Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 31, 2026

Shu-Sin

Shu-Sin, also Šu-Suen was king of Sumer and Akkad, and was the fourth king of the Ur III dynasty. He succeeded Amar-Sin, who might have been his father, and reigned c. 2037 – c. 2028 BC.

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Shu-Sin
𒀭𒋗𒀭𒂗𒍪
King of Sumer and Akkad
King of the Four Corners of the World
5-mina weight with the name of Shu-Sin, with his regnal titles, from Girsu, Louvre Museum
King of Ur
Reignc. 2037 – c. 2028 BC
PredecessorAmar-Sin
SuccessorIbbi-Sin
Diedc. 2028 BC
IssueIbbi-Sin and 1 daughter
Dynasty3rd Dynasty of Ur

Shu-Sin, also Šu-Suen (Akkadian: 𒀭𒋗𒀭𒂗𒍪: DŠuDSîn, after the Moon God Sîn", the "𒀭" being a silent honorific for "Divine", formerly read Gimil-Sin; died c. 2028 BC) was king of Sumer and Akkad, and was the fourth king of the Ur III dynasty. He succeeded Amar-Sin, who might have been his father,1 and reigned c. 2037 – c. 2028 BC (Middle Chronology).

Crown Prince

As Crown Prince, Shu-Sin held the position at Der. However, when his father conducted a long military campaign against Huhnuri, Shu-Sin returned to hold Ur.2

Reign

Following an open revolt of his Amorite subjects, he directed the construction of a fortified wall between the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers in his fourth year, intending it to hold off any further Amorite attacks. He was succeeded by his son Ibbi-Sin.

An erotic poem addressed to Shu-Sin by a female speaker is preserved in a cuneiform tablet called Istanbul 2461.3 The poem's speaker expresses her strong desires and longings for the king.456

An inscription states that he gave his daughter in marriage to the ruler of Šimānum "His daughter was given as a bride to Simanum. Simanum, Habura, and the surrounding districts rebelled against the king, they chased his daughter away from her residence." Shu-Sin subsequently conquered Šimānum and restored his daughter there.7

Year names of Shu-sin

The year names for the reign of Shu-sin are all known and give an information about the events of his reign. The most important ones are:8

1 Year Szu-Sin became king
2 Year Szu-Sin the king of Ur made / caulked the boat of Enki (called the) 'ibex of the abzu'
3 Year Szu-Sin the king of Ur destroyed Simanum
4 Year Szu-Sin the king of Ur built the amurru wall (called) 'muriq-tidnim / holding back the Tidanum'
6 Year Szu-Sin the king of Ur erected a magnificent stele for Enlil and Ninlil
7 Year Szu-Sin, the king of Ur, king of the four quarters, destroyed the land of Zabszali
9 Year Szu-Sin the king of Ur built the temple of Szara in Umma

Artifacts

There is vast number of artifacts with inscriptions in the name of Shu-sin.9

  • Door socket inscribed with the name of Shu-Sin, king of Ur, Ur III. From Mesopotamia, Erbil Civilization Museum.
    Door socket inscribed with the name of Shu-Sin, king of Ur, Ur III. From Mesopotamia, Erbil Civilization Museum.
  • Inscription with the name of Shu-Sin
    Inscription with the name of Shu-Sin
  • Seal of Shu-Sin: "Shu-sin, the Great King, King of Ur, King of the four world quarters..."
    Seal of Shu-Sin: "Shu-sin, the Great King, King of Ur, King of the four world quarters..."
  • Inscribed stone ring of a fountain, in the name of king Shu-Sin. Pergamon Museum.
    Inscribed stone ring of a fountain, in the name of king Shu-Sin. Pergamon Museum.
  • Inscription of King Shu-Sîn, commemorating the construction of the temple of the god Shara at Umma. Musée national d'histoire et d'art, Luxembourg, Cabinet des Médailles.
    Inscription of King Shu-Sîn, commemorating the construction of the temple of the god Shara at Umma. Musée national d'histoire et d'art, Luxembourg, Cabinet des Médailles.
  • Seal of Abbakalla of Ur, riding a horse (reign of Shu-Sin, UR III, c. 2037 – c. 2028 BC), one of the first known such depiction[10][11]
    Seal of Abbakalla of Ur, riding a horse (reign of Shu-Sin, UR III, c. 2037 – c. 2028 BC), one of the first known such depiction1011
See also

See also

References

References

  1. "Sumerian King List", Wikipedia, 2022-11-29, retrieved 2022-12-05
  2. Lafont, Bertrand. "Game of Thrones: the Years when Šu-Sin Succeeded Amar-Suen in the Kingdom of Ur". The First Ninety Years: A Sumerian Celebration in Honor of Miguel Civil, edited by Lluís Feliu, Fumi Karahashi and Gonzalo Rubio, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 2017, pp. 189-204
  3. "Oldest love poem". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
  4. Fant, Clyde E.; Reddish, Mitchell G. (2008-10-15). Lost Treasures of the Bible: Understanding the Bible Through Archaeological Artifacts in World Museums. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 9780802828811.
  5. Longman, Tremper III; Enns, Peter (2008-06-06). Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship. InterVarsity Press.
  6. "The World's Oldest Love Poem". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
  7. Michalowski, Peter, "The Bride of Simanum", Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 95, no. 4, pp. 716–19, 1975
  8. "T6K4.htm". cdli.ucla.edu.
  9. "CDLI-Found Texts". cdli.ucla.edu.
  10. Klecel, Weronika; Martyniuk, Elżbieta (July 2021). "From the Eurasian Steppes to the Roman Circuses: A Review of Early Development of Horse Breeding and Management". Animals. 11 (7): 1859. doi:10.3390/ani11071859. ISSN 2076-2615. PMC 8300240. PMID 34206575.
  11. Aruz, Joan; Farkas, Ann; Fino, Elisabetta Valtz (2006). The Golden Deer of Eurasia: Perspectives on the Steppe Nomads of the Ancient World. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 4. ISBN 978-1-58839-205-3.
  • Nicole Brisch, The Priestess and the King: The Divine Kingship of Šū-Sîn of Ur, Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 126, no. 2, pp. 161–176, (Apr. - Jun., 2006)
  • Stiebing Jr., William H. (2003). Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture. New York: Pearson Education. ISBN 0-321-06674-X.
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