# Shimashki dynasty

The Shimashki dynasty was an early dynasty of the ancient region of Elam, to the southeast of Babylonia, (c. 2100 – c. 1900 BC). A list of twelve kings of Shimashki is found in the Elamite king-list of Susa, which also contains a list of kings of Awan dynasty. It is uncertain how historically accurate the list is (and whether it reflects a chronological order), although some of its kings can be corroborated by their appearance in the records of neighboring peoples. The dynasty corresponds to the second Paleo-Elamite period (dated to c. 2015 – c. 1880 BC). It was followed by the Sukkalmah dynasty. Shimashki was likely near today's Masjed Soleyman.

## History
### Gutian period (c. 2154 – c. 2112 BC)

Shimashki is first mentioned on the inscription to an image of Puzur-Inshushinak, king of Awan around 2100 BC, which depicts a Shimashkian king as subordinate to him. A royal inscription recorded "in a single day he made (those lands) fall prostrate at his feet; and, when the king of Šimaški came up (on learning about it), he seized the feet of PuzurInšušinak (in submission)".
Daryaee suggests that, despite the impression from the king-list that the rulers of Shimashki was a dynasty of sequential rulers, it is perhaps better to think of Shimashki as an alliance of various peoples "rather than a unitary state."

### Ur III period (c. 2112 – c. 2004 BC)

The names in the king-list, as found in Potts, are "Girnamme, Tazitta, Ebarti, Tazitta, Lu[?]-[x-x-x]-lu-uh-ha-an, Kindattu, Idaddu, Tan-Ruhurater, Ebarti, Idaddu, Idaddu-napir, Idaddu-temti, twelve Sumerian kings" (bracketed letters original). An inscription establishes Idattu I was the son of Kindattu and the grandson of Ebarat (Yabrat/Ebarti) I.
Girnamme ruled at the same time as Shu-Sin, king of Ur, and was involved, as either a groom or simply a facilitator, in the marriage of Shu-Sin's daughter. Gwendolyn Leick places this event in 2037 BC. Girnamme, along with Tazitta and Ebarti I, appears in "Mesopotamian texts establishing food rations issued to messengers," texts from 2044 to 2032 BC.
Tazitta, the second figure in the list, is referred to in a document from the eighth year of the reign of Amar-Sin of Ur.
Ebarat I (Old Elamite ia-ab-ra-at), king number 3 in the Shimashki kings list (SKL). He is mentioned in several documents of Third Dynasty of Ur, from year 44 of Šulgi (the earliest) to year 8 of Šu-Sin. Documents show that he ruled at about the same time as Girnamme and at the same time as Tazitta, kings #1 and #2 from the SKL. The inscription on bronze bowl MS 4476 mentions Ebarat ($^d$e-ba-ra-at) as a father of Kindattu and grandfather of Idadu I, kings no 6 and 7 in the SKL. The spelling ia-a-ba-ra-at later became e-ba-ra-at and e-ba-ar-ti reflecting the historic shift of /’a/ to /e/ in Elamite.
The Shimashki confederacy led an alliance against the Ur III Empire, and managed to defeat its last ruler Ibbi-Sin. After this victory, they destroyed the kingdom, looted the capital of Ur, and ruled through military occupation for the next 21 years.
Kindattu was also known as Kindadu. A Kindattu, who according to Daryaeee was "apparently" the Shimashkian king of the list above, lead the army that destroyed the Third Dynasty of Ur in 2004 BC. The operation was a joint effort between Kindattu and his then-ally Ishbi-Erra, who defeated Ur and captured Ibbi-Sin, its king. The Ishbi-Erra hymn claims that Ishbi-Erra later expelled Kindattu from Mesopotamia.

