Paul-Alain Beaulieu, PhD, is Professor of Assyriology at the University of Toronto. He is the author of several articles and books on the history and culture of Babylonia, as well as the greater spectrum of Mesopotamian history. He has been teaching Assyriology and Ancient Near Eastern History for more than twenty years.

• List of Illustrations xiiList of Tables xivList of Maps xviPreface xviiList of Abbreviations xixAuthor’s Note xx1 Introductory Concerns 11.1 Assyriology and the Writing of History 31.1.1 Cuneiform Texts as Historical Sources 41.2 Historical Science and the Handling of Sources 171.3 Chronology 202 The Sumero‐Akkadian Background 242.1 Babylonia as Geographic Unit 242.2 The Natural Environment 252.3 The Neolithic Revolution 282.4 The Ubaid Period (6500–4000) 292.5 The Uruk Period (4000–3100) 302.6 The Jemdet Nasr Period (3100–2900) 312.7 The Early Dynastic Period (2900–2350) 342.7.1 The State of Lagash 382.7.2 Babylon in the Early Dynastic Period 402.8 The Sargonic (Old Akkadian) and Gutian Periods (ca. 2334–2113) 412.8.1 Akkadian and Sumerian Linguistic Areas 422.8.2 The Early Sargonic Period (ca. 2334–2255) 442.8.3 The Classical Sargonic Period (ca. 2254–2193) 462.8.4 Babylon in the Sargonic Period 502.8.5 The Late Sargonic (ca. 2193–2154) and Gutian Periods (ca. 2153–2113) 512.9 The Third Dynasty of Ur (2112–2004) 522.9.1 King of Sumer and Akkad 532.9.2 Shulgi’s Babylonia 542.9.3 Failure of the Ur III State 562.9.4 Babylon during the Ur III Period 573 The Rise of Babylon 603.1 The First Dynasty of Isin (2017–1794) 623.2 The Amorites 643.2.1 Amorite Genealogies and Histories 663.3 Date Lists and King Lists of Babylon I 683.4 Elusive Beginnings 693.5 Sumu‐la‐el (1880–1845) 703.5.1 The Letter of Anam and the Babylon‐Uruk Alliance 713.6 Half a Century of Stability (1844–1793) 723.6.1 The Battle for Kazallu 743.6.2 The Apex of Larsa 753.7 Hammu‐rabi (1792–1750) 763.7.1 In the Shadow of Samsi‐Addu (1792–1775) 773.7.2 Eshnunna’s Bid for Hegemony (1772–1770) 793.7.3 A Fragile Equilibrium (1769–1766) 803.7.4 The Elamite Intervention and its Aftermath (1766–1764) 823.7.5 Showdown with Larsa (1764–1763) 833.7.6 The Capture and Sack of Mari (1761–1759) 853.7.7 Towards an Empire (1759–1750) 853.7.8 The Code of Hammu‐rabi 863.7.9 Hammu‐rabi as Administrator 924 Decline of the First Dynasty 974.1 The Reign of Samsu‐iluna (1749–1712) 974.1.1 The Rebellion of Rim‐Sin II (1742–1740) 994.1.2 The Rebellion of Rim‐Anum (1742–1740) 1004.1.3 The Invasion of the Kassites (1742) 1014.1.4 Samsu‐iluna Strikes Back 1014.1.5 Sargonic Reveries 1024.1.6 Loss of Southern Babylonia 1034.1.7 Northern Exertions 1044.1.8 Loss of Central Babylonia and Rise of the Sealand 1084.1.9 From Sumerian to Akkadian Literature 1084.1.10 Samsu‐iluna as Administrator and Legislator 1094.2 The Last Century of Babylon I (1711–1595) 1114.2.1 Abi‐eshuh (1711–1684) 1114.2.2 Ammi‐ditana (1683–1647) 1134.2.3 Ammi‐saduqa (1646–1626) 1144.2.4 Samsu‐ditana (1625–1595) 1174.2.5 The City of Babylon during the First Dynasty 1195 Kassite Ascendancy 1225.1 The Kassites as Linguistic and Cultural Group 1225.2 The Early Kassite Period (1595–ca. 1400) 1255.2.1 The Texts from Tell Muhammad 1255.2.2 The Early Kassite Rulers (Sixteenth Century) 1275.2.3 The First Dynasty of the Sealand (ca. 1725–1475) 1295.2.4 The Reunification of Babylonia 1315.3 Kassite Babylonia: The Documentary Evidence 1325.3.1 A New Source: The Kudurrus 1335.4 Karduniash: A New Babylonia 1355.4.1 Kurigalzu I 1375.4.2 Dur‐Kurigalzu: A Kassite Royal Residence 1375.5 The Age of Amarna 1405.6 The Rise of Assyria 1425.7 The Middle Kassite Period (1332–1225) 1435.7.1 Ruralization of Babylonia 1455.7.2 Nippur as Southern Capital 1465.8 The Intervention of Tukulti‐Ninurta I and its Aftermath 1475.9 End of the Kassite Regime (1186–1155) 1505.10 Akkadian Literature under the Kassites 1516 Second Dynasty of Isin 1546.1 Marduk and Nabu 1576.2 Renewed Conflict with Assyria 1586.3 Nebuchadnezzar I (1121–1100) 1596.3.1 The Elamite Campaign and the Return of Marduk 1596.3.2 Enuma Elish and the Supremacy of Marduk 1616.3.3 Nebuchadnezzar I and Royal Legitimacy 1636.4 Sealand Memories under Enlil‐nadin‐apli (1099–1096) 1646.5 Marduk‐nadin‐ahhe (1095–1078) 1646.5.1 Aramean Invasions 1676.6 Marduk‐shapik‐zeri (1077–1065) 1676.7 Adad‐apla‐iddina (1064–1043) 1686.8 The End of Isin II (1042–1022) 1697 Arameans and Chaldeans 1717.1 The Arameans 1727.2 The Chaldeans 1737.3 Three Short Dynasties 1767.4 The Dynasty of E 1787.4.1 Nabu‐mukin‐apli (974–939) 1797.4.2 Assyrian Resurgence 1797.4.3 Nabu‐apla‐iddina 1807.4.4 Marduk‐zakir‐shumi I 1827.4.5 Descent into Anarchy (819–770?) 1837.4.6 Eriba‐Marduk 1867.4.7 Nabu‐shuma‐ishkun (760?–748) 1867.4.8 Nabonassar (747–734) 1888 The Assyrian Century 1938.1 The Rebellion of Mukin‐zeri 1968.2 The palû of Baltil (728–722) 1978.3 Marduk‐apla‐iddina II and Chaldean Resistance (721–709) 1988.4 The palû of Habigal (709–694) 2018.5 The Two Shuzubus (694–689) 2048.6 Sennacherib’s Desecration of Babylon (689–681) 2068.7 Esarhaddon Restores Babylon (681–669) 2088.7.1 A New Generation of Opponents 2098.8 Regnant Siblings (669–652) 2118.9 Civil War (652–648) 2148.10 Ashurbanipal and Kandalanu (647–630/27) 2169 Imperial Heyday 2199.1 Sources 2209.1.1 Neo‐Babylonian Archives 2219.1.2 Spread of Aramaic 2229.2 Power Struggle for Babylonia (630–620) 2239.3 A Chaldeo‐Aramean Empire 2249.4 The Fall of Assyria (616–609) 2259.5 Nabopolassar and the Restoration of Babylonia 2279.6 Nebuchadnezzar in the Levant 2279.7 The Climax of Babylon 2299.7.1 Economic Expansion 2329.7.2 Administration of Babylonia 2339.7.3 Methods of Imperial Control 2359.8 A Problematic Succession (562–556) 2379.9 Babylon’s Twilight: The Reign of Nabonidus (555–539) 2389.9.1 The Conquest of North Arabia 2399.9.2 Geopolitical Upheaval 2409.9.3 The Last Days of Imperial Babylon 24310 Babylon under Foreign Rule 24610.1 Cyrus Enters Babylon 24710.2 A Smooth Transition 24810.3 The Babylonian Pretenders of 522–521 25010.4 The Reforms of Darius I 25110.5 The Babylonian Pretenders of 484 25310.6 Babylonia in the Late Achaemenid Period 25410.7 Hellenistic Babylonia 25610.8 Alexander and his Successors in Babylon (331–311) 25710.9 Babylon and Seleucia 25910.10 An Age of Renewal 26110.11 Hellenization of Babylonia 26310.12 Parthian Takeover 26510.13 Sic Transit 266Appendix: Checklist of Chronicles 269Bibliography 271Index 273

Paul-Alain Beaulieu, PhD, is Professor of Assyriology at the University of Toronto. He is the author of several articles and books on the history and culture of Babylonia, as well as the greater spectrum of Mesopotamian history. He has been teaching Assyriology and Ancient Near Eastern History for more than twenty years.

