Reign of Naram-Sin and the Golden Age of the Akkadian Empire
Rimush succeeded Sargon’s lineage and his military campaign against the Elamite states, extending his Empire eastward. However, Rimush died after only a nine-year reign, and his brother, Manishtusu, succeeded the Empire. Manishtusu spent his reign defeating rebellions and stabilizing the Empire enlarged by his father and brother’s conquest. After the death of Manishtusu, his son, Naram-Sin, succeeded the Sargonic dynasty in 2261 BCE.
Sargon and his successors expanded the Akkad into the Empire; however, its outdated infrastructure and segregated provinces debased the Empire’s control over foreign lands, creating a so-called “self-governing colony”, which is defined as a province that governs itself although it is nominally under the dominion of a foreign force. The kingdom of Lullubi in the Zagros Mountains was one of those colonies of the Akkadian Empire. Naram-Sin campaigned against the Kingdom of Lullubi to regain the colony with absolute control and enforce the centralized power structure. The Akkadian Army climbed up to the mountain and fought a fierce battle against the Lullubi tribes. Naram-Sin’s victorious campaign over Satuni, king of Lullubi, is portrayed by the Victory Stele of Naram-Sin.
The Victory Stele of Naram-Sin reflects the Sumero-Akkadian symbolism and religious depiction. The two stars on top of the mountain represent deities of Mesopotamian mythology and godhood. Under the stars is located the figure of King Naram-Sin with a size greater than any other. Under Kin Naram-Sin lay soldiers marching against Lullubi. The position of Naram-Sin is a very significant point that requires attention. As he defeats the Lullubi soldiers, he ascends the mountain and reaches very close to the stars (gods) – more than any other men. He stands above soldiers, which symbolizes mortality, and beneath the stars that reflect divinity. His position between mortality and divinity represents Naram-Sin’s authority as a god of the Earth and the intermediary between the Earth and the divine.
It is not only Naram-Sin who was described as a god—reflecting their king as “god” is often found in many centralized societies. By representing their king as being divine, the king is provided with the “divine right” as a “divine king” to rule over people. The Pharaohs of Egypt positioned themselves to be the son of Ra and the living manifestation of Horus. In ancient China, Chinese emperors called themselves Tianzi, which means son of heaven. Their rules were justified as the “mandate of heaven.”
Back in Mesopotamia, the Akkadian Empire under Naram-Sin reached the golden age. Naram-Sin titled himself the “King of the Four Quarters of the World” and promoted the city of Akkad to Mesopotamia’s capital of religion and politics. However, Naram-Sin, the king who led the Akkadian Empire to the best glory, later led the Akkadian Empire to destruction. This great irony is written in the tale named, The Curse of Agade.
The Curse of Agade
Under the reign of Naram-Sin, Akkad grew to be the greatest city of the Empire. However, Enlil, the chief of Mesopotamian gods, suddenly left the city and prevented other gods and goddesses from blessing the city. Naram-Sin had no idea what had displeased Enlil and was puzzled. Naram-Sin prayed and asked Enlil to withdraw the curse. His prayers continued for seven years, but he received no answer. Seven years of ignorance really provoked Naram-Sin, and he raised his army to invade the temple of Enlil and destroyed it.
Enraged by the attack, Enlil sent the Gutian tribes, known for their barbarous ferocity, to raid Akkad. After the Gutian invasion, Enlil cursed famine over the land of the Akkadian Empire, and Akkad became a dead city of corpses and ruins. Naram-Sin’s impatience and arrogance had led to the fall of the Empire.
The story tells of the end of the Akkadian Empire under Naram-Sin’s reign. However, in fact, no historical evidence supports the poem. It is very likely that the Curse of Agade is a parody of the real fall of Akkad in the late 22th century BCE at the reign of Naram-Sin’s son, Shar-Kali-Sharri, due to the invasion of barbarians and the famine.
Reign of Shar-Kali-Sharri and the Fall of the Akkadian Empire
Naram-Sin was succeeded by his son, Shar-Kali-Sharri. As soon as he inherited the Empire, Shar-Kali-Sharri had to deal with the raid from Gutian people in the Zagros Mountains range. Gutian nomads did not possess any systemized writing system, and therefore much of Gutian history is based on ancient Sumerian texts. The eastern territory of the Akkadian Empire has been their primary target of invasion and settlement. Shar-Kali-Sharri, after years of war, was able to capture one of the Gutian kings. However, increased taxes and indifference on the Sumerian mainland caused the Empire to disintegrate from its heartland. Many vassalized city-states of Sumer rebelled against the Akkadian rule.
Lagash, one of the powerful cities in the Akkadian Empire, throned Puzer-Mama as their new governor. Puzer-Mama, unlike his predecessor, Lugalusumgal, who swore to be the servant of Shar-Kali-Sharri, rebelled against the Akkadian Empire and liberated Lagash, proclaiming the second dynasty of Lagash.
The rebellions and chaos of the Sumerian Mainland significantly weakened the Empire. Shar-Kali-Sharri himself died in 2193 BC, marking the end of the world’s first Empire. A great famine spread throughout Mesopotamia, worsening the chaos and creating a huge power vacuum in the land with the absence of Akkadian supremacy. The absence of a centralized government delved Mesopotamia into the dark ages, similar to the European Dark Age which started after the fall of the Roman Empire (The term “Dark Age” differs in meaning in Europe and Mesopotamia. Europe derives the term from its lack of cultural advancement while Mesopotamia derives the term from its anarchy and chaotic political situation). The Sumerian King List writes, “Who was king? Who was not king?” revealing how countless Sumerian princes rose and failed to secure the power.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lista_Reale_Sumerica.jpg
Who was king? Who was not king?
Was Igigi king?
Was Nanum king?
Was Imi king?
Was Elulu king?
….
Agade (Akkad) was smitten with weapons; Its kingship to Uruk was carried.
In Uruk Ur-nigin became king
….
Uruk was smitten with weapons, its kingship to the horde of Gutium was carried.
In the horde of Gutium, a king without a name!
Gutium was smitten with weapons, its kingship to Uruk was carried.
….
Uruk was smitten with weapons, its kingship to Ur was carried.
In Ur, Ur-Nammu became king.
(Translation of Column VII 1 – VIII 10 of Sumerian King List)
Its kingship to Ur was carried. Ur-Nammu became the king, established Ur III (Third Dynasty of Ur), and ended the marathon for Sumerian dominance. The following blog entry will discuss how the throne of Sumer came back to the “Kings of Sumer Blood” and how the first legislation of history was made.