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Rimush

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Rimush
𒌷𒈬𒍑
Stone jar fragment (BM 127340), with inscription mentioning king Rimush of Akkad, ca 2278-2270 BC. Inscription: "Rimush / LUGAL / KISH". From Tell Brak. British Museum[1]
King of the Akkadian Empire
Reignc. 2279 BC – 2270 BC
PredecessorSargon of Akkad
SuccessorManishtushu
DynastyDynasty of Akkad
FatherSargon of Akkad
MotherTashlultum

Rimush (or Rimuš, 𒌷𒈬𒍑 Ri-mu-uš) c. 2279–2270 BC (middle chronology) was the second king of the Akkadian Empire. He was the son of Sargon of Akkad and Queen Tashlultum. He was succeeded by his brother Manishtushu, and was an uncle of Naram-Sin of Akkad. Rimush reported having a statue of himself made out of tin, then a recent introduction to the region.[2] His sister was Enheduana, considered earliest known named author in world history.[3] There was a city, Dur-Rimuš (Fortress of Rimush), located near Tell Ishchali and Khafajah.[4]

Biography

According to the Sumerian King List, his reign lasted 9 years (though variant copies read 7 or 15 years.) There is one surviving year-name for an unknown year in his reign: "mu ud-nun{ki} / adab{ki} hul-a = Year in which Adab was destroyed".[5] Tradition gives that he was assassinated, as the Bārûtu, “art of the diviner”, a first millennium BC compendium of extispicy, records “Omen of king Rimuš, whom his courtiers killed with their seals”.[6] He was succeeded by his brother Manishtushu.[7][8] The Ur III version of the Sumerian King List inverts the order of Rimush and Manishtushu.[9][10]

Stone tablet. List of various garments dedicated to the temple of E-ninnu by the Akkadian king Rimush. 23rd century BC. From Nippur, Iraq. Ancient Orient Museum, Istanbul

To some extent his reign was typical of a ruler of Mesopotamia with proper attention paid to the various deities and their temples. A number of his votive offerings have been found in excavated temples in several Mesopotamian cities including Ur, Sippar, Khafajah, and Brak.[11][12] After the conquest of Elan he dedicated 30 mana (a mana was about a half kilogram) of gold, 3,600 mana of copper, and 360 slaves to Enlil, the chief deity of Nippur.[13][14]

Most of his short reign was taken up consolidating the empire created by his father, Sargon, first ruler of the Akkadian Empire. This empire stretched in the west to Syria in places like Tell Brak and Tell Leilan, to the east in Elam and associated polities in that region, to southern Anatolia in the north, and to the "lower sea" in the south encompassing all the traditional Sumerian powers like Uruk, Ur, and Lagash. All of these political entities had long histories as independent powers and would periodically re-assert their interests throughout the lifetime of the Akkadian Empire.[15]

Consolidation of Sumerian cities

Akkadian archer in tufted garment, indicating a high-ranking official, possibly Rimush himself.[16]

According to his inscriptions, he faced widespread revolts, and had to reconquer the cities of Ur, Umma, Adab, Lagash, Der, and Kazallu from rebellious ensis:[17]

"Rimuš, king of the world, in battle over Adab and Zabalam was victorious, and 15,718 men he struck down, and 14,576 captives he took. Further, Meskigala, governor of Adab, he captured, and Lugalgalzu, governor of Zabalam, he captured. He conqu[ered] their two cities [and destroyed the walls of both of them]. [Further], he expelled [so many men from their two cities] and annihilated them. As for the one who removes this inscription], may the [gods] Enlil and Samas [tear out his foundations] and destroy his [pro]geny."[18][19]

"RImus, [k]in[g] of th wor[ld], was victor[iou]s over Umma and KI.AN in battle and struck down 8,900 men. He [took] 3,540 captives. Further, he captured En-x, governor of Umma, and Lugal-KA, governor of KI.AN. Further, he conquered their two cities and destroyed the walls of both of them. Further, he expelled 3,600 men from their two cities and annihilated them. As for the one who removes this inscription, may the gods Enlil and [Samas tear out his foundations and destroy his progeny]."[18][20]

Rimush introduced mass slaughter and large scale destruction of the Sumerian city-states, and maintained meticulous records of his destructions. Most of the major Sumerian cities were destroyed, and Sumerian human losses were enormous:[17] It appears that the city of Shuruppak was spared.[21]