• List of Illustrations xiiList of Tables xivList of Maps xviPreface xviiList of Abbreviations xixAuthor’s Note xx1 Introductory Concerns 11.1 Assyriology and the Writing of History 31.1.1 Cuneiform Texts as Historical Sources 41.2 Historical Science and the Handling of Sources 171.3 Chronology 202 The Sumero‐Akkadian Background 242.1 Babylonia as Geographic Unit 242.2 The Natural Environment 252.3 The Neolithic Revolution 282.4 The Ubaid Period (6500–4000) 292.5 The Uruk Period (4000–3100) 302.6 The Jemdet Nasr Period (3100–2900) 312.7 The Early Dynastic Period (2900–2350) 342.7.1 The State of Lagash 382.7.2 Babylon in the Early Dynastic Period 402.8 The Sargonic (Old Akkadian) and Gutian Periods (ca. 2334–2113) 412.8.1 Akkadian and Sumerian Linguistic Areas 422.8.2 The Early Sargonic Period (ca. 2334–2255) 442.8.3 The Classical Sargonic Period (ca. 2254–2193) 462.8.4 Babylon in the Sargonic Period 502.8.5 The Late Sargonic (ca. 2193–2154) and Gutian Periods (ca. 2153–2113) 512.9 The Third Dynasty of Ur (2112–2004) 522.9.1 King of Sumer and Akkad 532.9.2 Shulgi’s Babylonia 542.9.3 Failure of the Ur III State 562.9.4 Babylon during the Ur III Period 573 The Rise of Babylon 603.1 The First Dynasty of Isin (2017–1794) 623.2 The Amorites 643.2.1 Amorite Genealogies and Histories 663.3 Date Lists and King Lists of Babylon I 683.4 Elusive Beginnings 693.5 Sumu‐la‐el (1880–1845) 703.5.1 The Letter of Anam and the Babylon‐Uruk Alliance 713.6 Half a Century of Stability (1844–1793) 723.6.1 The Battle for Kazallu 743.6.2 The Apex of Larsa 753.7 Hammu‐rabi (1792–1750) 763.7.1 In the Shadow of Samsi‐Addu (1792–1775) 773.7.2 Eshnunna’s Bid for Hegemony (1772–1770) 793.7.3 A Fragile Equilibrium (1769–1766) 803.7.4 The Elamite Intervention and its Aftermath (1766–1764) 823.7.5 Showdown with Larsa (1764–1763) 833.7.6 The Capture and Sack of Mari (1761–1759) 853.7.7 Towards an Empire (1759–1750) 853.7.8 The Code of Hammu‐rabi 863.7.9 Hammu‐rabi as Administrator 924 Decline of the First Dynasty 974.1 The Reign of Samsu‐iluna (1749–1712) 974.1.1 The Rebellion of Rim‐Sin II (1742–1740) 994.1.2 The Rebellion of Rim‐Anum (1742–1740) 1004.1.3 The Invasion of the Kassites (1742) 1014.1.4 Samsu‐iluna Strikes Back 1014.1.5 Sargonic Reveries 1024.1.6 Loss of Southern Babylonia 1034.1.7 Northern Exertions 1044.1.8 Loss of Central Babylonia and Rise of the Sealand 1084.1.9 From Sumerian to Akkadian Literature 1084.1.10 Samsu‐iluna as Administrator and Legislator 1094.2 The Last Century of Babylon I (1711–1595) 1114.2.1 Abi‐eshuh (1711–1684) 1114.2.2 Ammi‐ditana (1683–1647) 1134.2.3 Ammi‐saduqa (1646–1626) 1144.2.4 Samsu‐ditana (1625–1595) 1174.2.5 The City of Babylon during the First Dynasty 1195 Kassite Ascendancy 1225.1 The Kassites as Linguistic and Cultural Group 1225.2 The Early Kassite Period (1595–ca. 1400) 1255.2.1 The Texts from Tell Muhammad 1255.2.2 The Early Kassite Rulers (Sixteenth Century) 1275.2.3 The First Dynasty of the Sealand (ca. 1725–1475) 1295.2.4 The Reunification of Babylonia 1315.3 Kassite Babylonia: The Documentary Evidence 1325.3.1 A New Source: The Kudurrus 1335.4 Karduniash: A New Babylonia 1355.4.1 Kurigalzu I 1375.4.2 Dur‐Kurigalzu: A Kassite Royal Residence 1375.5 The Age of Amarna 1405.6 The Rise of Assyria 1425.7 The Middle Kassite Period (1332–1225) 1435.7.1 Ruralization of Babylonia 1455.7.2 Nippur as Southern Capital 1465.8 The Intervention of Tukulti‐Ninurta I and its Aftermath 1475.9 End of the Kassite Regime (1186–1155) 1505.10 Akkadian Literature under the Kassites 1516 Second Dynasty of Isin 1546.1 Marduk and Nabu 1576.2 Renewed Conflict with Assyria 1586.3 Nebuchadnezzar I (1121–1100) 1596.3.1 The Elamite Campaign and the Return of Marduk 1596.3.2 Enuma Elish and the Supremacy of Marduk 1616.3.3 Nebuchadnezzar I and Royal Legitimacy 1636.4 Sealand Memories under Enlil‐nadin‐apli (1099–1096) 1646.5 Marduk‐nadin‐ahhe (1095–1078) 1646.5.1 Aramean Invasions 1676.6 Marduk‐shapik‐zeri (1077–1065) 1676.7 Adad‐apla‐iddina (1064–1043) 1686.8 The End of Isin II (1042–1022) 1697 Arameans and Chaldeans 1717.1 The Arameans 1727.2 The Chaldeans 1737.3 Three Short Dynasties 1767.4 The Dynasty of E 1787.4.1 Nabu‐mukin‐apli (974–939) 1797.4.2 Assyrian Resurgence 1797.4.3 Nabu‐apla‐iddina 1807.4.4 Marduk‐zakir‐shumi I 1827.4.5 Descent into Anarchy (819–770?) 1837.4.6 Eriba‐Marduk 1867.4.7 Nabu‐shuma‐ishkun (760?–748) 1867.4.8 Nabonassar (747–734) 1888 The Assyrian Century 1938.1 The Rebellion of Mukin‐zeri 1968.2 The palû of Baltil (728–722) 1978.3 Marduk‐apla‐iddina II and Chaldean Resistance (721–709) 1988.4 The palû of Habigal (709–694) 2018.5 The Two Shuzubus (694–689) 2048.6 Sennacherib’s Desecration of Babylon (689–681) 2068.7 Esarhaddon Restores Babylon (681–669) 2088.7.1 A New Generation of Opponents 2098.8 Regnant Siblings (669–652) 2118.9 Civil War (652–648) 2148.10 Ashurbanipal and Kandalanu (647–630/27) 2169 Imperial Heyday 2199.1 Sources 2209.1.1 Neo‐Babylonian Archives 2219.1.2 Spread of Aramaic 2229.2 Power Struggle for Babylonia (630–620) 2239.3 A Chaldeo‐Aramean Empire 2249.4 The Fall of Assyria (616–609) 2259.5 Nabopolassar and the Restoration of Babylonia 2279.6 Nebuchadnezzar in the Levant 2279.7 The Climax of Babylon 2299.7.1 Economic Expansion 2329.7.2 Administration of Babylonia 2339.7.3 Methods of Imperial Control 2359.8 A Problematic Succession (562–556) 2379.9 Babylon’s Twilight: The Reign of Nabonidus (555–539) 2389.9.1 The Conquest of North Arabia 2399.9.2 Geopolitical Upheaval 2409.9.3 The Last Days of Imperial Babylon 24310 Babylon under Foreign Rule 24610.1 Cyrus Enters Babylon 24710.2 A Smooth Transition 24810.3 The Babylonian Pretenders of 522–521 25010.4 The Reforms of Darius I 25110.5 The Babylonian Pretenders of 484 25310.6 Babylonia in the Late Achaemenid Period 25410.7 Hellenistic Babylonia 25610.8 Alexander and his Successors in Babylon (331–311) 25710.9 Babylon and Seleucia 25910.10 An Age of Renewal 26110.11 Hellenization of Babylonia 26310.12 Parthian Takeover 26510.13 Sic Transit 266Appendix: Checklist of Chronicles 269Bibliography 271Index 273