Quick Facts
Biography
Ansud (also read as Ianupu, Yanup, Anubu, Gansud, Anusu and Hanusum), was an early king (Lugal) of the second Mariote kingdom who reigned c. 2423-2416 BC. Ansud is known for warring against the Eblaites from a letter written by the later Mariote king Enna-Dagan.
Reign
Identity
A jar discovered at Mari, sent as a gift by Mesannepada of Ur, recorded the name of king "Hanusum" (Gansud) of Mari. The letter of Enna-Dagan is extremely difficult to read, and the word "Sa'umu" appeared in three passages of it. In the second and third passages, the word referred to Ansud's successor Sa'umu. However, in the first passage, "Sa'umu" was read as a verb by Giovanni Pettinato, who later read it as (Anudu). Alfonso Archi, recognized that this verb is a personal name of a monarch and read it as Anubu (motivated by the Sumerian King List which record a dynasty of Mari and king Anbu as the first monarch of the dynasty). However, the discovery of an intact (SKL) with the names of Mari's dynasty bearing no resemblance to second kingdom monarchs, eliminated the need for Archi's identification. According to Michael Astour, the name is Anusu (Ansud) and must be correlated with king Hanusum.
Campaigns
In the letter Ansud is recorded defeating the Eblaite vassal cities of Aburu, Ilgi and Belan. The king is also mentioned leaving ruins in the mountains of Labanan, which were identified by Pettinato with Lebanon. However, this identification was ruled as geographically impossible by Astour.
King Ansud of Mari | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ikun-Shamagan ? | King of Mari 2423-2416 BC | Succeeded by Saʿumu |
Citations
- ^ "Monuments of War, War of Monuments: Some Considerations on Commemorating War in the Third Millennium BC. Orientalia Vol.76/4". Davide Nadali. 2007. p. 354. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
- ^ Joan Aruz; Ronald Wallenfels (2003). Art of the First Cities: The Third Millennium B.C. from the Mediterranean to the Indus. p. 463.
- ^ Cyrus Herzl Gordon; Gary Rendsburg; Nathan H. Winter (2002). Eblaitica vol.4. p. 57.
- ^ Nakl. Ceskoslovenské akademie věd (1969). Archiv Orientální, Volume 37 (in French). p. 623.
- ^ Cyrus Herzl Gordon; Gary Rendsburg; Nathan H. Winter (2002). Eblaitica vol.4. p. 58.
- ^ William J. Hamblin (2006). Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC. p. 242.
- ^ Mario Liverani (2013). The Ancient Near East: History, Society and Economy. p. 117.
- ^ Martha A. Morrison; David I. Owen (1987). General Studies and Excavations at Nuzi 9/1. p. 12.
- ^ Douglas Frayne (2008). Pre-Sargonic Period: Early Periods, Volume 1 (2700-2350 BC). p. 761.
- ^ P.M. Michèle Daviau; Michael Weigl; John W. Wevers (2001). The World of the Aramaeans: Studies in Honour of Paul-Eugène Dion, Volume 1. p. 233.
- ^ Cyrus Herzl Gordon; Gary Rendsburg (1992). Eblaitica vol.3. p. 29.