Chapter 04 · 2112 – 2004 BCE
Ur III · Neo-Sumerian
A bureaucratic golden age, the Code of Ur-Nammu.

~2050 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Šu-Suen 08
“(1') Since the beginning of time when the people were settled, no king has ever a made him a lofty stele .... Šu-Suen, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, ....”
Source: Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Royal Inscriptions (ETCSRI), University of Vienna, edited by Gábor Zólyomi et al. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/etcsri/Q001814/
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Šu-Suen 11
Records Habaluke, governor of Adab, dedicating a temple to Šu-Suen: evidence that provincial governors constructed cult buildings in the ruling king's name, binding local religious patronage to Ur III royal ideology.
“(1) For Šu-Suen, the beloved of Enlil, the king whom Enlil chose with the love of his heart, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, his beloved god, Habaluke, governor of Adab, his servant, built his beloved temple.”
Source: Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Royal Inscriptions (ETCSRI), University of Vienna, edited by Gábor Zólyomi et al. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/etcsri/Q001816/
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Šu-Suen 12
“(1) For Šu-Suen, whose name was proclaimed by An, the beloved of Enlil, the king whom Enlil chose in his holy heart as the shepherd of the land and of the four quarters, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, his god, Ituria, governor of Ešnuna, his servant built his temple.”
Source: Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Royal Inscriptions (ETCSRI), University of Vienna, edited by Gábor Zólyomi et al. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/etcsri/Q000996/
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Šu-Suen 13
“(1) For Šu-Suen, the beloved of Enlil, the king whom Enlil chose with the love of his heart, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, his king, Arad-Nanna, the grand vizier, governor of Lagaš, temple administrator of Enki, military governor of Uṣar-Garšana, military governor of Bašime, governor of Sabum and the land of Gutebum, military governor of Dimat-Enlila, governor of Āl-Šu-Suen, military governor of Urbillum, governor of Ḫamzi and Karaḫar, military governor of ..., military governor of Šimaški and the land of Kardak, his servant, built his temple in Ĝirsu.”
Source: Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Royal Inscriptions (ETCSRI), University of Vienna, edited by Gábor Zólyomi et al. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/etcsri/Q000997/
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Šu-Suen 14
“(1) For Šu-Suen, the beloved of Enlil, the king whom Enlil chose with the love of his heart, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, his god, ..., the general, his servant, built his temple.”
Source: Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Royal Inscriptions (ETCSRI), University of Vienna, edited by Gábor Zólyomi et al. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/etcsri/Q001817/
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Šu-Suen 15
“(1) For Šu-Suen, the beloved of Enlil, the king whom Enlil chose with the love of his heart, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, his god, Lugal-magure, captain of the guards, governor of Urim, his servant, built his beloved temple.”
Source: Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Royal Inscriptions (ETCSRI), University of Vienna, edited by Gábor Zólyomi et al. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/etcsri/Q000998/
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Šu-Suen 16
“(1) For Šara, the confidant of An, the beloved child of Inana, his father, Šu-Suen, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, built the E-šage-pada, his beloved temple for his (own) well-being.”
Source: Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Royal Inscriptions (ETCSRI), University of Vienna, edited by Gábor Zólyomi et al. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/etcsri/Q000999/
Read the full tablet entry~2050 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Šu-Suen 17
“(1) When he built the wall against the Amorites, (called) "Muriq-Tidnim", and had the Amorite troops turned back into their land, then for Šara, the confidant of An, the beloved child of Inana, his father, Šu-Suen, išib priest of An, gudug priest with purified hands for Enlil, Ninlil, and the great gods, the king whom Enlil chose with the love of his heart as the shepherd of the Land, the powerful king, king of Urim, king of the four quarters, built the E-šage-pada, his beloved temple for his (own) well-being.”
Source: Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Royal Inscriptions (ETCSRI), University of Vienna, edited by Gábor Zólyomi et al. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/etcsri/Q001000/
Read the full tablet entry