Sumerian casualties from the campaigns of Rimush[17][22]
Destroyed cities: Adab and Zabala Umma and KI.AN Ur and Lagash Kazallu (Three battles in Sumer) TOTAL
Killed 15,718 8,900 8,049 12,052 11,322 56,041
Captured and enslaved 14,576 3,540 5,460 5,862 _ 29,438
"Expelled and annihilated" _ 5,600 5,985 _ 14,100 25,685

Campaigns against Elam and Marhashi

Conquest of Elam and Marhashi
Account of the victories of Rimush, king of Akkad, upon Abalgamash, king of Marhashi, and Emahsini, King of Elam. Louvre Museum AO5476.[23][18][24]

There are also records of victorious campaigns against Elam and Marhashi (Sumerian name for the Akkadian "Parahshum") in his 3rd year.[17][25][26] According to the account, troops from (Meluhha) also participated in the conflict:[17]

After the victorious campaigns of Rimush, under his successor Manishtushu, Elam would be ruled by Akkadian Military Governors, starting with Eshpum, and Pashime, on the Iranian coast, was ruled by an Akkadian Governor named Ilshu-rabi.[27]

"<Rimus, king of the world, in battle> was victorious over Abalgamas, king of Parahsum. Zahar, Elam, [G]upin, and [Me]luhha assembled in Pa[rah]sum for battle, but he, (Rimus) captured S[idga'u], general of [Parahsum] (and) [the king(?) of] Elam i[nbetwe]en (the cities of) [Aw]an and [Susa], by the '[Mid]dle Ri[ver]'. [Further], he [h]eaped up over [them] a [burial mo]und i[n] the [are]a of the city. In addition, he tore out the [fo]undation of Parahsum from the land of Elam and (thereby) Rimus, king of the world, rule[d] Elam. The god Enlil showed (him the way). By the gods [Samas] and [Ilaba] I swe[ar] that (these) are not falsehoods, (but) are indeed [t]ru[e]. As for the o[ne who] re[moves this inscription, may the gods Enlil and Sam]as [te]ar out [his] foundation] an [dest]roy [his progeny]. Caption - Diorite, dusu-stone and (various) stones which I took ... as booty of Parahsum."[28][18]

Victory Stele of Rimush over Lagash

Fragments of the Victory Stele of Rimush. The Victory Stele also has an epigraphic fragment, mentioning Akkad and Lagash.[29] It suggests the stele represents the defeat of Lagash by the troops of Akkad.[30]

A Victory Stele in several fragments (three in total, Louvre Museum, AO 2678 for the relief and AO 2679 for the inscriptions, with possibly another fragment from the Yale Babylonian Collection YBC 2409)[31][32] has been attributed to Rimush on stylistic and epigraphical grounds.[32] One of the fragments mentions Akkad and Lagash.[29] The style is airy and the figures are more refined than those from the time of Sargon of Akkad.[33] One fragment in the main inscription probably contains parts of the name of Rimush himself.[32]

It is thought that the stele represents the defeat of Lagash by the troops of Akkad.[30] The prisoners depicted in the relief are visibly Mesopotamian, and their slaughtering at the hand of Akkadian soldiers is consistent with the known accounts of Rimush.[32][33] The stele was excavated in ancient Girsu, one of the main cities of the territory of Lagash.[29] The inscription describes the attribution of large plots of land from Lagash to the Akkadian nobility, following the victory.[33]

