Ili-ma-ilu

Ili-ma-ilu (Ilī-ma-ilu) was the first king (around 1783–1724 BC) of the Meerland dynasty , who ruled for around 350 years from around 1783 to 1415 BC. Ruled the south of Mesopotamia . Iluma-ilum is known from later royal lists and chronicles, but also from a few contemporary documents. From various sources it can be seen that under the Babylonian king Šamšu-iluna Babylon lost power and was no longer the predominant power in Mesopotamia. Various cities went into business for themselves.

In this context, the rise of a ruling house in the very south of Mesopotamia can be seen, although details about the events and the rise of the Meerland dynasty remain largely in the dark. From the Babylonian Chronicle ABC 20B we learn that the Babylonian king Šamšu-iluna fought twice against Ili-ma-ilu, but was unsuccessful. Ili-ma-ilu was obviously a rebel who assumed the title of king and founded his own empire. Fights against Ili-ma-ilu are also documented in the chronicle of Šamšu-iluna's successor Abi-ēšuḫ , but they were unsuccessful. Ili-ma-ilu is known from legal documents from Nippur that are dated after him. So he was able to take this city and it can be assumed that he brought other places in southern Mesopotamia under his rule. The rule in Nippur probably did not last long and the city soon came under Babylonian rule again.

The name Ili-ma-ilu is Akkadian and means My God is (really) God . It seems strange that no god is mentioned explicitly, but this is not without parallels.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Odette Boivin: The First Dynasty of the Sealand in Mesopotamia , Boston / Berlin 2018, ISBN 978-1-5015-1639-9 , pp. 86-88
2. ↑ Boivin: The First Dynasty of the Sealand in Mesopotamia , p. 50
3. ↑ Boivin: The First Dynasty of the Sealand in Mesopotamia , pp. 91-96
4. ↑ Boivin: The First Dynasty of the Sealand in Mesopotamia , pp. 37-38

predecessor	Office	successor
	King of the Meerland dynasty 1783–1724 BC Chr.	Itti-ili-nībī