Kaštiliaš IV
Encyclopedia
Kaštiliašu IV was the twenty-eighth Kassite
king of Babylon
and the kingdom contemporarily known as Kar-Duniaš, ca. 1232 BC – 1225 BC (short chronology). He succeeded Šagarakti-Šuriaš
, who could have been his father, ruled for eight years, and went on to wage war against Assyria
resulting in the catastrophic invasion of his homeland and his abject defeat.
He may have ruled from the Palace of the Stag and the Palace of the Mountain Sheep, in the city of Dur-Kurigalzu
, as these are referenced in a jeweler’s archive from this period. Despite his short reign there are at least 177 economic texts dated to him, on subjects as diverse as various items for a chariot, issue of flour, dates, oil and salt for offerings, receipt of butter and oil at the expense of the guennakku (the governor of Nippur
), i.e. his shopping receipt, and baskets received by Rimutum from Hunnubi.
, king of Assyria, was provoked into war by Kaštiliašu’s attack on his territory, thereby breaching an earlier treaty between their ancestors Adad-nīrāri I
and Kadašman-Turgu
. But trouble may have been brewing for some time. Tudḫaliya
, king of the Hittites
, himself reeling from defeat by the Assyrians at the Battle of Nihriya
, refers to the Babylonian king as his equal, in his treaty with his vassal, Šaušgamuwa of Amurru
, hinting at the possible existence of an alliance or at least a tacit understanding between them. It reads:
Also, Kaštiliašu had granted land and presumably asylum to one Akaptaḫa, a fugitive from Assyria’s vassal Ḫanigalbat
.
Tukulti-Ninurta petitioned the god Šamaš
before beginning his counter offensive. Kaštiliašu was captured, single-handed by Tukulti-Ninurta according to his account, who “trod with my feet upon his lordly neck as though it were a footstool” and deported him ignominiously in chains to Assyria. The victorious Assyrian demolished the walls of Babylon, massacred many of the inhabitants, pillaged and plundered his way across the city to the Esagila
temple, where he made off with the statue of Marduk
. He then proclaimed himself “king of Karduniash, king of Sumer
and Akkad, king of Sippar
and Babylon, king of Tilmun
and Meluhha
.” Middle Assyrian texts recovered at Tall Šēḫ Ḥamad, ancient Dūr-Katlimmu which was the regional capital of the vassal Ḫanigalbat, include a letter from Tukulti-Ninurta to his sukkal rabi’u, or grand vizier, Aššur-iddin advising him of the approach of Šulman-mušabši escorting his captive, Kaštiliašu, his wife, and his retinue which incorporated a large number of women, on his way to exile after his defeat. The journey to Dūr-Katlimmu seems to have traveled via Jezireh.
The conflict, and its outcome, is recorded in the Tukulti-Ninurta Epic
, a poetic “victory song”, which has been recovered in several lengthy fragments, somewhat reminiscent of the earlier account of Adad-nīrāri’s victory over Nazi-Maruttaš
. It would lend its form to later Assyrian epics such as that of Shalmaneser III
, concerning his campaign in Ararat
. Written strictly from the Assyrian point of view, it provides a strongly biased narrative. Tukulti-Ninurta is portrayed as an innocent victim of the invidious Kaštiliašu, who is contrasted as “the transgressor of an oath”, and who has so vexed the gods that they have abandoned their sanctuaries.
More succinct accounts of these events are also inscribed on five large limestone tablets which were imbedded in Tukulti-Ninurta’s construction projects as foundation stones, for example the Annals of Tukulti-Ninurta, carved on a slab which was buried in or under the wall of his purpose-built capital, Kar-Tukulti-Ninurta
.
and Babylon during his reign. The ruling families had been joined through intermarriage in the past, but the countries had resorted to war to settle their differences under the reigns of Kurigalzu II
and possibly his son, Nazi-Maruttaš. It must be noted however that the sequence of kings of Elam during this period is very confused, with several names suspiciously appearing over again some in shuffled sequences, such as Napirisha-Untash and Untash-Napirisha, making it hard to make sense of the chronology. After Kaštiliašu’s overthrow, however, Kidin-Hutran III, the king of Elam, certainly led two successive incursions into Babylonia, which have been explained as either indicative of his loyalty to the fallen Kassite dynasty or alternatively raiding with impunity to exploit the weakness of the over-extended Assyrians.
It has been suggested that the Šulgi Prophecy, a vaticinium ex eventu (prophesy after the fact) composition of uncertain date, might refer to the events during one of these reigns. Enlil-nādin-šumi may be the subject of Column V of the Šulgi prophetic speech. It is preserved in heavily damaged late-period tablets, in which Šulgi
(2112-2004 BC), the second and most famous king of the third dynasty of Ur
, and founder of Nippur, summarizes his achievements. He predicts that Babylon will submit to Assyria, Nippur will be “cast down”, Enlil
will remove the king, another king will make a messianic appearance, restore the shrines and Nippur will rise from its ashes.
, including its temple of Edimgal-kalama, leading their people into captivity and bringing Enlil-nādin-šumi’s brief rule to an abrupt end.
and crossed the Tigris, and laid waste to Marad
. Perhaps three economic texts from Ur
have come to light dated to his reign.
A kudurru
of Meli-Šipak, relates the lengthy history of litigation affecting a family estate over three reigns beginning with that of Adad-šuma-iddina. It begins with Takil-ana-ilishu dying intestate, his son being illegitimate, and then proceeds with the tale of the relatives’ rival claims and the legal mayhem that ensues. Although considered a puppet of Tukulti-Ninurta, this case shows his decisions were honored by later kings.
With the collapse of Tukulti-Ninurta’s regime in Assyria, following his assassination, the Kassite rabûti (important men, noblemen, officers?) rebelled and installed Kaštiliašu’s son, Adad-šuma-ušur, on the throne.
Kassites
The Kassites were an ancient Near Eastern people who gained control of Babylonia after the fall of the Old Babylonian Empire after ca. 1531 BC to ca. 1155 BC...
king of Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
and the kingdom contemporarily known as Kar-Duniaš, ca. 1232 BC – 1225 BC (short chronology). He succeeded Šagarakti-Šuriaš
Shagarakti-Shuriash
Šagarakti-Šuriaš, Šuriaš gives me life, was the twenty seventh king of the Third or Kassite dynasty of Babylon and ascended the throne early in the month of Nisan...
, who could have been his father, ruled for eight years, and went on to wage war against Assyria
Assyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
resulting in the catastrophic invasion of his homeland and his abject defeat.
He may have ruled from the Palace of the Stag and the Palace of the Mountain Sheep, in the city of Dur-Kurigalzu
Dur-Kurigalzu
Dur-Kurigalzu was a city in southern Mesopotamia near the confluence of the Tigris and Diyala rivers about 30 km west of the center of Baghdad. It was founded by a Kassite king of Babylon, Kurigalzu I, some time in the 14th century BC, and was abandoned after the fall of the Kassite dynasty...
, as these are referenced in a jeweler’s archive from this period. Despite his short reign there are at least 177 economic texts dated to him, on subjects as diverse as various items for a chariot, issue of flour, dates, oil and salt for offerings, receipt of butter and oil at the expense of the guennakku (the governor of Nippur
Nippur
Nippur was one of the most ancient of all the Sumerian cities. It was the special seat of the worship of the Sumerian god Enlil, the "Lord Wind," ruler of the cosmos subject to An alone...
), i.e. his shopping receipt, and baskets received by Rimutum from Hunnubi.
War with Assyria
Tukulti-Ninurta ITukulti-Ninurta I
Tukulti-Ninurta I was a king of Assyria.He succeeded Shalmaneser I, his father, as king and won a major victory against the Hittites at the Battle of Nihriya in the first half of his reign...
, king of Assyria, was provoked into war by Kaštiliašu’s attack on his territory, thereby breaching an earlier treaty between their ancestors Adad-nīrāri I
Adad-nirari I
Adad-nirari I was a king of Assyria. He is the earliest Assyrian king whose annals survive in any detail. Adad-nirari I achieved major military victories that significantly strengthened the Assyrian kingdom and enabled Assyria to start to play a major role in Mesopotamian politics...
and Kadašman-Turgu
Kadashman-Turgu
Kadašman-Turgu, meaning he believes in Turgu, a Kassite deity, was the twenty-fourth king of the Kassite dynasty of Babylon. He succeeded his father, Nazi-Maruttaš, continuing the tradition of proclaiming himself lugal ki-šár-ra or “king of the world” and went on to reign for eighteen years...
. But trouble may have been brewing for some time. Tudḫaliya
Tudhaliya IV
Tudhaliya IV was a king of the Hittite Empire , and the younger son of Hattusili III. He reigned ca. 1237 BCE–1209 BCE. His mother was called Puduhepa...
, king of the Hittites
Hittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
, himself reeling from defeat by the Assyrians at the Battle of Nihriya
Battle of Nihriya
The Battle of Nihriya was the culminating point of the hostilities between Hittites and Assyrians for control over the remnants of the former empire of Mitanni....
, refers to the Babylonian king as his equal, in his treaty with his vassal, Šaušgamuwa of Amurru
Amurru kingdom
Amurru was an Amorite kingdom located at the territory of modern Lebanon during the 14th–12th centuries BCThe first documented leader of Amurru was Abdi-Ashirta, under whose leadership Amurru was part of the Egyptian empire...
, hinting at the possible existence of an alliance or at least a tacit understanding between them. It reads:
Also, Kaštiliašu had granted land and presumably asylum to one Akaptaḫa, a fugitive from Assyria’s vassal Ḫanigalbat
Mitanni
Mitanni or Hanigalbat was a loosely organized Hurrian-speaking state in northern Syria and south-east Anatolia from ca. 1500 BC–1300 BC...
.
Tukulti-Ninurta petitioned the god Šamaš
Shamash
Shamash was a native Mesopotamian deity and the sun god in the Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian pantheons. Shamash was the god of justice in Babylonia and Assyria, corresponding to Sumerian Utu...
before beginning his counter offensive. Kaštiliašu was captured, single-handed by Tukulti-Ninurta according to his account, who “trod with my feet upon his lordly neck as though it were a footstool” and deported him ignominiously in chains to Assyria. The victorious Assyrian demolished the walls of Babylon, massacred many of the inhabitants, pillaged and plundered his way across the city to the Esagila
Esagila
The Ésagila, a Sumerian name signifying "É whose top is lofty", was a temple dedicated to Marduk, the protector god of Babylon...
temple, where he made off with the statue of Marduk
Marduk
Marduk was the Babylonian name of a late-generation god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon, who, when Babylon became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time of Hammurabi , started to...
. He then proclaimed himself “king of Karduniash, king of Sumer
Sumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
and Akkad, king of Sippar
Sippar
Sippar was an ancient Near Eastern city on the east bank of the Euphrates river, located at the site of modern Tell Abu Habbah in Iraq's Babil Governorate, some 60 km north of Babylon and 30 km southeast of Baghdad....
and Babylon, king of Tilmun
Dilmun
Dilmun or Telmun is a land mentioned by Mesopotamian civilizations as a trade partner, a source of the metal copper, and an entrepôt of the Mesopotamia-to-Indus Valley Civilization trade route...
and Meluhha
Meluhha
' or Melukhkha is the Sumerian name of a prominent trading partner of Sumer during the Middle Bronze Age. Its identification remains an open question.-Trade with Sumer:...
.” Middle Assyrian texts recovered at Tall Šēḫ Ḥamad, ancient Dūr-Katlimmu which was the regional capital of the vassal Ḫanigalbat, include a letter from Tukulti-Ninurta to his sukkal rabi’u, or grand vizier, Aššur-iddin advising him of the approach of Šulman-mušabši escorting his captive, Kaštiliašu, his wife, and his retinue which incorporated a large number of women, on his way to exile after his defeat. The journey to Dūr-Katlimmu seems to have traveled via Jezireh.
The conflict, and its outcome, is recorded in the Tukulti-Ninurta Epic
Tukulti-Ninurta Epic
Tukulti-Ninurta Epic is an Assyrian epic, written in the Akkadian language that describes and glorifies the wars and conquests of the Assyrian King Tukulti-Ninurta I against Kashtiliash IV, King of the Kassites....
, a poetic “victory song”, which has been recovered in several lengthy fragments, somewhat reminiscent of the earlier account of Adad-nīrāri’s victory over Nazi-Maruttaš
Nazi-Maruttash
Nazi-Maruttaš, Maruttaš protects him, was a Kassite king of Babylon ca. 1307–1282 BC and self-proclaimed šar kiššati, or “King of the World”. He was the twenty third of the dynasty, the son and successor of Kurigalzu II and reigned for twenty six years...
. It would lend its form to later Assyrian epics such as that of Shalmaneser III
Shalmaneser III
Shalmaneser III was king of Assyria , and son of the previous ruler, Ashurnasirpal II....
, concerning his campaign in Ararat
Ararat
Ararat may refer to:*Ararat , a common first name for Armenian males *Ararat / Araratian, a common family name for Armenians -Armenian Highland:*Mount Ararat, a snow-capped, dormant volcanic cone in Turkey...
. Written strictly from the Assyrian point of view, it provides a strongly biased narrative. Tukulti-Ninurta is portrayed as an innocent victim of the invidious Kaštiliašu, who is contrasted as “the transgressor of an oath”, and who has so vexed the gods that they have abandoned their sanctuaries.
More succinct accounts of these events are also inscribed on five large limestone tablets which were imbedded in Tukulti-Ninurta’s construction projects as foundation stones, for example the Annals of Tukulti-Ninurta, carved on a slab which was buried in or under the wall of his purpose-built capital, Kar-Tukulti-Ninurta
Kar-Tukulti-Ninurta
Kar-Tukulti-Ninurta was a new cult center for Ashur and perhaps a new capital city founded by the Assyrian king Tukulti-Ninurta I just north of Assur...
.
Relations with Elam
There is no extant evidence of conflict between ElamElam
Elam was an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. Elam was centered in the far west and the southwest of modern-day Iran, stretching from the lowlands of Khuzestan and Ilam Province, as well as a small part of southern Iraq...
and Babylon during his reign. The ruling families had been joined through intermarriage in the past, but the countries had resorted to war to settle their differences under the reigns of Kurigalzu II
Kurigalzu II
Kurigalzu II was the twenty second king of the Kassite dynasty that ruled over Babylon. In more than twelve inscriptions, Kurigalzu names Burna-Buriaš II as his father...
and possibly his son, Nazi-Maruttaš. It must be noted however that the sequence of kings of Elam during this period is very confused, with several names suspiciously appearing over again some in shuffled sequences, such as Napirisha-Untash and Untash-Napirisha, making it hard to make sense of the chronology. After Kaštiliašu’s overthrow, however, Kidin-Hutran III, the king of Elam, certainly led two successive incursions into Babylonia, which have been explained as either indicative of his loyalty to the fallen Kassite dynasty or alternatively raiding with impunity to exploit the weakness of the over-extended Assyrians.
Babylon under Assyrian Governorship
The Chronicle P records that Tukulti-Ninurta ruled through his appointed governors for seven years, where the term šaknūtīšu could include appointees or prefects. An alternative reconstruction of these events has been proposed whereby Tukulti Ninurta ruled for seven years and then three successive Kassite kings took power before the original dynasty was reinstated.It has been suggested that the Šulgi Prophecy, a vaticinium ex eventu (prophesy after the fact) composition of uncertain date, might refer to the events during one of these reigns. Enlil-nādin-šumi may be the subject of Column V of the Šulgi prophetic speech. It is preserved in heavily damaged late-period tablets, in which Šulgi
Shulgi
Shulgi of Urim was the second king of the "Sumerian Renaissance". He reigned for 48 years, dated to 2029 BCE–1982 BCE...
