List of Mesopotamian dynasties explained

The history of Mesopotamia extends from the Lower Paleolithic period until the establishment of the Caliphate in the late 7th century AD, after which the region came to be known as Iraq. This list covers dynasties and monarchs of Mesopotamia up until the fall of the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 539 BC, after which native Mesopotamian monarchs never again ruled the region.

The earliest records of writing are known from the Uruk period (or "Protoliterate period") in the 4th millennium BC, with documentation of actual historical events, and the ancient history of the region, being known from the middle of the third millennium BC onwards, alongside cuneiform records written by early kings. This period, known as the Early Dynastic Period, is typically subdivided into three: 2900–2750 BC (ED I), 2750–2600 BC (ED II) and 2600–2350 BC (ED III),^[1] and was followed by Akkadian (~2350–2100 BC) and Neo-Sumerian (2112–2004 BC) periods, after which Mesopotamia was most often divided between Assyria in the north and Babylonia in the south. In 609 BC, after about a century of the kings of the Neo-Assyrian Empire ruling both Assyria and Babylonia, the Neo-Babylonian Empire destroyed Assyria and became the sole power in Mesopotamia. The conquest of Babylon by the Achaemenid Empire in 539 BC initiated centuries of Iranian rule (under the Achaemenid, Parthian and Sasanian empires), which was only briefly interrupted by the Hellenistic Argeads and Seleucids (331–141 BC) and the Roman Empire (AD 116–117).

This list follows the middle chronology, the most widely used chronology of Mesopotamian history.

Early dynastic period (c. 2900–2350 BC)

Before the rise of the Akkadian Empire in the 24th century BC, Mesopotamia was fragmented into a number of city states. Whereas some surviving Mesopotamian documents, such as the Sumerian King List, describe this period as one where there was only one legitimate king at any one given time, and kingship was transferred from city to city sequentially, the historical reality was that there were often many political leaders at any one given time. The Sumerian King List is generally not regarded as historically reliable given the exaggerated reign lengths (some rulers are described as ruling for hundreds or even thousands of years) and the fact that out of the massive amount of pre-Akkadian rulers listed in the SKL, very few are actually attested in surviving evidence from the Early Dynastic period. It is considered most appropriate by modern scholars to rely solely on actual Early Dynastic sources for reconstructing historical events during the Early Dynastic period. As such, the table below only lists rulers whose existence is attested by other more contemporary sources.

Century	Kish	Uruk	Ur	Lagash	Umma	Adab
2600s BC	EnmebaragesiAga of KishUhub Mesilim Meskiagnun Elulu	Gilgamesh	A-Imdugud Ur-Pabilsag Meskalamdug Akalamdug Mesannepada A'annepada Meskiagnun Elulu
2500s BC				En-hegal Lugalshaengur Ur-Nanshe Akurgal	Pabilgagaltuku Ush
2400s BC	Lugal-kinishe-dudu Lugal-kisalsi	Lugal-kinishe-dudu Lugal-kisalsi	Lugal-kinishe-dudu Lugal-kisalsi	Eannatum Enannatum I Entemena Enannatum II Enentarzi	Enakalle Ur-Lumma Il Gishakidu Edin Meanedu Ushurdu	Lugal-Anne-Mundu Mug-si E-iginimpa'e
2300s BC	Lugal-zage-si	Enshakushanna Lugal-zage-si	Lugalanda Urukagina Lugal-zage-si	Lugalanda Urukagina Lugal-zage-si	Ukush Lugal-zage-si	Meskigal Lugal-zage-si

Akkadian and Neo-Sumerian periods (c. 2334–2004 BC)

