Lagash (; cuneiform: LAGAŠKI; Sumerian: Lagaš) was an ancient city-state located northwest of the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and east of Uruk, about east of the modern town of Al-Shatrah, Iraq. Lagash (modern Al-Hiba in Dhi Qar Governorate) was one of the oldest cities of the Ancient Near East, and the Lagash state incorporated the cities of Lagash, Girsu, and Nina. Girsu (modern Telloh), about northwest of Lagash, was the religious center of the Lagash state, with its main temple, the E-ninnu, dedicated to the god Ningirsu. The ancient site of Nina (Tell Zurghul), around away, marks the southern limit of the state.
History Though some Uruk period pottery shards were found in a surface survey, significant occupation at the site of Lagash began early in the 3rd Millennium BC, in the Early Dynastic I period (c. 2900–2600 BC). Surface surveys and excavations show that the peak occupation, with an area of about 500 hectares occurred during the Early Dynastic III period (c. 2500–2334 BC). The later corresponds with what is now called the First Dynasty of Lagash.McMahon, Augusta, et al., "Dense urbanism and economic multi-centrism at third-millennium BC Lagash", Antiquity, pp. 1-20, 2023 Lagash then came under the control of the Akkadian Empire for several centuries. With the fall of that empire, Lagash had a period of revival as an independent power during the 2nd Dynasty of Lagash before coming under the control of the 3rd Dynasty of Ur. After the fall of Ur, there was some modest occupation in the Isin-Larsa and Old Babylonian periods. Lagash was then largely deserted until a Seleucid era fortress was built there in the 2nd century BC.CHH,"Sumerian Diorite Head: Purchased from the Francis Bartlett Donation of 1912", Bulletin of the Museum of Fine Arts, pp. 30-34, 1927
First dynasty of Lagash (c. 2520 – c. 2260 BC)
The dynasties of Lagash are not found on the Sumerian King List (SKL) despite being a power in the Early Dynastic period and a major city in the centuries that followed. One tablet, from the later Old Babylonian period and known as The Rulers of Lagash, was described by its translator as "rather fanciful" and is generally considered to be a satirical parody of the SKL. The thirty listed rulers, in the style of the SKL, having improbable reigns, include seven known rulers from the 1st Dynasty of Lagash, including Ur-Nanshe, "Ane-tum", En-entar-zid, Ur-Ningirsu, Ur-Bau, and Gudea.Sollberger, Edmond. “The Rulers of Lagaš.” Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 21, pp. 279–91, 1967
Little is known of the first two rulers of Lagash. En-hegal is believed to be the first ruler of Lagash. A tablet with his name describes a business transaction, in which a possible King En-hegal buys land.Barton, George A., "Sumerian Business and Administrative Documents", Philadelphia University, 1915 Both his status and date are disputed. He was followed by Lugalshaengur about whom also little is known.Maeda, Tohru, "King of Kish" in Pre-Sargonic Sumer", Orient 17, pp. 1-17, 1981 Mesilim, who called himself King of Kish though it is uncertain which city he was from, named Lugalshaengur as an "ensi" of Lagash on a mace head.Frayne, Douglas R., "Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia: Early Periods", RIME 1.08, 2007
Ur-Nanshe While many details like the length of reign are not known for the next ruler, Ur-Nanshe, a number of his inscriptions have been found, most at Lagash with one stele at Ur, which along with Umma, he claimed to have conquered in battle.Romano, Licia, "Urnanshe’s Family and the Evolution of Its Inside Relationships as Shown by Images", La famille dans le Proche-Orient ancien: réalités, symbolismes et images: Proceedings of the 55e Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Paris, edited by Lionel Marti, University Park, USA: Penn State University Press, pp. 183-192, 2014 Almost all deal with the construction of temples, one details how he "built the wester[n] channel at the side of Sa[la]/ channel at the side of S[al] (against) the Amorites". He is described as the "son of Gu-NI.DU" (occasionally as "son of Gur:SAR"), and his inscriptions list a number of sons and daughters.Jacobsen, Thorkild, "Ur-Nanshe’s Diorite Plaque", Orientalia, vol. 54, no. 1/2, pp. 65–72, 1985 Several inscriptions say "He [had the ships of Dil]mun sub[mit] [timber] (to Lagaš) as tribute." His son Akurgal ruled briefly after him.Douglas Frayne, "Lagas", in Presargonic Period: Early Periods, Volume 1 (2700-2350 BC), RIM The Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia Volume 1, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 77-293, 2008 ISBN 9780802035868
Eannatum The next ruler, Eannatum (earlier referred to as "Eannadu"), son of Akurgal and grandson of Ur-Nanshe, turned Lagash into a major power extending throughout large areas of Mesopotamia and to the east as well. In an inscription found at ancient Adab:
Another inscription detail his destruction of "Kiš, Akšak, and Mari at a place named Antasur". He also claimed to have taken the city of Akshak and killed its king, Zuzu.Curchin, Leonard, "Eannatum and the Kings of Adab", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 71, no. 1, pp. 93–95, 1977 Eannatum took the city of Uru'az on the Persian Gulf, and exacted tribute as far as Mari; however, many of the realms he conquered were often in revolt. During his reign, temples and palaces were repaired or erected at Lagash and elsewhere and canals and reservoirs were excavated.Vukosavović, Filip, "On Some Early Dynastic Lagaš Temples", Die Welt Des Orients, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 126–30, 2014 During his reign, Dilmun was a major trading partner.Foster, Benjamin R. and Foster, Karen Polinger, "Early City-States", Civilizations of Ancient Iraq, Princeton: Princeton University Press, pp. 35-50, 2009
A long running border dispute, dating back at least to the time of Lugalshaengur, existed between the city-states of Umma and Lagash.Hritz, C., "The Umma-Lagash Border Conflict: A View from Above" in Altaweel, M. and Hritz, C. (eds.), From Sherds to Landscapes: Studies on the Ancient Near East in Honor of McGuire Gibson. Chicago: The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, pp. 109–32, 2021 In the time of Umma ruler Enakalle a formal border was established, mediated by Mesilim, “king of Kish”. Eannatum restored the border, including the boundary markers of Mesilim.
