Sumerian King List facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the ancient cuneiform text. For a chronological list of historical Mesopotamian dynasties and kings, see List of Mesopotamian dynasties.

Quick facts for kids
Sumerian King List
The Sumerian King List inscribed onto the Weld-Blundell Prism, with transcription.
Original title	𒉆𒈗 (Nam-Lugal "Kingship").
Translator	Jean-Vincent Scheil Stephen Langdon Thorkild Jacobsen
Country	Sumer (ancient Iraq)
Language	Sumerian
Subject	Regnal list
Genre	Literary
Set in	Late-third to early-second millennia BC
Publication date	Ur III to Old Babylonian periods
Published in English	AD 1911–2014
Media type	Clay tablets
Text	Sumerian King List at the Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

The Sumerian King List (often called SKL) is a very old story written in the Sumerian language. It was probably made to help different cities and kingdoms in southern Mesopotamia show that their rulers had a right to be in charge.

The list does this by naming Sumerian cities, the kings who ruled there, and how long they were kings. Some of the early kings are said to have ruled for thousands of years! The oldest known version of the list is from the Third Dynasty of Ur (around 2112–2004 BC). It showed power moving from Kish, the first city to have kings, to Akkad. Later versions, from the Old Babylonian period, listed many cities where kingship moved around. This showed a belief that kingship would always move from one city to the next.

The most famous version of the SKL is on the Weld-Blundell Prism. It starts with kings who lived before a great flood. After the flood, kingship went to Kish. The list ends with a group of kings from Isin (early second millennium BC), who are also known from other historical records.

Many copies of the SKL exist, mostly from the Old Babylonian period. They were found in southern Mesopotamia. These copies are not all exactly the same. Some parts might be missing, or the order of kings might be different. King names might be missing, or their reign lengths might change. These differences happened because of copying mistakes or because people changed the text on purpose.

In the past, the Sumerian King List was seen as a very important source for understanding the history of early Mesopotamia. However, newer studies show that using the SKL can be tricky. It should be used carefully when studying ancient Mesopotamia.

What is the Sumerian King List?

The text is best known today as the Sumerian King List. Scholars often shorten this to SKL. Another name for it is the Chronicle of the One Monarchy. This name shows the idea that, according to the text, only one city could be the main power in Mesopotamia at a time.

In ancient times, the SKL was called "nam-lugal", which means "kingship". It is important to know that the Sumerian King List is not just one single text. Instead, it is a story that existed in different versions over time. Parts were missing, arranged differently, and details about kings changed.

Modern historians use numbers to talk about times when one city ruled without interruption. For example, the Ur III dynasty means the third time the city of Ur was the main power, according to the SKL. This numbering (like Kish I, Uruk IV, Ur III) was not in the original text. Also, the modern idea of a "dynasty" usually means rulers from the same family. In ancient Mesopotamia, this was not always true. Even though the SKL sometimes says rulers were family, kingship was given to the city, not just to individual rulers.

What the List Contains

The different copies of the Sumerian King List are not exactly the same. This is partly because some tablets are broken. It is also because scribes made mistakes when copying. Sometimes, changes were made on purpose over time. For example, the part about kings before the great flood is not in every copy. This includes many texts found in Nippur, where most SKL versions were discovered.

Also, the order of some kings or groups of kings might be different between copies. Some groups of kings that were listed separately in one version might be combined in another. The lengths of individual reigns can also vary. Some kings might even be left out completely.

The summary below uses the version from the Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature. This version mainly follows the text of the Weld-Blundell prism. It also notes differences found in other versions.

Kings Before the Great Flood

This part of the list is not found in every copy. It starts by saying: "After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridu." Two kings of Eridu are named. Then, the city "fell," and "kingship was taken to Bad-tibira." This pattern of cities getting kingship, then falling, and being replaced by another city, happens throughout the entire text. It often uses the same words.

This first section lists eight kings who ruled over five cities. These cities were Eridu, Bad-tibira, Larag, Zimbir, and Shuruppag. The list also gives the length of each king's rule. In this section, the reigns are very long, from 28,800 to 43,200 years. The total for all these kings is 241,200 years. This section ends with the line: "Then the flood swept over." One of the kings mentioned here is the ancient god Dumuzid.

