Zambiya

Zambīia, dza-am-bi-ia, c. 1774 – 1772 BC (short chronology) or c. 1836 – 1834 BC (middle chronology), was the 11th king of the 1st Dynasty of Isin. He is best known for his defeat at the hands of Sin-iqišam, king of Larsa.

For the African country, see Zambia.
Zambīia
King of Isin
Inscribed Cone of King Zambiya of Isin, Isin-Larsa period, reign of Zambiya, c. 1836-1834 BC, baked clay - Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago
Reignc. 1774 BC – 1772 BC
PredecessorEnlil-bāni
SuccessorIter-piša
House1st Dynasty of Isin

Biography

According to the Sumerian King List,[i 1] Zambīia reigned for 3 years.[1] He was a contemporary of Sin-iqišam king of Larsa, whose fifth and final year-name celebrates his victory over Zambīia: “year the army of (the land of) Elam (and Zambīia (the king of Isin),) was/were defeated by arms,” suggesting a confederation between Isin and Elam against Larsa. The city of Nippur was hotly contested between the city-states. If Zambīia survived this battle, he may have possibly gone on to be contemporary with Sin-iqišam’s successors, Ṣilli-Adad and Warad-Sin.[2]

A single inscription is known for this king, on cone fragments,[i 2] which reads:

Zambīia, the shepherd who reveres Nippur, farmer who brings tall flax and grain for Duranki, true provider, who fills the courtyard of the Egalmaḫ with abundant things, king of Isin, king of the land of Sumer and Akkad, spouse chosen by the goddess Inanna, beloved of the god Enlil and the goddess Ninisina, built the great wall of Isin. The name of that wall is “Zambīia is the beloved of the goddess Ištar”.[3]

— Zambīia, Commemorative inscription for great wall of Isin

A votive dedication to the goddess Nanše on behalf of Zambīia was copied from an inscription on a bronze buck.[4]

Inscriptions
  1. The Sumerian King List, WB 444, Ash. 1923.444, the Weld-Blundell prism.
  2. A 7557, IM 77073.

References
  1. Jöran Friberg (2007). A Remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts: Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection: Cuneiform Texts. Springer. p. 231.
  2. Marten Stol (1976). Studies in Old Babylonian history. Nederlands Historisch-Archaeologisch Instituut te İstanbul. p. 15.
  3. Douglas Frayne (1990). Old Babylonian period (2003-1595 BC): Early Periods, Volume 4 (RIM The Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia). University of Toronto Press. pp. 91–92.
  4. Karen Radner, Eleanor Robson (2011). The Oxford Handbook of Cuneiform Culture. Oxford University Press. p. 569.
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