 5th |  | Lipit-Ishtar 𒇷𒁉𒀉𒁹𒁯 | r. c. 1935 – c. 1924 BC (MC) r. c. 1870 – c. 1860 BC |
|
| 6th |  | Ur-Ninurta 𒀭𒌨𒀭𒊩𒌆𒅁 | r. c. 1923 – c. 1896 BC (MC) r. c. 1859 – c. 1832 BC |
|
| 7th | | Bur-Suen 𒀭𒁓𒀭𒂗𒍪 | r. c. 1895 – c. 1874 BC (MC) r. c. 1831 – c. 1811 BC |
|
| 8th | Lipit-Enlil 𒀭𒇷𒁉𒀉𒀭𒂗𒆤 | r. c. 1873 – c. 1868 BC (MC) r. c. 1810 – c. 1806 BC |
| |
| 9th | Erra-imitti 𒀭𒀴𒊏𒄿𒈪𒋾 | r. c. 1868 – c. 1861 BC (MC) r. c. 1805 – c. 1799 BC |
| |
| 10th | Ikūn-pî-Ištar | r. c. 1861 – c. 1860 BC (MC) r. c. 1799 – c. 1798 BC |
| |
| 11th | Enlil-bani 𒀭𒂗𒆤𒁀𒉌 | r. c. 1860 – c. 1836 BC (MC) r. c. 1798 – c. 1775 BC |
| |
| 12th | Zambiya 𒀭𒍝𒄠𒁉𒅀 | r. c. 1836 – c. 1833 BC (MC) r. c. 1774 – c. 1772 BC |
| |
| 13th | Iter-pisha 𒀭𒄿𒋼𒅕𒅗𒊭 | r. c. 1833 – c. 1829 BC (MC) r. c. 1771 – c. 1768 BC |
| |
| 14th | Ur-du-kuga 𒀭𒌨𒇯𒆬𒂵 | r. c. 1829 – c. 1825 BC (MC) r. c. 1767 – c. 1764 BC |
| |
| 15th | Suen-magir 𒀭𒂗𒍪𒈠𒄫 | r. c. 1825 – c. 1814 BC (MC) r. c. 1763 – c. 1753 BC |
| |
| 16th | .jpg) | Damiq-ilishu 𒁕𒈪𒅅𒉌𒉌𒋗 | r. c. 1814 – c. 1792 BC (MC) r. c. 1752 – c. 1730 BC |
|
— SKL | ||||
| # | Portrait or inscription | Ruler | Approx. date and length of reign | Comments, notes, and references for mentions |
| Dynasty of Larsa (c. 1792 – c. 1787 BC) | ||||
 | Rim-Sîn I 𒀭𒊑𒅎𒀭𒂗𒍪 | r. c. 1792 – c. 1787 BC (MC) |
| |
| # | Portrait or inscription | Ruler | Approx. date and length of reign | Comments, notes, and references for mentions |
| Old Babylonian period (c. 1787 – c. 1475 BC) | ||||
| First dynasty of Babylon (c. 1787 – c. 1732 BC) | ||||
 | Hammurabi 𒄩𒄠𒈬𒊏𒁉 | r. c. 1787 – c. 1750 BC (MC) |
| |
 | Samsu-iluna 𒊓𒄠𒋢𒄿𒇻𒈾 | r. c. 1750 – c. 1732 BC (MC) |
| |
| # | Portrait or inscription | Ruler | Approx. date and length of reign | Comments, notes, and references for mentions |
| First Sealand dynasty / Sealand I (c. 1732 – c. 1475 BC) | ||||
| Iliman | r. c. 1732 – c. 1700 BC (MC) r. c. 1700 BC |
| ||
| Ittili | r. c. 1700 – c. 1683 BC (MC) (56 years) |
| ||
| Unknown | r. c. 1683 – c. 1677 BC (MC) |
| ||
| Damqi-ilishu II 𒁕𒈪𒅅𒉌𒉌𒋗 | r. c. 1677 – c. 1642 BC (MC) (26 years) |
| ||
| Ishkibal | r. c. 1641 – c. 1617 BC (MC) (15 years) |
| ||
| Shushushi | r. c. 1616 BC (MC) (24 years) |
| ||
| Gulkishar | Uncertain (MC) (55 years) |
| ||
| Gishen | Uncertain (MC) |
| ||
| Peshgaldaramesh | r. c. 1599 – c. 1549 BC (MC) (50 years) |
| ||
| Ayadaragalama 𒀀𒀀𒁰𒃴𒈠 | r. c. 1548 – c. 1520 BC (MC) (28 years) |
| ||
| Ekurul | r. c. 1519 – c. 1493 BC (MC) (26 years) |
| ||
| Melamma | r. c. 1492 – c. 1485 BC (MC) (7 years) |
| ||
| Eaga | r. c. 1484 – c. 1475 BC (MC) r. c. 1460 BC |
| ||