Kings After the Great Flood

The list continues with a famous line: "After the flood had swept over, and the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Kish." This part then lists 23 kings of Kish. Their reigns ranged from 300 to 1500 years, totaling 24,510 years. The exact number of years can change between different copies of the list.

Usually, no other details are given about these kings, except how long they ruled and if they were the son of the previous king. For example, "Mashda, the son of Atab, ruled for 840 years." However, there are a few exceptions. Etana is described as "who ascended to heaven and consolidated all the foreign countries." Enmebaragesi "made the land of Elam submit." Enmebaragesi is the first king in the Sumerian King List whose name has been found on other ancient writings from his time. His successor, Aga of Kish, is the last king mentioned before Kish fell. Aga also appears in the story Gilgamesh and Aga.

The next parts of the list, up to Sargon of Akkad, show a steady line of cities and kings. There are usually not many details beyond how long each king ruled. Each entry is set up the same way: the city with kingship is named, then one or more kings and their reign lengths. Then, a summary and a line saying where kingship went next.

Here is an example: In Ur, Mesannepada became king; he ruled for 80 years. Meskiagnun, the son of Mesannepada, became king; he ruled for 36 years. Elulu ruled for 25 years. Balulu ruled for 36 years. 4 kings; they ruled for 171 years. Then Ur was defeated and the kingship was taken to Awan.

Individual reigns vary in length. Some kings, like Lugalbanda of Uruk, ruled for 1200 years. Others, like some kings of Akshak, ruled for only six years. On average, the number of years kings ruled gets shorter as you go down the list. Some city names, such as Uruk, Ur, and Kish, appear more than once.

The earlier part of this section mentions kings also known from other ancient stories. These include Dumuzid the Fisherman and Gilgamesh. However, almost no king from the early part of this section has been found in writings from the actual time they were supposed to live.

This section also describes a group of kings from Mari. Mari is a city outside Sumer itself. It was important in Mesopotamian history. The next group of kings from Kish includes a single ruler, Kug-Bau. She was a "woman tavern keeper" and is thought to be the only queen listed in the Sumerian King List. The last two groups of kings in this section, the fourth of Kish and the third of Uruk, connect to the next part of the list. Sargon of Akkad is mentioned as a servant to Ur-Zababa of Kish. Sargon defeated Lugal-zage-si of Uruk before starting his own group of kings.

From Akkad to Isin

This section talks about the famous Akkadian ruler Sargon and the kings who came after him. After the entry for Shar-kali-sharri, the Sumerian King List asks: "Then who was king? Who was not king?" This suggests a time of confusion, which might show the difficult period when the Akkadian Empire ended. Four kings are mentioned who ruled for only three years in total. Of the Akkadian kings after Shar-kali-sharri, only Dudu and Shu-turul have been found in writings from the Akkadian period.

The Akkadian kings are followed by the fourth group of kings from Uruk. Two of these kings, Ur-nigin and his son Ur-gigir, appear in other ancient writings. Kingship then went to the "land" or "army" of Gutium. It was said that at first, they had no kings and ruled themselves for a few years. After this short time, 21 Gutian kings are listed. Then Gutium fell, and kingship went to Uruk. Only one ruler is listed for Uruk during this time (Utu-hengal), before kingship moved to Ur.

The Third Dynasty of Ur had 5 kings who ruled between 9 and 46 years. No other details about their actions are given. The Sumerian King List says that after Ur's rule ended, "The very foundation of Sumer was torn out." Then kingship went to Isin. The kings of Isin are the last group included in the list. This group had 14 kings who ruled between 3 and 33 years. Like with the Ur III dynasty, no details are given about the reigns of individual kings.

Summary of the List

Some versions of the Sumerian King List end with a summary of the kings after the flood. This summary mentions the number of kings and their total years of rule for each city. It also says how many times that city had kingship. For example: "A total of 12 kings ruled for 396 years, 3 times in Urim." The very last line adds up the numbers for all these groups of kings: "There are 11 cities, cities in which the kingship was exercised. A total of 134 kings, who altogether ruled for 28876 + X years."

Rulers in the Sumerian King List

The dates for early rulers are estimates. They are based on what archaeologists have found. For most kings before the Akkadian Empire, the King List is the only source of information. Starting with Lugal-zage-si and the Third Dynasty of Uruk, we have a better idea of how these rulers fit into the timeline of the ancient Near East. The shorter timeline (short chronology) is used here.