In c. 2450 BC, Lagash and the neighboring city of Umma fell out with each other after a border dispute over the Guʾedena, a fertile area lying between them. As described in Stele of the Vultures, of which only a portion has been found (7 fragments), the current king of Lagash, Eannatum, inspired by the patron god of his city, Ningirsu, set out with his army to defeat the nearby city.Winter, Irene J., "After the Battle Is Over: The ‘Stele of the Vultures’ and the Beginning of Historical Narrative in the Art of the Ancient Near East", Studies in the History of Art, vol. 16, pp. 11–32, 1985 According to the Stele's engravings, when the two sides met each other in the field, Eannatum dismounted from his chariot and proceeded to direct his men on foot. After lowering their spears, the Lagash army advanced upon the army from Umma in a dense phalanx.Alster, Bendt., "Images and Text on the ‘Stele of the Vultures.’", Archiv Für Orientforschung, vol. 50, pp. 1–10, 2003 After a brief clash, Eannatum and his army had gained victory over the army of Umma. This battle is one of the earliest depicted organised battles known to scholars and historians.
Eannatum was succeeded by his brother, En-anna-tum I. Given the many inscriptions his reign is assumed to be of some length. Most of them detailed the usual temple construction. On long tablet described the continued conflict with Umma:
The conflict from the Umma side of things from its ruler Ur-Lumma:
Entemena The next ruler, Entemena increased the power of Lagash during his rule. A number of inscriptions from his reign are known.Nies, James B., "A Net Cylinder of Entemena", Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 36, pp. 137–39, 1916Barton, George A., "A New Inscription of Entemena", Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 51, no. 3, pp. 262–65, 1931 He was a contemporary of Lugalkinishedudu of Uruk.Gadd, C. J., "Entemena : A New Incident", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 125–26, 1930
Entemena was succeeded by his brother Enannatum II, with only one known inscription where he "restored for the god Ningirsu his brewery". He was followed by two more minor rulers, Enentarzi (only one inscription from his 5 year reign, which mentions his daughter Gem[e]-Baba), and Lugalanda (several inscriptions, one mentions his wife Bara-namtara) the son of Enentarzi. The last ruler of Lagash, Urukagina, was known for his judicial, social, and economic reforms, and his may well be the first legal code known to have existed.A. Deimel, "Die Reformtexte Urukaginas", Or. 2, 1920Foxvog, Daniel A., "A New Lagaš Text Bearing on Uruinimgina’s Reforms", Journal of Cuneiform Studies, vol. 46, pp. 11–15, 1994 He was defeated by Lugalzagesi, beginning when Lugalzagesi was ruler of Umma and culminating as ruler of Uruk, bringing an end to the First Dynasty of Lagash.Lambert, Maurice, "La guerre entre Urukagina et Lugalzagesi", Rivista Degli Studi Orientali, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 29–66, 1966 About 1800 cuneiform tablets from the reigns of the last three rulers of Lagash, of an administrative nature, have been found, mostly.Stephens, Ferris J., "Notes on Some Economic Texts of the Time of Urukagina", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 49, no. 3, 1955, pp. 129–36Joachim Marzahn, "Altsumerische Verwaltungstexteaus Girsu/Lagaš. Vorderasiatische Schriftdenkmälerder Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin, Neue Folge Heft IX (Heft XXV), Berlin, Akademie-Verlag, 1991Barton, George A., "The Babylonian Calendar in the Reigns of Lugalanda and Urkagina", Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 251–71, 1911 The tablets are mostly from the "woman’s quarter" also known as the temple of the goddess Babu. It was under the control of the Queen.Schrakamp, Ingo, "Irrigation in 3rd millennium southern Mesopotamia: cuneiform evidence from the Early Dynastic IIIB City-State of Lagash (2475–2315 BC)", in Water Management in Ancient Civilizations, pp. 117-195, 2018
Under the Akkadian Empire In his conquest of Sumer circa 2300 BC, Sargon of Akkad, after conquering and destroying Uruk, then conquered Ur and E-Ninmar and "laid waste" the territory from Lagash to the sea, and from there went on to conquer and destroy Umma, and he collected tribute from Mari and Elam. He triumphed over 34 cities in total.
Sargon's son and successor Rimush faced widespread revolts, and had to reconquer the cities of Ur, Umma, Adab, Lagash, Der, and Kazallu from rebellious ensis.
Rimush introduced mass slaughter and large scale destruction of the Sumerian city-states, and maintained meticulous records of his destruction. Most of the major Sumerian cities were destroyed, and Sumerian human losses were enormous: for the cities of Ur and Lagash, he records 8,049 killed, 5,460 "captured and enslaved" and 5,985 "expelled and annihilated".
A Victory Stele in several fragments (three in total, Louvre Museum AO 2678) has been attributed to Rimush on stylistic and epigraphical grounds. One of the fragments mentions Akkad and Lagash. It is thought that the stele represents the defeat of Lagash by the troops of Akkad. The stele was excavated in ancient Girsu, one of the main cities of the territory of Lagash.
Second dynasty of Lagash (c. 2260 – c. 2023 BC)