Marduk-z kir- umi, inscribed ^mdPA-za-kir-MU in a reconstruction of two kinglists,^[1][2] Marduk pronounced the name, ^[3] was a king of Babylon 855-819 BC during the mixed dynastic period referred to in antiquity as the dynasty of E. He was a contemporary of Assyrian kings, ulm nu-a ar du III)^[4] (859 824 BC) and am i-Adad V (824 811 BC) with whom he was allied.^[5]

Biography

There are few contemporary inscriptions bearing witness to his reign. A kudurru^[6] granting Ibni-I tar, a kal -priest of the temple of Eanna in Uruk, land by Marduk-z kir- umi, is dated to his second year.^[7] Nazi-Enlil was governor or andabakku (inscribed ^L G .EN.NA) of Nippur, the first appearance of this office since Kassite times, as he appears as a witness along with the crown prince, Marduk-bal ssu-iqbi. A second kudurru records a private land sale near Dilbat.^[8] His son, Enlil-apla-u ur, was to succeed him in Marduk-bal ssu-iqbi s reign.^[9] A lapis Lazuli seal of this king depicting Marduk's statue resting on his pet dragon, Mu u u, was an offering intended to be hung around an idol's neck.^[10]

Marduk-b l-u ati s revolt

His younger brother, Marduk-b l-u ati (inscribed ^mdAMAR.UTU-EN- -sat), rebelled and established a brief regime in the Diy la region, seizing Daban.^[11] Assyrian sources describe him as ar amm i, "usurper." During years 851 and 850 BC, the Assyrian king ulm nu-a ar du III came to Marduk-z kir- umi s aid (ana n r r ti u) and campaigned in concert^[12] to force him to flee to Jasubu mountainous northeast area of lower Diy la. During the first of the campaigns, Marduk-b l-u ati made a stand at Ganannate but was defeated outside the city walls. He was able to take refuge within the city which remained unconquered. The second campaign resulted in the city s fall and he beat a hasty retreat with some of his officers, escaping "like a fox through a hole" to the city of Arman ( alman) which itself was taken after a siege.^[13] ulm nu-a ar du left an account of these events on his Black Obelisk:

During his campaign, ulm nu-a ar du captured the city of Baqani, extracting tribute from Adini of Bit-Dakkuri,^[14] also from Mu allim-Marduk of the Amukani and the leader of the Yakin tribes, the earliest attestation of these Chaldean groups and made a pilgrimage to Babylon where he recounted "I ascended to Esagila, the palace of the gods, the abode of the king of all "^[15][16] He practiced his religious devotions at other cultic shrines as his Black Obelisk recalls I went to the great urban centers. I made sacrifices in Babylon, Borsippa and Kutha. ^[17][18] A relief from the front of his throne base^[19] depicts him gripping Marduk-z kir- umi s hand in a public display of Assyro-Babylonian friendship.^[16] The kings are flanked by beardless youths identified as the crown princes and presumed to be am i-Adad V and Marduk-bal ssu-iqbi, who would eventually come to conflict.

Babylonian intervention in the Assyrian succession

The opportunity came for Marduk-z kir- umi to return the favor when, in his 32^nd year of rule, ca. 826 BC, ulm nu-a ar du's own son, A ur-danin-apli ("A ur has strengthened the son") rebelled against his father. am i-Adad V recalled:

The Synchronistic History remains curiously silent on these events, but a treaty^[20] between am i-Adad and Marduk-z kir- umi seems to place the Assyrian in an inferior position, indicative of his reliance on and debt to the Babylonian king. It concludes with a series of curses apparently copied from the Code of Hammurabi^[21] and notably omitting the god A ur:

It may well have been concluded while ulm nu-a ar du was still alive and been accompanied by the diplomatic marriage of Marduk-z kir- umi's daughter, Shammuramat, the inspiration for the legend of Semiramis, to am i-Adad. The consequences were, however, that am i-Adad resented his subordinate position and came to wreak a terrible revenge during the reign of Marduk-z kir- umi's son and heir, Marduk-bal ssu-iqbi.

See also

• Marduk-zakir- umi I kudurru

External links

• Kuddurru of the Babylonian King Marduk-Zakir-Shumi, Iran, Late Assyrian Period, circa 850 BC baghdadmuseum.org. 2006. Retrieved on 2009-09-07.

Inscriptions

1. ↑ Synchronistic Kinglist KAV 10 (VAT 11261) ii 9.
2. ↑ Synchronistic Kinglist KAV 182 (Ass. 13956dh) iii 12.
3. ↑ umu 1c CAD III p. 289.
4. ↑ Synchronistic Kinglist, KAV 216 (Ass. 14616c), iii 20.
5. ↑ Eclectic Chronicle (ABC 24) BM 27859 reverse (r 5-7).
6. ↑ Kudurru AO 6684 in the Louvre, published as RA 16 (1919) 125 126.
7. ↑
8. ↑
9. ↑ 4 N-T 3:11'.
10. ↑
11. ↑ Synchronistic Chronicle (ABC 21), K4401a + Rm 854, iii 27-35.
12. ↑ The Assyrian account recalls: issu Marduk-z kir- umi ik uda g r u, after Marduk-z kir- umi had conquered his enemies.
13. ↑
14. ↑ Door fitting from the Balawat Gates, BM 124660.
15. ↑ e-li-ma ana -sag-ila .GAL DINGIR.ME u-bat MAN gim-ri
16. ↑ ^{a b} iv 6.
17. ↑ a-na ma- a-zi rab ti^me a-lik niq (udu.siskur)^me ina B bili^ki Barsip^ki Ku-te-e^ki pu .
18. ↑
19. ↑ ND 1 1000 = IM 65574, throne base from Fort Shalmaneser (Nimrud).
20. ↑ Stone tablet of treaty, Rm.II 427 (Weidner, AfO 8 (1932-33) 27-29; SAA II 001).
21. ↑

Notes

1. ↑ Synchronistic Kinglist KAV 10 (VAT 11261) ii 9.
2. ↑ Synchronistic Kinglist KAV 182 (Ass. 13956dh) iii 12.
3. ↑ umu 1c CAD III p. 289.
4. ↑ Synchronistic Kinglist, KAV 216 (Ass. 14616c), iii 20.
5. ↑ Eclectic Chronicle (ABC 24) BM 27859 reverse (r 5-7).
6. ↑ Kudurru AO 6684 in the Louvre, published as RA 16 (1919) 125 126.
7. ↑
8. ↑
9. ↑ 4 N-T 3:11'.
10. ↑
11. ↑ Synchronistic Chronicle (ABC 21), K4401a + Rm 854, iii 27-35.
12. ↑ The Assyrian account recalls: issu Marduk-z kir- umi ik uda g r u, after Marduk-z kir- umi had conquered his enemies.
13. ↑
14. ↑ Door fitting from the Balawat Gates, BM 124660.
15. ↑ e-li-ma ana -sag-ila .GAL DINGIR.ME u-bat MAN gim-ri
16. ↑ ^{a b} iv 6.
17. ↑ a-na ma- a-zi rab ti^me a-lik niq (udu.siskur)^me ina B bili^ki Barsip^ki Ku-te-e^ki pu .
18. ↑
19. ↑ ND 1 1000 = IM 65574, throne base from Fort Shalmaneser (Nimrud).
20. ↑ Stone tablet of treaty, Rm.II 427 (Weidner, AfO 8 (1932-33) 27-29; SAA II 001).
21. ↑

References

fr:Marduk-zakir-shumi Ier pl:Marduk-zakir-szumi I ru: - - I sh:Marduk-zakir- umi I sv:Marduk-zakir-shumi I zh: