The Rise of Babylon

The rise of Babylon is a notable exception in a period of regional conflict and political fragmentation following the collapse of the third dynasty of Ur at the hands of Amorite invaders. Under the rule of King Hammurabi, Babylon would eventually rise to unify the entire region, eclipsing previous civilizations and becoming a dominant empire.

Early History of Babylon

The settlement that would become Babylon was initially a minor town, possibly inhabited as early as the early dynastic period, and its first definite mention in historical sources occurs during the reign of Akkadian king Sharkalisharri, who laid the foundations of a temple in the city. The Amorite chief, Sumu-abum, established the first Babylonian dynasty in 1894 BC, and his successor, Sumu-la-El, expanded the kingdom, covering areas from Cippa to Murad.

The Emergence of Marduk and the Amorite Dynasties

The cult of Marduk was also documented during this period, with a throne of gold and silver fashioned for the Babylonian sky god in 1860 BC. Meanwhile, in the Sumerian South, an official named Ibbi-Sin’s servant, Ishbi-Erra, established his own power base at Isin after the Elamites sacked Ur, and his dynasty earned the endorsement of the Nippur priesthood, possessing hegemony over Sumer and Akkad for half a century.

The Rise of Larsa and the Conflict with Babylon

In the 19th century BC, Babylon and Larsa emerged as rising powers in Sumer and Akkad, with Larsa experiencing a period of internal strife before being taken over by a dynasty of Amorites. Rim Sin, a lesser-known ruler, expanded his kingdom, defeating a coalition of cities including Babylon, and capturing key cities such as Ur and ending the dynasty ruled by Babylon’s allies.

The Reign of Hammurabi

Hammurabi ascended to the throne of Babylon at the age of 18 in 1792 BC, inheriting a rising state that his ancestors had gradually expanded, but still faced challenges from neighboring powers, including the expansionist Assyria, Larsa, and Elam. Hammurabi focused on internal development and establishing justice in his city for 28 years, reorganizing the economy and canceling debts to gain the loyalty of his citizens.

The Conflict with Elam and the Alliance with Mari

A conflict soon arose when the Elamite Empire, which had fallen, was usurped by Zimri-Lim, and the supreme king of Elam formed an alliance with him to expand into Mesopotamia. The Elamites attacked Eshnunna and imposed direct rule on the cities of Mesopotamia, then attempted to pit Hammurabi against Rim-Sin of Larsa by demanding troops from both to attack each other. Fortunately, the two rulers compared notes and potentially formed an alliance, motivated by their shared Mesopotamian heritage, setting the stage for Babylon’s future expansion.

The War with Larsa and the Emergence of Babylonia

Hammurabi declared war on Rim Sin of Larsa in 1763 BC, justifying it as a pre-emptive act authorized by the gods. With the support of his allies, Hammurabi besieged and captured several cities, including Larsa, where he canceled debts and tore down the city walls. Rim Sin was eventually captured and killed, marking a significant change in the political landscape of Sumer and Akkad, as city-states were replaced by the emerging territorial state of Babylonia, which would continue to expand and secure its place in history.

Term	Definition	Example Usage
Akkad	Ancient region in Mesopotamia, corresponding to modern-day Iraq, known for its cultural and historical significance.	The Akkadian king Sharkalisharri laid the foundations of a temple in the city of Babylon, marking the beginning of a new era in the region.
Amorite	An ancient Semitic-speaking people who inhabited Mesopotamia and played a significant role in the region’s history and culture.	The Amorite chief, Sumu-abum, established the first Babylonian dynasty, which would eventually rise to unify the entire region.
Babylonia	An ancient territorial state that emerged in Mesopotamia, corresponding to modern-day Iraq, known for its cultural, historical, and economic significance.	The emergence of Babylonia marked a significant change in the political landscape of Sumer and Akkad, as city-states were replaced by a unified territorial state.
Elamite Empire	An ancient empire that existed in the region of modern-day Iran, known for its cultural and historical significance in Mesopotamia.	The Elamite Empire attacked Eshnunna and imposed direct rule on the cities of Mesopotamia, posing a significant threat to the rising state of Babylon.
Hammurabi	The sixth king of the first Babylonian dynasty, known for his wise and just rule, which unified the entire region and established Babylon as a dominant empire.	Hammurabi focused on internal development and establishing justice in his city, reorganizing the economy and canceling debts to gain the loyalty of his citizens.
Marduk	The patron god of the city of Babylon, worshipped as a supreme deity in the Babylonian pantheon.	The cult of Marduk was documented during the early period of Babylon’s history, with a throne of gold and silver fashioned for the Babylonian sky god.
Mesopotamia	A historical region in the Middle East, corresponding to modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, and parts of Syria, Turkey, and Iran, known for its cultural and historical significance.	The shared Mesopotamian heritage of Hammurabi and Rim-Sin of Larsa potentially motivated them to form an alliance, setting the stage for Babylon’s future expansion.
Rim-Sin	A king of the city-state of Larsa, known for his expansionist policies and conflicts with the rising state of Babylon.	Rim-Sin was eventually captured and killed by Hammurabi, marking a significant change in the political landscape of Sumer and Akkad.
Sumer	An ancient civilization in Mesopotamia, known for its cultural and historical significance, which flourished in the region of modern-day Iraq.	The Sumerian South was a region of significant cultural and historical importance, with the city of Ur being a major center of power and influence.
Ur	An ancient city in Sumer, known for its cultural and historical significance, which was an important center of power and influence in the region.	The Elamites sacked the city of Ur, marking the end of the third dynasty of Ur and paving the way for the rise of Babylon.