### Isin-Larsa period (c. 2004 to c. 1763 BC)

Idaddu I (also known as Indattu-Inshushinak, or simply Indattu) called himself "king of Shimashki and Elam". According to Stolper and André-Salvini, he was the son of Kindattu, while Gwendolyn Leick calls him "son of Pepi," claiming that Kindattu may have been his grandfather. According to Leick he ascended to the throne of Shimashki around 1970 BC.
Tan-Ruhurater, also known as Tan-Ruhuratir, formed an alliance with Bilalama, the governor of Eshnunna, by marrying Bilama's daughter Mê-Kubi.
Ebarti II of Shimashki may have been the same individual known as Ebarat, a Sukkalmah, or "Grand Regent". If so, he was ruler simultaneously to the next member of the list of twelve Shimaskin kings: Idaddu II.
Idaddu II was the son of Tan-Ruhurater, during whose reign he oversaw building projects as the governor of Susa. According to Leick, he was the last of the Shimashkian kings.
The Shimashki rulers became participants in an ongoing conflict with the rulers of Isin and Larsa after the fall of Third Dynasty of Ur.
Under the Shimashki and their successors the Sukkalmah, Elam then became one of the most powerful kingdoms of West Asia, influencing the territories of Mesopotamia and Syria through commercial, military or diplomatic contacts. Expansion in Mesopotamia was only halted by the Babylonian king Hammurabi in the 18th century BC. After a prolonged conflict, the military forces of Elam were finally forced to retreat their forces positioned along the Tigris river, and to return to Susa.
The Shimashki dynasty was followed by the Sukkalmah dynasty (c. 1900–1500).

## List of rulers

The following list should not be considered complete:
| # | Name | Succession | Title | Approx. dates | Notes |
| Gutian period (c. 2154 – c. 2119 BC) |||||||
| | Unknown | Unclear succession | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, fl. c. 2240 – c. 2100 BCd. c. 2100 BC | temp. of Puzur-Inshushinak |
| Awan dynasty (c. 2600 – c. 2120 BC) |||||||
| 12th | Puzur-Inshushinak 𒅤𒊭𒀭𒈹𒂞 | Nephew of Khita (?) | Military Governor of Elam Governor of Susa Mighty King of Elam King of Awan | Uncertain, fl. c. 2240 – c. 2100 BC | temp. of Puzer-Mama temp. of Gudea temp. of Ur-Nammu |
| "Twelve kings of Awan."— Susanian Dynastic List |||||||
| Ur III period (c. 2119 – c. 2025 BC) |||||||
| Shimashki dynasty (c. 2120 – c. 1980 BC) |||||||
| | Girnamme I (?) | Unclear succession | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, fl. c. 2120 – c. 2028 BC | |
| | Ebarat I (?) 𒂊𒁀𒊏𒀜 | Relative of Gir-Namme I (?) | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, fl. c. 2120 – c. 2028 BC | |
| 1st | Girnamme II | Relative of Ebarat I (?) | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, fl. c. 2120 – c. 2028 BC | temp. of Shulgi |
| 3rd | Ebarat II 𒂊𒁀𒊏𒀜 | Relative of Tazitta I | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, fl. c. 2120 – c. 2028 BC | temp. of Shulgi |
| 2nd | Tazitta I | Relative of Gir-Namme I (?) | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, fl. c. 2120 – c. 2028 BC | temp. of Amar-Sin |
| 4th | Tazitta II | Unclear succession | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, fl. c. 2120 – c. 2028 BC | temp. of Shu-Sin |
| Isin-Larsa period (c. 2025 – c. 1894 BC) |||||||
| 6th | Kindattu 𒆠𒅔𒁕𒌅 | Son of Ebarat I (?) | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, fl. c. 2028 – c. 2001 BC (26 years) | Conquered Ur c. 2004 BC temp. of Ishbi-Erra |
| | Imazu | Son of Kindattu | King of Anshan | Uncertain, fl. c. 2015 BC | temp. of Shu-Ilishu |
| 5th | Lurak-Luhhan | Unclear succession | King of Shimashki | | temp. of Shu-Sin |
| | Tan-Ruhuratir I (?) | Same person as Lurak-Luhhan (?) | King of Shimashki | | temp. of Shu-Sin |
| | Hutran-Temti I (?) | Same person as Kindattu (?) | King of Shimashki | | temp. of Shu-Sin |