(2112-2004 BC), the second and most famous king of the third dynasty of Ur
Third Dynasty of Ur
The Third Dynasty of Ur, also known as the Neo-Sumerian Empire or the Ur III Empire refers simultaneously to a 21st to 20th century BC Sumerian ruling dynasty based in the city of Ur and a short-lived territorial-political state that some historians regard as a nascent empire...
, and founder of Nippur, summarizes his achievements. He predicts that Babylon will submit to Assyria, Nippur will be “cast down”, Enlil
Enlil
Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era. Her poetry was widely popular in both England and the United States during her lifetime. A collection of her last poems was published by her husband, Robert Browning, shortly after her death.-Early life:Members...
will remove the king, another king will make a messianic appearance, restore the shrines and Nippur will rise from its ashes.
Enlil-nādin-šumi
Recorded as the twenty-ninth ruler of the Kassite dynasty, Enlil-nādin-šumi’s reign was fleeting, just one year, six months, or perhaps only six months, ca. 1224 BC. A small cache of tablets are dated to his reign. The Elamites, under their king Kidin-Hutran, called Kidin-Ḫutrudiš in Chronicle P which describes these events, invaded and devastated Nippur and DerDer (Sumer)
Der was a Sumerian city-state at the site of modern Tell Aqar near al-Badra in Iraq's Wasit Governorate. It was east of the Tigris River on the border between Sumer and Elam. It's namewas possibly Durum.-History:...
, including its temple of Edimgal-kalama, leading their people into captivity and bringing Enlil-nādin-šumi’s brief rule to an abrupt end.
Kadašman-Ḫarbe II
Kadašman-Ḫarbe II, meaning I believe in Ḫarbe, the lord of the Kassite pantheon corresponding to Enlil, was appointed ca. 1223 BC to succeed Enlil-nādin-šumi, as the thirtieth king, and also lasted only one year, six months. There are two economic texts from Ur and two from Nippur dated to his reign, up to his fourteenth month, one of which records the sale of a girl, one-half cubit in size, to Rabâ-ša-Ninimma, as a wife for his second son, Ninimma-zēra-šubši, for the princely sum of two fine muḫtillû-garments, worth two shekels of gold, and some food.Adad-šuma-iddina
The reign of Adad-šuma-iddina, the thirty-first king, was six years, ca. 1222–1217 BC. Babylon, again felt the predations of the Elamites under Kidin-Hutran, who seized the city of IsinIsin
Isin was an ancient city-state of lower Mesopotamia about 20 miles south of Nippur at the site of modern Ishan al-Bahriyat in Iraq's Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate.-History:...
and crossed the Tigris, and laid waste to Marad
Marad
Marad was an ancient Sumerian city. Marad was situated on the west bank of the then western branch of the Upper Euphrates River west of Nippur in modern day Iraq and roughly 50 km southeast of Kish, on the Arahtu River.The city's ziggurat E-igi-kalama was dedicated to Ninurta the god of...
. Perhaps three economic texts from Ur
Ur
Ur was an important city-state in ancient Sumer located at the site of modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate...
have come to light dated to his reign.
A kudurru
Kudurru
Kudurru was a type of stone document used as boundary stones and as records of land grants to vassals by the Kassites in ancient Babylonia between the 16th and 12th centuries BCE. The word is Akkadian for "frontier" or "boundary"...
of Meli-Šipak, relates the lengthy history of litigation affecting a family estate over three reigns beginning with that of Adad-šuma-iddina. It begins with Takil-ana-ilishu dying intestate, his son being illegitimate, and then proceeds with the tale of the relatives’ rival claims and the legal mayhem that ensues. Although considered a puppet of Tukulti-Ninurta, this case shows his decisions were honored by later kings.
With the collapse of Tukulti-Ninurta’s regime in Assyria, following his assassination, the Kassite rabûti (important men, noblemen, officers?) rebelled and installed Kaštiliašu’s son, Adad-šuma-ušur, on the throne.