Vocabulary Quiz: The Rise of Babylon

Test your knowledge of vocabulary related to the rise of Babylon with this 5-question multiple-choice quiz.

Question 1: Notable Exception

The rise of Babylon is a notable exception in a period of regional conflict. What does “notable exception” mean?

A typical example of something

A significant deviation from the norm

A minor detail that is often overlooked

A historical event that occurred only once

Question 2: Eclipsing Previous Civilizations

Babylon would eventually rise to eclipse previous civilizations. What does “eclipse” mean in this context?

To surpass or overshadow something in importance or influence

To completely destroy or eradicate something

To study or examine something in great detail

To ignore or dismiss something as unimportant

Question 3: Hegemony

Ishbi-Erra’s dynasty earned the endorsement of the Nippur priesthood, possessing hegemony over Sumer and Akkad. What does “hegemony” mean?

A state of complete independence and self-governance

A position of dominance or leadership, often through influence or power

A state of complete chaos and disorder

A type of ancient Mesopotamian architecture

Question 4: Usurped

The Elamite Empire, which had fallen, was usurped by Zimri-Lim. What does “usurped” mean?

To take control of something by force or without authority

To give up or relinquish control of something

To restore or re-establish something to its former state

To completely destroy or eradicate something

Question 5: Pre-emptive

Hammurabi declared war on Rim Sin of Larsa, justifying it as a pre-emptive act authorized by the gods. What does “pre-emptive” mean?

An action taken in response to a previous attack or provocation

An action taken to prevent or forestall a potential attack or threat

An action taken without any consideration or thought

An action taken solely for the purpose of gaining power or control

Answer Key

1. b) A significant deviation from the norm

2. a) To surpass or overshadow something in importance or influence

3. b) A position of dominance or leadership, often through influence or power

4. a) To take control of something by force or without authority

5. b) An action taken to prevent or forestall a potential attack or threat

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Using the Past Perfect Continuous Tense to Describe Historical Events

The past perfect continuous tense is used to describe an action that started before a specific point in the past and continued up to that point. In the context of historical events, this tense can be used to show that one event was already in progress when another event occurred. For example, “By the time Hammurabi ascended to the throne, his ancestors had been gradually expanding the state for years.” This sentence implies that the expansion of the state started before Hammurabi became king and continued until he took the throne.

Quiz: Using the Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Choose the correct answer for each question:

1. By the time the Elamites attacked Eshnunna, Hammurabi had been focusingwas focusinghad focusedfocused on internal development for 28 years.
2. The Amorite chief, Sumu-abum, established the first Babylonian dynasty in 1894 BC, by which time the Sumerians had been inhabitingwere inhabitinghad inhabitedinhabited the region for thousands of years.
3. Rim Sin, a lesser-known ruler, expanded his kingdom, defeating a coalition of cities including Babylon, which had been risingwas risinghad risenrose as a power in Sumer and Akkad.
4. When Hammurabi declared war on Rim Sin of Larsa, the Elamites had been imposingwere imposinghad imposedimposed direct rule on the cities of Mesopotamia for several years.
5. By the time Hammurabi captured Larsa, the city had been experiencingwas experiencinghad experiencedexperienced a period of internal strife under the rule of the Amorite dynasty.

Answer Key

1. had been focusing
2. had been inhabiting
3. had been rising
4. had been imposing
5. had been experiencing