Akkad			Gutium			Lagash			Uruk / Ur
Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref
Sargonic dynasty
Sargon	2334–2279 BC
Rimush	2278–2270 BC
Manishtushu	2269–2255 BC					Second dynasty of Lagash
Naram-Sin	2254–2218 BC		Gutian dynasty			Lugal-ushumgal	2230–2210 BC
Shar-Kali-Sharri	2217–2193 BC		Erridupizir	2220–2202 BC		Puzer-Mama	around 2210 BC		Fourth dynasty of Uruk
			Imta	2202–2199 BC		Ur-Ningirsu I	around 2200 BC		Ur-nigin	around 2200 BC
						Pirig-me	around 2200 BC		Ur-gigir	around 2200 BC
			Inkishush	2199–2195 BC
Igigi (non-dynastic)	2193 BC		Sarlagab	2195–2192 BC					Kuda	uncertain
Imi (non-dynastic)	2192 BC		Shulme	2192–2186 BC		Lu-Baba	uncertain		Puzur-ili	uncertain
Nanum (non-dynastic)	2191 BC
Ilulu (non-dynastic)	2190 BC					Lugula	uncertain		Ur-Utu	uncertain
Dudu	2189–2169 BC		Elulmesh	2186–2180 BC
			Inimabakesh	2180–2175 BC
			Igeshaush	2175–2169 BC		Kaku	uncertain
Shu-turul	2168–2154 BC		Yarlagab	2169–2154 BC
Akkad defeated by the Gutians
			Ibate	2154–2151 BC		Ur-Baba	2157–2144 BC
			Yarla	2151–2148 BC
			Kurum	2148–2147 BC
			Apilkin	2147–2144 BC
			La-erabum	2144–2142 BC		Gudea	2144–2124 BC
			Irarum	2142–2140 BC
			Ibranum	2140–2139 BC
			Hablum	2139–2137 BC
			Puzur-Suen	2137–2130 BC
			Yarlaganda	2130–2123 BC
			Si'um	2123–2116 BC		Ur-Ningirsu II	2124–2119 BC		Fifth dynasty of Uruk
			Tirigan	2116 BC		Ur-gar	2117–2113 BC		Utu-hengal	2119–2113 BC
Gutians defeated by Utu-Hengal of Uruk									Third dynasty of Ur
						Nam-mahani	2113–2110 BC		Ur-Nammu	2112–2095 BC
						Lagash defeated by Ur-Nammu of Ur			Shulgi	2094–2047 BC
									Amar-Sin	2046–2038 BC
									Shu-Sin	2037–2029 BC
									Ibbi-Sin	2028–2004 BC

Isin–Larsa and rise of Babylon (c. 2025–1750 BC)

Southern Mesopotamia												Northern Mesopotamia
Isin			Larsa			Babylon			Uruk			Eshnunna			Assyria
Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref
First dynasty of Isin			Dynasty of Larsa									Dynasty of Eshnunna			Puzur-Ashur dynasty
Ishbi-Erra	2017–1985 BC		Naplanum	2025–2005 BC								Ituria	uncertain		Puzur-Ashur I	uncertain
			Emisum	2004–1977 BC								Ilushuilia	uncertain		Shalim-ahum	uncertain
Shu-Ilishu	1984–1975 BC											Nurakhum	uncertain		Ilu-shuma	uncertain
Iddin-Dagan	1974–1954 BC		Samium	1976–1942 BC								Kirikiri	uncertain		Erishum I	1974–1935 BC
Ishme-Dagan	1953–1935 BC		Zabaia	1941–1933 BC								Bilalama	uncertain
Lipit-Eshtar	1934–1924 BC		Gungunum	1932–1906 BC								Azuzum	uncertain		Ikunum	1934–1921 BC
Ur-Ninurta	1923–1896 BC		Abisare	1905–1895 BC		Amorite dynasty (Dynasty I)						Ipiq-Adad I	uncertain		Sargon I	1920–1881 BC
Bur-Suen	1895–1874 BC		Sumuel	1894–1866 BC		Sumu-abum	1894–1881 BC					Shiqlanum	uncertain
Lipit-Enlil	1873–1869 BC											Abdi-Erah	uncertain		Puzur-Ashur II	1880–1873 BC
Erra-imitti	1868–1861 BC		Nur-Adad	1865–1850 BC		Sumu-la-El	1880–1845 BC		Sixth dynasty of Uruk			Belakum	uncertain
Enlil-bani	1860–1837 BC		Sin-Iddinam	1849–1843 BC					Sin-kashid	uncertain		Warassa	uncertain		Naram-Sin	1872–1829 BC
Zambiya	1836–1834 BC		Sin-Eribam	1842–1841 BC		Sabium	1844–1831 BC		Sin-eribam	uncertain		Ibal-pi-El I	uncertain
Iter-pisha	1833–1831 BC		Sin-Iqisham	1840–1836 BC					Sin-gamil	uncertain		Ipiq-Adad II	uncertain
			Silli-Adad	1835 BC					An-am	uncertain		Naram-Sin	uncertain
Ur-du-kuga	1830–1828 BC		Warad-Sin	1834–1823 BC					Irdanene	uncertain		Dadusha	uncertain
Suen-magir	1827–1817 BC		Rim-Sin I	1822–1763 BC		Apil-Sin	1830–1813 BC		Rîm-Anum	uncertain		Ibal-pi-El II	1762 BC		Erishum II	1828–1809 BC
															Shamshi-Adad dynasty
Damiq-ilishu	1816–1794 BC					Sin-Muballit	1812–1793 BC		Nabi-ilishu	1802 BC					Shamshi-Adad I	1808–1776 BC
Isin defeated by Rim-Sin I of Larsa
						Hammurabi	1792–1750 BC		Uruk defeated by Hammurabi of Babylon			Eshnunna defeated by Siwepalarhuhpak of Elam			Ishme-Dagan I	1775–1735 BC
Larsa defeated by Hammurabi of Babylon

