| Ili-Ishar | |
| Military governor of Mari | |
| Reign: | c.2100 BCE |
| Predecessor: | Iddi-ilum |
| Successor: | Tura-Dagan (brother) |
| Dynasty: | Shakkanakku dynasty |
Ili-Ishar, also Ilum-Ishar (Il3-Ishar), was a ruler of the city of Mari, northern Mesopotamia, after the fall of the Akkadian Empire c. 2084-2072 BCE.[1] His father was Apil-Kin, and his brother was Tura-Dagan, who succeeded him.[2]
He held the title of Shakkanakku (military governor), which was borne by all the princes of a dynasty who reigned at Mari in the late third millennium and early second millennium BC. These kings were the descendants of the military governors appointed by the kings of Akkad.[3] He was contemporary of the Third Dynasty of Ur, and probably their vassal.[4]
Several brick inscriptions in the name of Ili-Ishar have been found in Mari, describing the building of a canal:
On some of his inscriptions, Ili-Ishar uses the title dannum ("the Great") in front of his function Shakkanakku ("Military Governor"), a practice which is first attested at Mari from the inscriptions of Apil-Kin, and was initially introduced by Naram-Sin of the Akkadian Empire.[5]