Kings Before the Flood

None of the kings listed before the great flood have been proven to be real by archaeological digs or ancient writings. While there is no proof they ever ruled, the Sumerians believed they lived in a mythical time before the huge flood.

The reigns of these "antediluvian" (before the flood) kings were measured in very large Sumerian numbers. These included sars (units of 3,600 years), ners (units of 600 years), and sosses (units of 60 years). People have tried to change these numbers into more realistic lengths of rule.

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
"After the kingship descended from heaven, the kingship was in Eridug."
Alulim	28,800 years
Alalngar	36,000 years
"Then Eridug fell and the kingship was taken to Bad-tibira."
En-men-lu-ana	43,200 years
En-men-gal-ana	28,800 years
Dumuzid, the Shepherd	36,000 years	This Dumuzid was later seen as a god.
"Then Bad-tibira fell and the kingship was taken to Larag."
En-sipad-zid-ana	28,800 years
"Then Larag fell and the kingship was taken to Zimbir."
En-men-dur-ana	21,000 years
"Then Zimbir fell and the kingship was taken to Shuruppag."
Ubara-Tutu	18,600 years	In the Epic of Gilgamesh, he is the father of Utnapishtim.
"Then the flood swept over."

First Kings of Kish

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
"After the flood had swept over, and the kingship had descended from heaven, the kingship was in Kish."
Jushur	1,200 years	Kings before Etana are not proven by archaeology.
Kullassina-bel	960 years
Nangishlishma	670 years
En-tarah-ana	420 years
Babum	300 years
Puannum	840 years
Kalibum	960 years
Kalumum	840 years
Zuqaqip	900 years
Atab	600 years
Mashda	840 years	Son of Atab.
Arwium	720 years	Son of Mashda.
Etana	1,500 years	Called "the shepherd, who ascended to heaven." There is a story about Etana.
Balih	400 years	Son of Etana.
En-me-nuna	660 years
Melem-Kish	900 years	Son of En-me-nuna.
Barsal-nuna	1,200 years
Zamug	140 years	Son of Barsal-nuna.
Tizqar	305 years	Son of Zamug.
Ilku	900 years
Iltasadum	1,200 years
Enmebaragesi	900 years	The earliest ruler on the list confirmed by archaeology. He made the land of Elam submit.
Aga of Kish	625 years	Son of Enmebaragesi. He fought Gilgamesh in a story.
"Then Kish was defeated and the kingship was taken to E-ana."

First Kings of Uruk

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Mesh-ki-ang-gasher of E-ana	324 years	Son of Utu.
"Mesh-ki-ang-gasher entered the sea and disappeared."
Enmerkar	420 years	Son of Mesh-ki-ang-gasher. He built Uruk.
Lugalbanda	1,200 years	Called "the shepherd."
Dumuzid the Fisherman	100 years	A fisherman from Kuara. He was captured by Enmebaragesi.
Gilgamesh	126 years	Lord of Kulaba. He was a contemporary of Aga of Kish.
Ur-Nungal	30 years	Son of Gilgamesh.
Udul-kalama	15 years	Son of Ur-Nungal.
La-ba'shum	9 years
En-nun-tarah-ana	8 years
Mesh-he	36 years	Called "the smith."
Melem-ana	6 years
Lugal-kitun	36 years
"Then Unug was defeated and the kingship was taken to Urim (Ur)."

First Kings of Ur

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Mesh-Ane-pada	80 years	His existence is supported by many ancient tablets.
Mesh-ki-ang-Nuna	36 years	Son of Mesh-Ane-pada.
Elulu	25 years
Balulu	36 years
"Then Urim was defeated and the kingship was taken to Awan."

Kings of Awan

This group of kings was from Elam.

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Three kings of Awan	356 years
"Then Awan was defeated and the kingship was taken to Kish."

Second Kings of Kish

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Susuda	201 years	Called "the fuller."
Dadasig	81 years
Mamagal	360 years	Called "the boatman."
Kalbum	195 years	Son of Mamagal.
Tuge	360 years
Men-nuna	180 years	Son of Tuge.
Enbi-Ishtar	290 years
Lugalngu	360 years
"Then Kish was defeated and the kingship was taken to Hamazi."