Fragmentation of Babylonia (c. 1749–1475 BC)

Southern Mesopotamia (Babylonia)									Northern Mesopotamia
Babylon			Kassites			Sealand			Assyria
Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref
Amorite dynasty (Dynasty I; continued)			Kassite dynasty (Dynasty III)			First Sealand dynasty (Dynasty II)			Shamshi-Adad dynasty (continued)
Samsu-iluna	1749–1712 BC		Gandash	1729–1704 BC		Ilum-ma-ili	1725–? BC		Mut-Ashkur	uncertain
									Rimush	uncertain
Abi-Eshuh	1711–1684 BC		Agum I	1703–1682 BC		Itti-ili-nibi	uncertain		Asinum	uncertain
									Seven usurpers
									Ashur-dugul	uncertain
									Ashur-apla-idi
									Nasir-Sin
									Sin-namir
									Ipqi-Ishtar
									Adad-salulu
									Adasi
									Adaside dynasty
						Damqi-ilishu	uncertain		Bel-bani	1700–1691 BC
			Kashtiliash I	1681–1660 BC					Libaya	1691–1674 BC
Ammi-Ditana	1683–1647 BC		Abi-Rattash	uncertain		Ishkibal	uncertain		Sharma-Adad I	1673–1662 BC
									Iptar-Sin	1661–1650 BC
Ammi-Saduqa	1646–1626 BC					Shushushi	uncertain		Bazaya	1649–1622 BC
Samsu-Ditana	1625–1595 BC		Kashtiliash II	uncertain		Gulkishar	uncertain		Lullaya	1621–1616 BC
									Shu-Ninua	1615–1602 BC
									Sharma-Adad II	1601–1598 BC
Babylon destroyed by the Hittites			Urzigurumash	uncertain		Peshgaldaramesh	1599–1549 BC		Erishum III	1598–1586 BC
			Agum II	uncertain					Shamshi-Adad II	1585–1580 BC
			Harba-Shipak	uncertain					Ishme-Dagan II	1580–1564 BC
Kassite dynasty (Dynasty III)			Shipta'ulzi	uncertain					Shamshi-Adad III	1564–1548 BC
Burnaburiash I	1530–1500 BC		Burnaburiash I	1530–1500 BC		Ayadaragalama	1548–1520 BC		Ashur-nirari I	1548–1522 BC
						Akurduana	1519–1493 BC		Puzur-Ashur III	1522–1498 BC
Ulamburiash	around 1475 BC		Ulamburiash	around 1475 BC		Melamkurkurra	1492–1485 BC		Enlil-nasir I	1498–1485 BC
						Ea-gamil	1484–1475 BC		Nur-ili	1485–1473 BC

Babylonia and rising Assyria (c. 1475–539 BC)

See main article: List of kings of Babylon and List of Assyrian kings.

