Elamite Empire

The ancient Elamite Empire lay to the east of Sumer and Akkad, in what is now southwestern Iran. The Elamites called their country haltamtu or hallatamti, which was translated as Elam by the neighboring Akkadians. The high country of Elam was later more and more identified by its low-lying later capital, Susa and called Susiana by geographers after Ptolemy. The Elamite language is unrelated to the neighboring Semitic languages, Sumerian language, and Iranian languages, and the Elamites themselves were an Alpine people who had migrated to the Iranian plateau in prehistoric times. Some scholars believe it is related to the living Dravidian languages of India (see Elamo-Dravidian languages).

Contents

1 History

2 Chronology of rulers

3 External Links

4 Reference

History

Elamite history is conventionally divided into three periods.

The Old Elamite period begins with the oldest attested Elamite kings, approximately 2700 BCE. Elam, designated NIM by Sumerian scribes, with the meaning simply of "highlands," had not previously been unified in any way, neither ethnically nor culturally. Elam fell under the political control of Akkad in the 22nd century BCE. The Avan dynasty reasserted Elam's independence. Shulgi of Ur (c. 2094-c. 2047 BC) conquered Elam for a time. About the middle of the 19th century BCE, power in Elam passed to the Eparti dynasty. Hammurabi of Babylon attacked Elam in 1764 BCE. King Kutir-Nahhunte I of Elam counter-attacked, and dealt a serious defeat to Hammurabi's son Samsu-ilana.

The Middle Elamite Period begins about 1350 BCE, after a 200 year hiatus about which little is known. Around 1160, under King Shutruk-Nahhunte, Elam defeats the Kassites to establish the first Elamite empire, which proved to be short lived; King Nebuchadnezzar I of Babylon conquered Elam around 1120, bringing the empire to an end.

Around 750 BCE, Elam reasserts its independence, bringing about the neo-Elamite cultural revival of the Late Elamite Period. Elam was conquered by the Assyrians in 645 BCE, which marks the end of Elam as an independent state. The Medes conquered Elam from the Assyrians, and the Achaemenid dynasty, an Iranian dynasty who ruled the former Elamite land of Anshan, took Susa and conquered the Median Empire, to establish the first Persian Empire.

Traditional histories have ended Elamite history with its submergence in the Achaemenids, but Greek and Latin references to "Elymeans" attest to cultural survival, according to Daniel Potts (see Refs.).

Elamite served as one of the official languages of the Persian Empire in ancient times, and Susa served as one of the four capitals of the empire. Susa also served as a capital of the Sassanid dynasty from 224 to 651 CE. The last use of Elamite script is the fourth century CE, and Elam is today known as the modern province of Khuzestan, where Iran's immense oil industry is based.

The Elamites are also mentioned by biblical historian Josephus. "For Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the Persians." AotJ I:6. According to Jewish legend, Elam is the son of Shem and the grandson of Noah.

Chronology of rulers

Avan Dynasty (precise dates unknown)

Peli (fl. c. 2500 BCE)
Tata (precise dates unknown)
Ukku-Takhesh (precise dates unknown)
Khishur (precise dates unknown)
Shushun-Tarana (precise dates unknown)
Napil-Khush (precise dates unknown)
Kikku-Sive-Temti (precise dates unknown)
Lukh-Ishshan (fl. c. 2350 BCE)
Khelu (fl. c. 2300 BCE)
Khita (fl. c. 2275 BCE)
Kutik-Inshushinnak (fl. c. 2240 BCE)

Simash Dynasty (precise dates unknown)

Gir-Namme (fl. c. 2030 BCE)
Enpi-Luhhan (fl. c. 2010 BCE)
Khutran-Temtt (precise dates unknown)
Kindattu (precise dates unknown)
Indattu-Inshushinnak I (precise dates unknown)
Tan-Rukhurater (precise dates unknown)
Indattu-Inshushinnak II (precise dates unknown)
Indattu-Napir (precise dates unknown)
Indattu-Tempt (precise dates unknown)

Eparti Dynasty (precise dates unknown)

