middle chronology) was the last Sumerian king before the conquest of Sumer by Sargon of Akkad and the rise of the Akkadian Empire, and was considered as the only king of the third dynasty of Uruk, according to the Sumerian King List. Initially, as king of Umma, he led the final victory of Umma in the generation-long conflict with the city-state Lagash for the fertile plain of Gu-Edin. Following up on this success, he then united Sumer briefly as a single kingdom.[5]
Approximate territory of Sumer under its last king Lugal-Zage-Si, in orange, before the rise of the Akkadian Empire. Circa 2350 BCEBattle between the Sumerians (left) and the Semites, armed with bows and arrows. 20th century reconstitution.
Lugal-Zage-Si pursued an expansionist foreign policy. He began his career as
énsi of Umma, from where he conquered several of the Sumerian city-states. In the seventh year of his reign, Uruk fell under the leadership of Lugal-Zage-Si, énsi of Umma, who ultimately annexed most of the territory of Lagash under king Urukagina
, and established the first reliably documented kingdom to encompass all of Sumer. The destruction of Lagash was described in a lament (possibly the earliest recorded example of what would become a prolific Sumerian literary genre), which stressed that:
"The man of Umma ... committed a sin against
governor of Umma, may his goddess Nisaba make him carry his sin upon his neck" (alternatively – "may she carry his sin upon her neck").
Later, Lugal-Zage-Si invaded Kish, where he overthrew Ur-Zababa, Ur, Nippur, and Larsa; as well as Uruk, where he established his new capital. He ruled for 25 (or 34) years according to the Sumerian King List.[13]
Lugal-Zage-Si claimed in his inscription that Enlil gave to him "all the lands between the upper and the lower seas", that is, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf:[14]
"When Enlil, the king of all the lands, gave the kingship of the Land to Lugalzagesi, he justifyed "eyes" of the Land; he made all the lands throw themselves at his feet; from the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun, he made them prostrate before him."
Although his incursion to the Mediterranean was, in the eyes of some modern scholars, not much more than "a successful raiding party", the inscription "marks the first time that a Sumerian prince claimed to have reached what was, for them, the western edge of the world".[14] (Historical accounts from much later tablets asserted that Lugal-Anne-Mundu of Adab, a slightly earlier king, had also conquered as far as the Mediterranean and the Taurus mountains, but contemporary records for the entire period before Sargon are still far too sketchy to permit scholars to reconstruct actual events with great confidence.)
Lugal-Zage-Si himself was in turn defeated and his kingdom was annexed by Sargon of Akkad. According to later Babylonian versions of Sargon's inscriptions, Sargon of Akkad captured Lugal-Zage-Si after destroying the walls of Uruk, and led him in a neck-stock to Enlil's temple in Nippur:
"Sargon, king of
Lugalzagesi king of Uruk in the course of the battle, and led him in a collar to the gate of Enlil".
— Inscription of Sargon (Old Babylonian copy from Nippur).[16]
Nippur vase of Lugalzagesi
The Nippur vase contains an extensive dedicatory inscription by Lugalzagesi, which has been reconstructed from the fragments of the vase:[17][2]
Nippur vase inscription of Lugalzagesi[18][17][19]
Nippur vase of Lugalzagesi, reconstructed text, and some of the fragments.[17]
"For
Utu, chief minister of Suen, military governor of Utu, one who provides for Inanna, son born of Nisaba, fed rich milk by Ninhursaga, a man of Mes-sanga-Unuga, servant raised by Ningirim
the queen of Uruk, chief steward of the gods -
When Enlil, king of all the lands, had given to Lugalzagesi the kingship of the nation, and had let the eyes of the nation be directed toward him, and had placed all the lands at his feet, and had made lands from east to west subject to him, then, from the sea, the lower one, along the
Utu, happily made merry under him. Umma, the beloved city of Šara, lifted up its great horns under him. The land of Zabala
, like an ewe stripped of a lamb, did cry out under him. Ki'ana lifted up its neck skyward under him.
Lugalzagesi, king of Uruk and king of the nation, solicitously(?) serves very large food offerings to Enlil his master in Nippur, and he pours out sweet water for him. If Enlil, king of all the lands, should say to An, his beloved father, a prayer on my behalf, may he add to my life (additional) life! May the land in riverine meadows rest (contentedly) under me, may the people like sweet-smelling grasses spread out widely under me, may the breast of heaven function properly under me, and may the nation behold a pleasant place under me. May the favorable destiny, which they (An and Enlil) have determined, never alter for me! May I be forever a proud shepherd! He dedicated it (this vessel) to Enlil, his beloved master, for his life".[18][17][19]
Other inscriptions and sculptures
Lamentation about the fall of Lagash to Lugalzagesi, Urukagina period, circa 2350 BCE Tello, ancient Girsu.[20][21]
"Lugalzagesi, Governor of Umma" (𒈗𒍠𒄀𒋛 𒑐𒋼𒋛 𒄑𒆵𒆠, Lugalzagesi ensi Ummaki) in the "Lamentation about the ruin of Lagash".[22]
Prisoners escorted by a soldier, on a victory stele of Sargon of Akkad, circa 2300 BCE.
.jpg)
![Lamentation about the fall of Lagash to Lugalzagesi, Urukagina period, circa 2350 BCE Tello, ancient Girsu.[20][21]](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Lamentation_about_the_ruin_of_Lagash%2C_Uru-Ka-gina_period%2C_circa_2350_BCE_Tello%2C_ancient_Girsu.jpg/201px-Lamentation_about_the_ruin_of_Lagash%2C_Uru-Ka-gina_period%2C_circa_2350_BCE_Tello%2C_ancient_Girsu.jpg)
!["Lugalzagesi, Governor of Umma" (𒈗𒍠𒄀𒋛 𒑐𒋼𒋛 𒄑𒆵𒆠, Lugalzagesi ensi Ummaki) in the "Lamentation about the ruin of Lagash".[22]](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/Lugalzagesi_ensi_Ummaki_%28with_transcription%29.jpg/201px-Lugalzagesi_ensi_Ummaki_%28with_transcription%29.jpg)
![Prisoners escorted by a soldier, on a victory stele of Sargon of Akkad, circa 2300 BCE.[23] The hairstyle of the prisoners (curly hair on top and short hair on the sides) is characteristic of Sumerians, as also seen on the Standard of Ur.[24] Louvre Museum.](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/Prisoners_on_the_victory_stele_of_an_Akkadian_king_circa_2300_BCE_Louvre_Museum_Sb_3.jpg/148px-Prisoners_on_the_victory_stele_of_an_Akkadian_king_circa_2300_BCE_Louvre_Museum_Sb_3.jpg)
Prisoners escorted by a soldier, on a victory stele of Sargon of Akkad, circa 2300 BCE.Louvre Museum.!["Lugalzagesi, Governor of Umma" (𒈗𒍠𒄀𒋛 𒑐𒋼𒋛 𒄑𒆵𒆠, Lugalzagesi ensi Ummaki) in the "Lamentation about the ruin of Lagash".[22]](/File:Lugalzagesi_ensi_Ummaki_(with_transcription).jpg)
![Prisoners escorted by a soldier, on a victory stele of Sargon of Akkad, circa 2300 BCE.[23] The hairstyle of the prisoners (curly hair on top and short hair on the sides) is characteristic of Sumerians, as also seen on the Standard of Ur.[24] Louvre Museum.](/File:Prisoners_on_the_victory_stele_of_an_Akkadian_king_circa_2300_BCE_Louvre_Museum_Sb_3.jpg)
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