Babylonia			Assyria
Name	Reign	Ref	Name	Reign	Ref
Kassite dynasty (Dynasty III; continued)			Adaside dynasty (continued)
Ulamburiash	around 1475 BC		Ashur-shaduni	1473 BC
Kashtiliash III	uncertain		Ashur-rabi I	1473–1453 BC
			Ashur-nadin-ahhe I	1453–1431 BC
Agum III	uncertain		Enlil-nasir II	1430–1425 BC
			Ashur-nirari II	1424–1418 BC
Karaindash	around 1415 BC		Ashur-bel-nisheshu	1417–1409 BC
			Ashur-rim-nisheshu	1408–1401 BC
Kadashman-Harbe I	around 1400 BC		Ashur-nadin-ahhe II	1400–1391 BC
			Eriba-Adad I	1390–1364 BC
Kurigalzu I	uncertain		Ashur-uballit I	1363–1328 BC
Kadashman-Enlil I	1374–1360 BC
Burnaburiash II	1359–1333 BC
Kara-hardash	1333 BC		Enlil-nirari	1327–1318 BC
Nazi-Bugash	1333 BC
Kurigalzu II	1332–1308 BC		Arik-den-ili	1317–1306 BC
Nazi-Maruttash	1307–1282 BC		Adad-nirari I	1305–1274 BC
Kadashman-Turgu	1281–1264 BC		Shalmaneser I	1273–1244 BC
Kadashman-Enlil II	1263–1255 BC
Kudur-Enlil	1254–1246 BC
Shagarakti-Shuriash	1245–1233 BC		Tukulti-Ninurta I	1243–1207 BC
Kashtiliash IV	1232–1225 BC
Enlil-nadin-shumi	1224 BC
Kadashman-Harbe II	1223 BC
Adad-shuma-iddina	1222–1217 BC
Adad-shuma-usur	1216–1187 BC		Ashur-nadin-apli	1206–1203 BC
			Ashur-nirari III	1202–1197 BC
			Enlil-kudurri-usur	1196–1192 BC
Meli-Shipak	1186–1172 BC		Ninurta-apal-Ekur	1191–1179 BC
Marduk-apla-iddina I	1171–1159 BC		Ashur-dan I	1178–1133 BC
Zababa-shuma-iddin	1158 BC
Enlil-nadin-ahi	1157–1155 BC
Second dynasty of Isin (Dynasty IV)
Marduk-kabit-ahheshu	1153–1136 BC
Itti-Marduk-balatu	1135–1128 BC		Ninurta-tukulti-Ashur	1132 BC
			Mutakkil-nusku	1132 BC
Ninurta-nadin-shumi	1127–1122 BC		Ashur-resh-ishi I	1132–1115 BC
Nebuchadnezzar I	1121–1100 BC		Tiglath-Pileser I	1114–1076 BC
Enlil-nadin-apli	1099–1096 BC
Marduk-nadin-ahhe	1095–1078 BC
Marduk-shapik-zeri	1077–1065 BC		Asharid-apal-Ekur	1075–1074 BC
Adad-apla-iddina	1064–1043 BC		Ashur-bel-kala	1073–1056 BC
			Eriba-Adad II	1055–1054 BC
			Shamshi-Adad IV	1053–1050 BC
Marduk-ahhe-eriba	1042 BC		Ashurnasirpal I	1049–1031 BC
Marduk-zer-X	1041–1030 BC
Nabu-shum-libur	1029–1022 BC		Shalmaneser II	1030–1019 BC
Second Sealand dynasty (Dynasty V)			Ashur-nirari IV	1018–1013 BC
Simbar-shipak	1021–1004 BC
Ea-mukin-zeri	1004 BC		Ashur-rabi II	1012–972 BC
Kashshu-nadin-ahi	1003–1001 BC
Bazi dynasty (Dynasty VI)
Eulmash-shakin-shumi	1000–984 BC
Ninurta-kudurri-usur I	983–981 BC
Shirikti-shuqamuna	981 BC
Elamite dynasty (Dynasty VII)
Mar-biti-apla-usur	980–975 BC
Dynasty of E (Dynasty VIII)
Nabu-mukin-apli	974–939 BC		Ashur-resh-ishi II	971–967 BC
			Tiglath-Pileser II	967–935 BC
Ninurta-kudurri-usur II	939 BC		Ashur-dan II	935–912 BC
Mar-biti-ahhe-iddina	938–? BC
Shamash-mudammiq	?–901 BC
Nabu-shuma-ukin I	900–887 BC		Adad-nirari II	912–891 BC
Nabu-apla-iddina	886–853 BC		Tukulti-Ninurta II	891–884 BC
Marduk-zakir-shumi I	852–825 BC		Ashurnasirpal II	884–859 BC
			Shalmaneser III	859–824 BC
Marduk-balassu-iqbi	824–813 BC		Shamshi-Adad V	824–811 BC
Baba-aha-iddina	813–812 BC		Adad-nirari III	811–783 BC
Ninurta-apla-X	uncertain
Marduk-bel-zeri	uncertain
Marduk-apla-usur	uncertain		Shalmaneser IV	783–773 BC
Eriba-Marduk	769–760 BC		Ashur-dan III	773–755 BC
Nabu-shuma-ishkun	760–748 BC		Ashur-nirari V	755–745 BC
Nabonassar	748–734 BC		Tiglath-Pileser III	745–727 BC
Nabu-nadin-zeri	734–732 BC
Nabu-shuma-ukin II	732 BC
Nabu-mukin-zeri (non-dynastic)	732–729 BC
Adaside dynasty (also in Assyria)
Tiglath-Pileser III	729–727 BC
Shalmaneser V	727–722 BC		Shalmaneser V	727–722 BC
Sargonid dynasty
Marduk-apla-iddina II (non-dynastic)	722–710 BC		Sargon II	722–705 BC
Sargon II	710–705 BC
Sennacherib	705–703 BC		Sennacherib	705–681 BC
Marduk-zakir-shumi II (non-dynastic)	703 BC
Marduk-apla-iddina II (non-dynastic)	703 BC
Bel-ibni (vassal king)	703–700 BC
Ashur-nadin-shumi	700–694 BC
Nergal-ushezib (non-dynastic)	694–693 BC
Mushezib-Marduk (non-dynastic)	693–689 BC
Sennacherib	689–681 BC
Esarhaddon	681–669 BC		Esarhaddon	681–669 BC
Shamash-shum-ukin	668–648 BC		Ashurbanipal	669–631 BC
Kandalanu (vassal king)	647–627 BC		Ashur-etil-ilani	631–627 BC
Sinsharishkun	627–626 BC		Sinsharishkun	627–612 BC
Sin-shumu-lishir (usurper)	626 BC
Chaldean dynasty (Dynasty X)
Nabopolassar	626–605 BC		Ashur-uballit II	612–609 BC
Nebuchadnezzar II	605–562 BC		Assyria defeated by Nabopolassar of Babylon
Amel-Marduk	562–560 BC
Neriglissar (non-dynastic)	560–556 BC
Labashi-Marduk (non-dynastic)	556 BC
Nabonidus (non-dynastic)	556–539 BC