Eparti I (precise dates unknown)
Eparti II (precise dates unknown)
Eparti III (fl. c. 1850 BCE)
Shilkhakha (precise dates unknown)
Attakhushu (fl. c. 1830 BCE)
Sirukdukh (fl. c. 1792 BCE)
Shimut-Wartash (c. 1772 - c. 1770 BCE)

Babylonian Dynasty (c. 1770 - c. 1500 BCE)

Siwe-Palar-Khuppak (c. 1770 - c. 1745 BCE)
Kuduzulush I (c. 1745 - c. 1730 BCE)
Kutir-Nahhunte I (c. 1730 - c. 1700 BCE)
Lila-Ir-Tash (c. 1700 - c. 1698 BCE)
Temti-Agun I (c. 1698 - c. 1690 BCE)
Tan-Uli (c. 1690 - c. 1655 BCE)
Temti-Khalki (c. 1655 - c. 1650 BCE)
Kuk-Nashur II (c. 1650 - c. 1635 BCE)
Kutir-Shilkhakha I (c. 1635 - c. 1625 BCE)
Temti-Raptash (c. 1625 - c. 1605 BCE)
Kuduzulush II (c. 1605 - c. 1600 BCE)
Tata (c. 1600 - c. 1580 BCE)
Atta-Merra-Khalki (c. 1580 - c. 1570 BCE)
Pala-Ishshan (c. 1570 - c. 1545 BCE)
Kuk-Kirwash (c. 1545 - c. 1520 BCE)
Kuk-Nahhunte (c. 1520 - c. 1505 BCE)
Kutir-Nahhunte II (c. 1505 - ???? BCE)

Igehalkid Dynasty (c. 1350 - c. 1200 BCE)

Ige-Halki (c. 1350 - c. 1330 BCE)
Pakhir-Ishshan (c. 1330 - c. 1310 BCE)
Attar-Kittakh (c. 1310 - c. 1300 BCE)
Khuman-Numena (c. 1300 - c. 1275 BCE)
Untash-Naprisha (c. 1275 - c. 1240 BCE)
Unpatar-Naprisha (c. 1240 - c. 1235 BCE)
Kiddin-Khutran (c. 1235 - c. 1210 BCE)

Shutrukid Dynasty (c. 1205 - c. 1100 BCE)

Khallutush-In-Shushinak (c. 1205 - c. 1185 BCE)
Shutruk-Nahhunte (c. 1185 - c. 1155 BCE)
Kutir-Nahhunte III (c. 1155 - c. 1150 BCE)
Shilkhak-In-Shushinak (c. 1150 - c. 1120 BCE)
Khutelutush-In-Shushinak (c. 1120 - c. 1110 BCE)
Shilhana-Hamru-Lagamar (c. 1110 - ???? BCE)

Late Elam Dynasty (743 - 644 BCE)

Khumbanigash I (743 - 717 BCE)
Shuttir-Nakhkhunte (717 - 699 BCE)
Khallushu (699 - 693 BCE)
Kutir-Nakhkhunte (693 - 692 BCE)
Khumma-Menanu (692 - 689 BCE)
Khumma-Khaldash I (689 - 681 BCE)
Khumma-Khaldash II (681 - 680 BCE)
Khumma-Khaldash II & Shilhak-In-Shushinak (680 - 676 BCE)
Shilhak-In-Shushinak & Urtaku (676 - 664 BCE)
Shilhak-In-Shushinak & Tempti-Khumma-In-Shushinak (664 - 653 BCE)
Atta-Khumma-In-Shushinak & Khumbanigash II (653 - 651 BCE)
Atta-Khumma-In-Shushinak & Tammaritu (651 - 649 BCE)
Atta-Khumma-In-Shushinak & Indabigash (649 - 648 BCE)
Indabigash (648 - 647 BCE)
Khumma-Khaldash III (647 - 644 BCE)

External Links

Reference

Daniel T. Potts, The archaeology of Elam: formation and transformation of an ancient Iranian state, Cambridge U., 1999 ISBN 0521564964 and ISBN 0521563585

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