| # | Portrait or inscription | Ruler | Approx. date and length of reign | Comments, notes, and references for mentions |
| Middle Babylonian period (c. 1475 – c. 1000 BC) | ||||
| Kassite dynasty (c. 1475 – c. 1155 BC) | ||||
| Agum III | r. c. 1475 BC (MC) |
| ||
| Kadashman-Sah | r. c. 1470 BC (MC) | |||
 | Karaindash | r. c. 1415 BC (MC) |
| |
| Kadashman-Harbe I | r. c. 1410 BC (MC) |
| ||
 | Kurigalzu I | r. c. 1400 BC (MC) |
| |
 | Kadashman-Enlil I 𒅗𒁕𒀸𒈠𒀭𒀭𒂗𒆤 | r. c. 1374 – c. 1360 BC (MC) (14 years) |
| |
.jpg) | Burna-Buriash II 𒁓𒈾𒁍𒊑𒅀𒀸 | r. c. 1360 – c. 1333 BC (MC) (27 years) |
| |
| Kara-hardash | r. c. 1333 BC (MC) |
| ||
| Nazi-Bugash | r. c. 1333 BC (MC) | |||
 | Kurigalzu II | r. c. 1333 – c. 1308 BC (MC) (25 years) |
| |
 | Nazi-Maruttash | r. c. 1308 – c. 1282 BC (MC) (26 years) |
| |
 | Kadashman-Turgu | r. c. 1282 – c. 1264 BC (MC) (18 years) |
| |
 | Kadashman-Enlil II | r. c. 1264 – c. 1255 BC (MC) (9 years) |
| |
| Kudur-Enlil | r. c. 1255 – c. 1246 BC (MC) (9 years) |
| ||
 | Shagarakti-Shuriash | r. c. 1246 – c. 1233 BC (MC) (13 years) |
| |
 | Kashtiliash IV | r. c. 1233 – c. 1225 BC (MC) (8 years) |
| |
| Enlil-nadin-shumi | r. c. 1224 BC (MC) (1 year and 6 months) | |||
| Kadashman-Harbe II | r. c. 1223 BC (MC) (1 year and 6 months) | |||
 | Adad-shuma-iddina | r. c. 1223 – c. 1217 BC (MC) (6 years) | ||
 | Adad-shuma-usur | r. c. 1217 – c. 1187 BC (MC) (30 years) |
| |
 | Meli-Shipak II | r. c. 1187 – c. 1172 BC (MC) (15 years) |
| |
 | Marduk-apla-iddina I | r. c. 1172 – c. 1159 BC (MC) (13 years) |
| |
 | Zababa-shuma-iddin | r. c. 1159 – c. 1158 BC (MC) (1 year) | ||
 | Enlil-nadin-ahi | r. c. 1158 – c. 1155 BC (MC) (3 years) | ||
| # | Portrait or inscription | Ruler | Approx. date and length of reign | Comments, notes, and references for mentions |
| Second dynasty of Isin / Isin II dynasty (c. 1153 – c. 1022 BC) | ||||
| Marduk-kabit-ahheshu | r. c. 1153 – c. 1135 BC (18 years) |
| ||
 | Itti-Marduk-balatu | r. c. 1135 – c. 1129 BC (MC) (6 years) |
| |
| Ninurta-nadin-shumi | r. c. 1129 – c. 1122 BC (MC) (7 years) |
| ||
 | Nebuchadnezzar I | r. c. 1122 – c. 1100 BC (MC) (22 years) |
| |
 | Enlil-nadin-apli | r. c. 1100 – c. 1096 BC (MC) (4 years) |
| |
 | Marduk-nadin-ahhe | r. c. 1096 – c. 1078 BC (MC) (18 years) |
| |
 | Marduk-shapik-zeri | r. c. 1078 – c. 1065 BC (MC) (13 years) |
| |
| Adad-apla-iddina | r. c. 1065 – c. 1041 BC (MC) (24 years) |
| ||
 | Marduk-ahhe-eriba | r. c. 1041 BC (MC) (6 months) |
| |
| Marduk-zer-X | r. c. 1041 – c. 1029 BC (MC) (12 years) | |||
 | Nabu-shum-libur | r. c. 1029 – c. 1022 BC (MC) (7 years) |
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