One of the most curious documents left to us by the Mesopotamians is the Sumerian Royal List . It contains a list of kings, classified by dynasties and cities, who supposedly ruled between the two rivers since archaic times. I have said "supposedly" because we could make three groups with these monarchs. The first of them would be made up of those that are simple legends and that are characterized by having been awarded very long reigns, from one hundred years to 43,000 years of Enmenluana de Badtibira . We will do well to assume that they are invented kings. In ancient times, rulers in Sumeria were chosen by an assembly. When the generals began to carry out coups, and to leave office to their sons, they had to invent a pretext to justify their right and permanence in office. If you pose as a descendant of someone legendary, and even divine, you may avoid any attacks on your person and, after all, it does not look bad on business cards. Even the famous Alexander the Great presented himself as a descendant of Achilles. Interestingly, on many magufa websites it is argued that they really existed because they were aliens, Atlanteans or ancestors of Marvel superheroes, and that they lived so long without leaving a single genetic or physical trace of them. Well, we are not going to get into controversy, everyone has the right to believe in the Three Wise Men, even if they are, beware of spoilers... the parents!
The other, smaller group on the list is made up of those rulers who may have existed, though not as they are described. In other words, royal rulers to whom time could apply a patina of legend. Among them we could highlight the famous Gilgamesh of Uruk or Enmerkar , from the same city. Perhaps they existed, but they didn't sleep with so many women, they didn't have so many adventures, they weren't so handsome and tall, and Angelina Jolie didn't give them her phone number.
The third group, more numerous and interesting for archaeologists, is made up of those whose existence we have proof of. In other words, we have found physical evidence of his passage through this world. They also stand out for having much more reasonable terms of office, from the 56-year reign of Sargón de Akhad , until just a few days in the case of the last Akkadian monarchs. I mean, like life itself. Some die in bed and others resigned by the valet and a sharp knife.
In this group, and among the kings of the Dynasty of Isin , we find the case of Erra-imitti . The Ruins of Isin are located about 40 km from Diwaniya , in Iraq. In Sumerian times they were about 30 km from the famous city of Nippur . The latter was a highly coveted trophy, as the sacred precinct of Enlil , in said locality, was the one that endorsed the right to reign. The city of Isin achieved independence at the end of the Third Dynasty of Ur , and created his own dynasty around 2000 B.C. They didn't do too badly, but they spent the entire time at almost permanent war with the city of Larsa for the domain of the coveted Nippur and other smaller towns. Erra-imitti succeeded king Lilpit-Enlil , who had reigned only 5 years, having lost Nippur . He was not of his family, and there is no news that Lipit-Enlil died in battle, so it is suspected that Erra-imitti he was the one who gave him the pass to forced retirement. There are suspicions, due to some found text, that Erra-imitti he could have been a general, which would easily explain the change in title to the throne, and even more so given Lipit-Enlil's failure as a strategist. .
The fact is that Erra-imitti he reigned for 8 years. He temporarily regained Nippur and some other city, like Kisurra . He should not have been badly military and, in addition, texts are preserved that speak of his donations to temples. But his Waterloo came with the New Year's party in the eighth year of his term. And it is that the first sacrifices made at the beginning of the celebration came out with very bad omens. He repeated them several times but the animals insisted on giving bad news. Because of this, Erra-imitti he opted to use a little trick that Sumerian rulers sometimes resorted to. He looked for a substitute on the throne so that misfortunes fell on him, while he abdicated "temporarily". The one selected to bear the jinx was a gardener named Enlilbani . He was anointed as provisional monarch with all the corresponding ceremonies and everything would have gone as it was supposed to, but the Sumerian gods are vengeful and stubborn. As a proverb of the two rivers says:“The fool believes that he can hide from the eye of a god ”.
While Enlilbani participated in one of the ceremonies, Erra-imitti he settled down to savor an appetizing bowl of oatmeal soup and it turned out to be so hot that it burned his mouth, and from the shock he passed away. The story may be curious, but it is told by the Sumerian Royal List Even though they didn't give us the recipe. Enlilbani he remained in office for 24 years. And it doesn't seem like he did anything wrong, because he pulled the ears of the city of Larsa , he rebuilt the walls of Isin and he built a new palace, as well as several public works.
I could say, as a moral, that no one escapes the will of the gods, but I like the wisdom of our elders, so I prefer to deduce from this story that my grandmother was right when she told me to blow the soup, and that with the number of incompetent rulers that there have been since the world began, to rule wisely... a gardener with a lucky star is enough.
Contributed by Joshua BedwyR author of In a Dark Blue World