The First group of kings from Lagash (around 2500 – 2271 BC) is not mentioned in the King List, but we know a lot about them from other writings.

Kings of Hamazi

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Hadanish	360 years
"Then Hamazi was defeated and the kingship was taken to Unug (Uruk)."

Second Kings of Uruk

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
En-shag-kush-ana	60 years	Said to have taken over parts of Sumer.
Lugal-kinishe-dudu	120 years
Argandea	7 years
"Then Unug was defeated and the kingship was taken to Urim (Ur)."

Second Kings of Ur

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Nanni	120 years
Mesh-ki-ang-Nanna II	48 years	Son of Nanni.
"Then Urim was defeated and the kingship was taken to Adab."

Kings of Adab

Other rulers of Adab are known, but they are not in the Sumerian King List.

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Lugal-Ane-mundu	90 years	Known from other writings. Said to have conquered all Mesopotamia.
"Then Adab was defeated and the kingship was taken to Mari."

Kings of Mari

Many rulers are known from Mari, but different names are mentioned in the Sumerian king list.

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Anbu	30 years
Anba	17 years	Son of Anbu.
Bazi	30 years	Called "the leatherworker."
Zizi of Mari	20 years	Called "the fuller."
Limer	30 years	Called "the 'gudug' priest."
Sharrum-iter	9 years
"Then Mari was defeated and the kingship was taken to Kish."

Third Kings of Kish

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Kug-Bau (Kubaba)	100 years	The only woman ruler in the King List. She was a "tavern-keeper."
"Then Kish was defeated and the kingship was taken to Akshak."

Kings of Akshak

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Unzi	30 years
Undalulu	6 years
Urur	6 years
Puzur-Nirah	20 years
Ishu-Il	24 years
Shu-Suen of Akshak	7 years	Son of Ishu-Il.
"Then Akshak was defeated and the kingship was taken to Kish."

Fourth Kings of Kish

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Puzur-Suen	25 years	Son of Kug-Bau.
Ur-Zababa	400 (or 6?) years	According to the list, Sargon of Akkad was his cup-bearer.
Zimudar	30 years
Usi-watar	7 years	Son of Zimudar.
Eshtar-muti	11 years
Ishme-Shamash	11 years
Nanniya	7 years	Called "the jeweller."
"Then Kish was defeated and the kingship was taken to Unug (Uruk)."

Third Kings of Uruk

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Lugal-zage-si	25 years	He defeated Urukagina of Lagash and other Sumerian cities. He was later overthrown by Sargon of Akkad.
"Then Unug was defeated and the kingship was taken to Agade (Akkad)"

Kings of Akkad

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Sargon of Akkad	40 years	He was a cupbearer who became king. He built Agade and started the Akkadian Empire.
Rimush of Akkad	9 years	Son of Sargon.
Manishtushu	15 years	Older brother of Rimush, son of Sargon.
Naram-Sin of Akkad	56 years	Son of Manishtushu.
Shar-kali-sharri	25 years	Son of Naram-Sin.
"Then who was king? Who was not the king?"
* Irgigi Imi Nanum Ilulu	4 years
Dudu of Akkad	21 years
Shu-Durul	15 years	Son of Dudu. Akkad fell to the Gutians during this time.
"Then Agade was defeated and the kingship was taken to Unug (Uruk)."

Fourth Kings of Uruk

These kings might have ruled in lower Mesopotamia at the same time as the Akkadian kings.

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Ur-ningin	7 years	Known from other writings.
Ur-gigir	6 years	Son of Ur-ningin. Known from other writings.
Kuda	6 years
Puzur-ili	5 years
Ur-Utu (or Lugal-melem)	25 years
"Unug was defeated and the kingship was taken to the army of Gutium."

The Second group of kings from Lagash (before around 2093–2046 BC) is not mentioned in the King List, but we know a lot about them from other writings.