  • Possible victory stele of king Rimush (front) Generally attributed to Rimush on stylistic grounds.[34]
    Possible victory stele of king Rimush (front) Generally attributed to Rimush on stylistic grounds.[34]
  • Possible victory stele of king Rimush (back)[35]
    Possible victory stele of king Rimush (back)[35]
  • Detail of the slaughtering of prisoners by Akkadian troops.[32]
    Detail of the slaughtering of prisoners by Akkadian troops.[32]
  • Detail of a soldier escorting a prisoner
    Detail of a soldier escorting a prisoner
  • A prisoner from Lagash, c. 2270 BC, on the Victory Stele.[30] The same hairstyle can be seen in other statues from Lagash.[32][30]
    A prisoner from Lagash, c. 2270 BC, on the Victory Stele.[30] The same hairstyle can be seen in other statues from Lagash.[32][30]
  • Fragment mentioning Akkad and Lagash, Louvre Museum, AO 2679.[32][30]
    Fragment mentioning Akkad and Lagash, Louvre Museum, AO 2679.[32][30]
  • "Abalgamash, King of Marhashi" (𒀀𒁀𒀠𒂵𒈦 𒈗 𒁀𒊏𒄴𒋳𒆠 Abalgamash Lugal Paraahshum-ki) on one of the Rimush inscriptions (Louvre Museum, AO 5476)
    "Abalgamash, King of Marhashi" (𒀀𒁀𒀠𒂵𒈦 𒈗 𒁀𒊏𒄴𒋳𒆠 Abalgamash Lugal Paraahshum-ki) on one of the Rimush inscriptions (Louvre Museum, AO 5476)
  • Prisoner of the Akkadian Empire, nude, fettered, drawn by nose ring, with pointed beard and vertical braid. Thought to depict a typical Marhashi.[36] 2350-2000 BC, Louvre Museum AO 5683.[30]
    Prisoner of the Akkadian Empire, nude, fettered, drawn by nose ring, with pointed beard and vertical braid. Thought to depict a typical Marhashi.[36] 2350-2000 BC, Louvre Museum AO 5683.[30]

Artifacts in the name of Rimush

  • Akkadian language cuneiform on Murex shell, with name of Rimush, 23rd century BC
    Akkadian language cuneiform on Murex shell, with name of Rimush, 23rd century BC
  • Vase in the name of "Rimush, King of Kish", albaster, Tello ancient Girsu.
    Vase in the name of "Rimush, King of Kish", albaster, Tello ancient Girsu.
  • Name of Rimush on an inscription.
    Name of Rimush on an inscription.
  • The first known Sumerian-Akkadian bilingual tablet dates from the reign of Rimush. Louvre Museum AO 5477. The top column is in Sumerian, the bottom column is its translation in Akkadian.[37][38]
    The first known Sumerian-Akkadian bilingual tablet dates from the reign of Rimush. Louvre Museum AO 5477. The top column is in Sumerian, the bottom column is its translation in Akkadian.[37][38]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rimush.