See also

• Chronology of the ancient Near East
• List of kings of Akkad
• List of Assyrian kings
• List of kings of Babylon
• Sumerian King List
• List of monarchs of Persia
• List of rulers of Elam
• List of pharaohs
• List of Hittite kings
• Mitanni
• History of institutions in Mesopotamia

References

Bibliography

• Book: Beaulieu, Paul-Alain. A History of Babylon, 2200 BC - AD 75. Wiley. 2018. 978-1405188999. Pondicherry.
• Book: Chen, Fei. Study on the Synchronistic King List from Ashur. BRILL. 2020. 978-9004430914. Leiden.
• Book: Crawford, Harriet. Harriet Crawford. The Sumerian World. Routledge. 2013. 978-0415569675.
• Book: Kuhrt, Amélie. The Ancient Near East, C. 3000-330 BC, Volume 1. Routledge. 1995. 0-415-01353-4.
• Book: Leick, Gwendolyn. Historical Dictionary of Mesopotamia. The Scarecrow Press. 2003. 978-0810846494. Lanham.
• Marchesi. Gianni. 2010. The Sumerian King List and the Early History of Mesopotamia. Ana turri gimilli: Studi dedicati al Padre Werner R. Mayer, S. J., da amici e allievi.
• Murai. Nobuaki. Studies in the aklu Documents of the Middle Babylonian Period. 1979. PhD. Leiden University.
• Book: Oppenheim, A. Leo. Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization. University of Chicago Press. 1977. 978-0226631875. Reiner. Erica. Revised.
• Book: Roaf, Michael. Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East. 1996. Facts on File Inc.. New York. 0-8160-2218-6.

Web sources

• Web site: Ancient Egypt and Archaeology Web Site - Ancient Egypt - Assyrian. www.ancient-egypt.co.uk. CITEREFAncient Egypt and Archaeology. 2019-11-13.
• Web site: The Assyrian King List - Livius. 2 April 2019. www.livius.org. en. CITEREFAssyrian King List.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Early Dynastic Period (Mesopotamia).