page_title: Ikun-Shamash
hierarchical_section_title: Ikun-Shamash
caption_attribution_description: English: a votive statue of the mariote king
context_page_description: Ikun-Shamash or Iku-Shamash was a King of the second Mariote kingdom who reigned c. 2500 BC. According to François Thureau-Dangin, the king reigned at a time earlier than Ur-Nanshe's of Lagash. He is one of three Mari kings known from archaeology, and probably the oldest one. Another king was Iku-Shamagan, also known from a statue with inscription, in the National Museum of Damascus. The third king is Lamgi-Mari, also read Išgi-Mari, also known from an inscribed statue now in the National Museum of Aleppo.
  In his inscriptions, Ikun-Shamash used the Akkadian language, whereas his contemporaries to the south used the Sumerian language. His official title in the inscriptions was "King of Mari" and "ensi-gal", or "supreme Prince" of the deity Enlil.
  He is known from a statue with inscription, which he dedicated to god Shamash.
  Ikun-Shamash's territory seems to have included southern Babylonia.
context_section_description: Ikun-Shamash or Iku-Shamash (𒄿𒆪𒀭𒌓) was a King of the second Mariote kingdom who reigned c. 2500 BC. According to François Thureau-Dangin, the king reigned at a time earlier than Ur-Nanshe's of Lagash. He is one of three Mari kings known from archaeology, and probably the oldest one. Another king was Iku-Shamagan, also known from a statue with inscription, in the National Museum of Damascus. The third king is Lamgi-Mari, also read Išgi-Mari, also known from an inscribed statue now in the National Museum of Aleppo.
  In his inscriptions, Ikun-Shamash used the Akkadian language, whereas his contemporaries to the south used the Sumerian language. His official title in the inscriptions was "King of Mari" and "ensi-gal", or "supreme Prince" of the deity Enlil.
  He is known from a statue with inscription, which he dedicated to god Shamash.
  Ikun-Shamash's territory seems to have included southern Babylonia.
caption: Ikun-Shamash's votive statue, British Museum.[1]
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