References

  1. ^ Inscription of Rimush from Tell Brak at British Museum
  2. ^ B. R. Foster, The Age of Agade, Inventing Empire in Ancient Mesopotamia, London, New York 2016 ISBN 978-1138909755
  3. ^ Helle, Sophus, "Enheduana’s World", Enheduana: The Complete Poems of the World's First Author, New Haven: Yale University Press, pp. 103-133, 2023
  4. ^ Harris, Rivkah, "The Archive of the Sin Temple in Khafajah (Tutub)", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 31–58, 1955
  5. ^ "Year Names of Rimush [CDLI Wiki]". cdli.ox.ac.uk.
  6. ^ Ulla Koch-Westenholz (2000). Babylonian Liver Omens: The Chapters Manzazu, Padanu, and Pan Takalti of the Babylonian Extispicy Series Mainly from Assurbanipal's Library. Museum Tusculanum. p. 394.
  7. ^ Samuel Noah Kramer (1963). The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-45238-8.
  8. ^ Mario Liverani (2002). "Reviewed Work: Mesopotamien. Akkade-Zeit und Ur III-Zeit. Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis 160/3 by Walther Sallaberger, Aage Westenholz, P. Attinger, M. Wäfler". Archiv für Orientforschung. 48/49: 180–181. JSTOR 41668552.
  9. ^ Steinkeller, P., "An Ur III manuscript of the Sumerian King List", in: W. Sallaberger [e.a.] (ed.), Literatur, Politik und Recht in Mesopotamien. Festschrift fü r Claus Wilcke. OBC 14. Wiesbaden, 267–29, 2003
  10. ^ Thomas, Ariane. "The Akkadian Royal Image: On a Seated Statue of Manishtushu" Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie, vol. 105, no. 1-2, 2015, pp. 86-117
  11. ^ [1] OIC 16. Tell Asmar, Khafaje and Khorsabad: Second Preliminary Report of the Iraq Expedition, Henri Frankfort, 1933
  12. ^ Eppihimer, Melissa, "Assembling King and State: The Statues of Manishtushu and the Consolidation of Akkadian Kingship", American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 114, no. 3, pp. 365–80, 2010
  13. ^ E. Sollberger and J.R. Kupper, "Inscriptions royales sumeriennes et akkadiennes", Paris, 1971
  14. ^ Ratnagar, Shereen F., "Theorizing Bronze-Age Intercultural Trade : The Evidence of the Weights", Paléorient, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 79–92, 2003
  15. ^ Weiss, Harvey, " Excavations at Tell Leilan and the Origins of North Mesopotamian cities in the Third Millennium B.C.", Paléorient, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 39–52, 1983
  16. ^ "He wears a tufted garment, an indication that he is of high rank, possibly the king himself" in Art of the first cities : the third millennium B.C. from the Mediterranean to the Indus. p. 202.
  17. ^ a b c d e Hamblin, William J. (2006). Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC: Holy Warriors at the Dawn of History. Routledge. pp. 93–94. ISBN 978-1-134-52062-6.
  18. ^ a b c d Douglas R. Frayne, "Akkad", The Sargonic and Gutian Periods (2334–2113), University of Toronto Press, pp. 5-218, 1993 ISBN 0-8020-0593-4
  19. ^ "Text of tablets CBS 13972 and Ni 3200 at CDLI". cdli.ucla.edu.
  20. ^ "CDLI-Archival View". cdli.ucla.edu.
  21. ^ Frahm, Eckart, and Elizabeth E. Payne, "Šuruppak under Rīmuš: A Rediscovered Inscription", Archiv Für Orientforschung, vol. 50, pp. 50–55, 2003
  22. ^ Fouts, David M., "Another Look at Large Numbers in Assyrian Royal Inscriptions", Journal of Near Eastern Studies, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 205–11, 1994
  23. ^ "CDLI-Found Texts". cdli.ucla.edu.
  24. ^ "CDLI-Archival View". cdli.ucla.edu.
  25. ^ "CDLI-Archival View". cdli.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  26. ^ Bryce, Trevor (2009). The Routledge Handbook of the Peoples and Places of Ancient Western Asia: The Near East from the Early Bronze Age to the fall of the Persian Empire. Routledge. p. 449. ISBN 978-1-134-15907-9.
  27. ^ Potts, D. T. (2016). The Archaeology of Elam: Formation and Transformation of an Ancient Iranian State. Cambridge University Press. pp. 96–97. ISBN 978-1-107-09469-7.
  28. ^ "CDLI-Archival View". cdli.ucla.edu.
  29. ^ a b c Heuzey, Léon (1895). "Le nom d'Agadé sur un monument de Sirpourla". Revue d'Assyriologie et d'archéologie orientale. 3 (4): 113–117. ISSN 0373-6032. JSTOR 23284246.
  30. ^ a b c d e f Thomas, Ariane; Potts, Timothy (2020). Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins. Getty Publications. ISBN 978-1-60606-649-2.
  31. ^ "Site officiel du musée du Louvre". cartelfr.louvre.fr.
  32. ^ a b c d e f g Foster, Benjamin R. (1985). "The Sargonic Victory Stele from Telloh". Iraq. 47: 15–30. doi:10.2307/4200229. ISSN 0021-0889. JSTOR 4200229.
  33. ^ a b c Art of the first cities : the third millennium B.C. from the Mediterranean to the Indus. p. 202.
  34. ^ McKeon, John F. X. (1970). "An Akkadian Victory Stele". Boston Museum Bulletin. 68 (354): 235. ISSN 0006-7997. JSTOR 4171539.
  35. ^ "Musée du Louvre-Lens - Portail documentaire - Stèle de victoire du roi Rimush (?)". ressources.louvrelens.fr (in French).
  36. ^ Álvarez-Mon, Javier; Basello, Gian Pietro; Wicks, Yasmina (2018). The Elamite World. Routledge. p. 368, note 15. ISBN 9781317329831.
  37. ^ THUREAU-DANGIN, F. (1911). "Notes Assyriologiques". Revue d'Assyriologie et d'archéologie orientale. 8 (3): 138–141. ISSN 0373-6032. JSTOR 23284567.
  38. ^ "Site officiel du musée du Louvre". cartelfr.louvre.fr.


Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Akkad
ca. 2214 - 2206 BC (short) 		Succeeded by
King of Kish, Uruk, Lagash, and Umma
ca. 2214 - 2206 BC (short)
Preceded by Overlord of Elam
ca. 2214 - 2206 BC (short)
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