Gutian Rulers

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
"In the army of Gutium, at first no king was famous; they were their own kings and ruled thus for 3 years."
Inkišuš	6 years
Sarlagab (or Zarlagab)	6 years
Shulme (or Yarlagash)	6 years
Elulmeš (or Silulumeš or Silulu)	6 years
Inimabakeš (or Duga)	5 years
Igešauš (or Ilu-An)	6 years
Yarlagab	3 years
Ibate of Gutium	3 years
Yarla (or Yarlangab)	3 years
Kurum	1 year
Apilkin	3 years
La-erabum	2 years
Irarum	2 years
Ibranum	1 year
Hablum	2 years
Puzur-Suen	7 years	Son of Hablum.
Yarlaganda	7 years
Unknown	7 years	Possibly Si'um or Si-u.
Tirigan	40 days	Defeated by Utu-hengal of Uruk.
"Then the army of Gutium was defeated and the kingship taken to Unug (Uruk)."

Fifth Kings of Uruk

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Utu-hengal	Conflicting dates (427, 26, or 7 years)	He defeated Tirigan and the Gutians. He appointed Ur-Namma as governor of Ur.

Third Kings of Ur

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Ur-Namma (Ur-Nammu)	18 years	Son of Utu-Hengal. He defeated Nammahani of Lagash.
Shulgi	46 years	Son of Ur-Namma.
Amar-Suena	9 years	Son of Shulgi.
Shu-Suen	9 years	Son of Amar-Suena.
Ibbi-Suen	24 years	Son of Shu-Suen.
"Then Urim was defeated. The very foundation of Sumer was torn out. The kingship was taken to Isin."

Kings of Isin

These were independent Amorite states in lower Mesopotamia. The Kings of Larsa (around 1961–1674 BC) from this period are not mentioned in the King List.

Ruler	Length of reign (in years)	Notes
Ishbi-Erra	33 years	He was a contemporary of Ibbi-Suen of Ur.
Shu-Ilishu	20 years	Son of Ishbi-Erra.
Iddin-Dagan	20 years	Son of Shu-ilishu.
Ishme-Dagan	20 years	Son of Iddin-Dagan.
Lipit-Eshtar	11 years	Son of Ishme-Dagan (or Iddin-Dagan).
Ur-Ninurta	28 years
Bur-Suen	21 years	Son of Ur-Ninurta.
Lipit-Enlil	5 years	Son of Bur-Suen.
Erra-imitti	8 years	He made his gardener, Enlil-Bani, a temporary king, then suddenly died.
Enlil-bani	24 years	He was Erra-imitti's gardener. He was supposed to be a temporary king, but stayed on the throne when Erra-imitti died.
Zambiya	3 years
Iter-pisha	4 years
Ur-du-kuga	4 years
Suen-magir	11 years
Damiq-ilishu	23 years	Son of Suen-magir.

Images for kids

Weld-Blundell Prism: initial paragraph about rule of Alulim and Alalngar in Eridu for 64,800 years.
The Myth of Etana. Seal impression from the Akkadian Empire period.
Fragment with the name of Enmebaragesi, King of Kish.
Image related to Aga of Kish.
The story of Lugalbanda in the Mountain Cave.
Gilgamesh in a sculptured vase.
Seal impression of Mesh-Ane-pada, king of Kish.
Image related to Meskiagnun.
Dedication tablet by King Enshakushanna.
Fragments with the name of En-shag-kush-ana.
Foundation nail of Lugal-kinishe-dudu.
Inscription of Lugal-Ane-mundu.
Votive macehead mentioning the name of La-erabum, king of Gutium.
Gutian inscription with the name of Sium.
Image related to Lugal-zage-si.
Sargon of Akkad on his victory stele.
Head of a ruler, possibly Rimush of Akkad.
Statue of Manishtushu.
Frontal view of a head, possibly Naram-Sin of Akkad.
Cylinder seal impression of Shar-kali-sharri.
Alabaster vase of Dudu of Akkad.
Name inscription of Shu-Durul.
Mention of the Gutian dynasty of Sumer in the tablet of Lugalanatum.
Utu-hengal titles on his victory stele.
King Ur-Nammu.
Portraits of Shulgi.
Figurine-nail of Amar-Suena.
Seal of Shu-Suen.
Ibbi-Suen enthroned.
Hymn of Iddin-Dagan.
Image related to Ishme-Dagan.
Stele of the Code of Lipit-Ishtar.
Cylinder seal of Bur-Suen.
Foundation Cone of Enlil-bani.
Inscribed Cone of King Zambiya of Isin.
Image related to Damiq-ilishu.