Ibbi-Sin
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Ibbi-Sin, son of Shu-Sin, was king of Sumer and Akkad and last king of the Ur III dynasty, and reigned circa 1963 BC-1940 BC (Short chronology). During his reign, the Sumerian empire was attacked repeatedly by Amorites. As faith in Ibbi-Sin's leadership failed, Elam declared its independence and began to raid as well.
Ibbi-Sin ordered fortifications built at the important cities of Ur and Nippur, but these efforts were not enough to stop the raids or keep the empire unified. Cities throughout Ibbi-Sin's empire fell away from a king who could not protect them. Ibbi-Sin was, by the end of his kingship, left with only the city of Ur. In 1940 BC, the Elamites, along with "tribesmen from the region of Shimashki in the Zagros Mountains" (Stiebing 79) sacked Ur and took Ibbi-Sin captive; he was taken to the city of Elam where he was imprisoned and, at an unknown date, died.
King Before he was King
The Middle chronology of Babylon 1894-1594bc is reduced 64 years (lunar dates of Venus) to 1830-1530bc in an attempt to close the Shalmeneser Era discrepancy of 56-year error (lunar dates of Venus) believing the supplanting of Assyrians in the destroyed city of Samaria in 720bc was used instead of Greek 776bc. However, all the numerous many variant biblical chronologies support the Middle chronology for Babylon. This produces a problem with Ibbi-Sin who is king for 24 years when Ur III is destroyed. Yet Ibbi-Sin is referred to as strengthening Ur after its fall, and in 12 years placing his servant Ishbi-Erra as king on a throne created in Isan. With the fall of Ur in 2029bc (giving Ibbi-Sin 2054-2030bc), the Isan dynasty rises in 2017bc according to Middle chronology. Yet short chronology favors his presence 64 years later in 1990-1966bc. (1963-1939bc published here is 91 years.) What is unveiled is thus the belief that the fall of Ur in 2029bc had to be Ur III not Ur I because the ancients had to stretch chronology back to the miscalculated Creation by flood. They did not see how Ibbi-Sin could be king picking up the pieces of fallen Ur I, and setting up the throne of Isan in 2017bc, before he became the head-king or chief king (1924-1901bc)of the 3rd dynasty (2009-1900bc). Born the year of Nineveh (Greek Eusebius 2060bc), becoming just a king (appointed elder) at 30 in 2029bc, he would be 135 in 1925bc becoming THE king of Ur III ruling 24 years until 160 dying in 1900bc well within the 175 years of Abram (2018-1843bc).
The success of the Amorite invasion
The Amorites were considered a backwards people by Mesopotamian standards. That they were able to cause so much trouble in the Ur III empire is surprising. In truth, the Amorite efforts to invade the empire may have been effective simply because they were in the right place at the right time. Scholars have suggested that, by the reign of Ibbi-Sin, the empire was already in decline due to long-term drought--in fact, the same drought that helped to take down the Akkadian Empire circa 2193 BC may have been responsible for the fall of Ur III. On page 79, Stiebing writes of evidence supporting this assertion:
- "Studies of Persian Gulf sediments indicate that the stream flow of the Tigris and Euphrates was very low around 2100-2000 B.C.E. [...] Any damage to the agricultural system by enemy raids, bureaucratic mismanagement, or an inattentive ruler would result in food shortages"
In years seven and eight of Ibbi-Sin's kingship, the price of grain increased to 60 times the norm. From this, we can conclude that the success of the Amorites in disrupting the Ur III empire is, at least in part, a product of attacks on the agricultural and irrigation systems; these attacks brought famine and caused an economic collapse in the empire, paving the way for the Elamites to strike into Ur and capture the king.
References
- Stiebing Jr., William H. (2003). Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture. New York: Pearson Education. ISBN 032106674X.