| 7th | Indattu-Inshushinak I 𒀭𒄿𒁕𒁺 | Son of Hutran-Temti I (?) | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, reigned c. 1970 BC | temp. of Ibbi-Sin |
| 8th | Tan-Ruhuratir II | Son of Indattu-Inshushinak I (?) | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, r. c. 1945 – c. 1925 BC | temp. of Iddin-Dagan |
| | Indattu-Inshushinak II (?) | Son of Tan-Ruhuratir I (?) | King of Shimashki | | temp. of Bilalama |
| Epartid dynasty (c. 1980 – c. 1850 BC) |||||||
| 9th | Ebarat III 𒂊𒁀𒊏𒀜 | Unclear succession | Sukkalmah King of Anshan and Susa King of Shimashki | Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC | temp. of Iddin-Dagan |
| 10th | Indattu-Inshushinak III 𒀭𒄿𒁕𒁺 | Son of Pepi | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, r. c. 1925 – c. 1870 BC (≥3 years) | temp. of Gungunum |
| | Shilhaha | Son of Ebarat II | Sukkalmah King of Anshan and Susa | Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC | |
| | Kuk-Nashur I | Son of Shilhaha | Sukkalmah | Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC | |
| Sukkalmah dynasty (c. 1850 – c. 1450 BC) |||||||
| | Palar-Ishshan | Unclear succession | Sukkalmah | Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC | |
| | Kuk-Sanit | Son of Palar-Ishshan (?) | | Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC | |
| | Lankuku | Father of Kuk-Kirwash | | Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC | |
| | Kuk-Kirwash | Nephew of Palar-Ishshan (?) | Sukkalmah Sukkal of Elam and Shimashki and Susa | Uncertain, fl. c. 1980 – c. 1928 BC | |
| | Tem-Sanit | Son of Kuk-Kirwash | | Uncertain, fl. c. 1928 – c. 1894 BC | |
| | Kuk-Nahhunte | Son of Kuk-Kirwash | | Uncertain, fl. c. 1928 – c. 1894 BC | |
| Old Babylonian period (c. 1894 – c. 1450 BC) |||||||
| | Attakhushu | Son of Kuk-Nashur I (?) | Sukkal and Ippir of Susa Shepherd of the people of Susa Shepherd of Inshushinak | Uncertain, fl. c. 1928 – c. 1894 BC | |
| | Tetep-Mada | Son of Kuk-Nashur I (?) | Shepherd of the people of Susa | Uncertain, fl. c. 1928 – c. 1894 BC | |
| 11th | Idattunapir | Unclear succession | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, fl. c. 1894 – c. 1792 BC | temp. of Sumuabum |
| 12th | Idattutemti | Unclear succession | King of Shimashki | Uncertain, fl. c. 1894 – c. 1792 BC | |
| "Twelve kings of Shimashki."— Susanian Dynastic List |||||||
| | Shirukduh | Descendant of Shilhaha (?) | Sukkalmah | Uncertain, fl. c. 1792 – c. 1778 BC | temp. of Shamshi-Adad I |
| | Siwe-Palar-Khuppak | Son of Shirukduh (?) | Sukkalmah Sukkal of Susa Prince of Elam | Uncertain, reigned c. 1778 – c. 1745 BC | temp. of Hammurabi |
| | Tan-Uli | Unclear succession | Sukkalmah Sukkal | Uncertain, fl. c. 1745 – c. 1650 BC | |
| | Temti-Halki | Son of Tan-Uli (?) | Sukkalmah Sukkal of Elam and Simashki and Susa | Uncertain, fl. c. 1745 – c. 1650 BC | |

## Gallery

* The Susanian Dynastic List—a regnal list dated to c. 1800 – c. 1600 BC and provenanced at Susa. Its current location is the Louvre Museum, Sb 17729. It names twelve kings for Awan and another twelve for Shimashki. The eponymous ruler Eparti II is the 9th named king on this list.
* A map of the Near East detailing various ancient regions that may have been occupied by the Elamites c. 3500 – c. 2000 BC. Included are the regions of Bashime, Marhasi, Shimashki, Lullubum, Simurrum, Anshan, Awan, Susiana, Hidali, Hurti, Kimash, Sherihun, and Zahara.
* Dynastic list of twelve kings of the Awan dynasty and twelve kings of the Shimashki dynasty, 1800–1600 BC, Louvre Museum
* Nude man with weapons Ur III Shimashki dynasty 2000–1940 BC. Louvre Museum
* Nude woman statuette Ur III Shimashki dynasty 2000–1940 BC. Louvre Museum
* Cylinder seal and modern impression. Worshiper before a seated ruler or deity, seated female under a grape arbor, Old Elamite, ca early 2nd millennium BC