Dynasty of E
palê E
Dynasty VIII of Babylon
Nabu-mukin-apli, the first king ascribed to the dynasty of E in Babylonian King List A
CountryBabylonia
Foundedc. 974 BC
FounderNabu-mukin-apli
Final rulerNabu-shuma-ukin II
TitlesKing of Babylon
King of Sumer and Akkad
TraditionsAncient Mesopotamian religion
Deposition732 BC

The dynasty of E or the E dynasty,[1][a] also known as Dynasty VIII of Babylon,[2][b] was an ancient ruling dynasty of Babylonia. The dynasty, as designated by the ancient Babylonians themselves, encompasses a sequence of genealogically and ethnically unconnected rulers[4] in the late Middle Babylonian period, from the early 10th century BC to the late 8th century BC, as well as some rebels and puppet rulers in the Neo-Assyrian period.[5]

Designation and background edit

The designation of rulers as belonging to the dynasty of E (palê E in Akkadian)[2] occurs only in the Babylonian King List A. Another king list that covers the 10th to 8th century BC, the Dynastic Chronicle, ascribes these rulers into separate, shorter dynasties, but it is poorly preserved with only fragmentary portions of the entries for the rulers of the 8th century BC remaining.[6] The only discernible dynastic attributions[7] are those of the consecutive kings Marduk-apla-usur ("dynasty of Chaldea"; palê Kaldi),[8] Eriba-Marduk ("dynasty of the Sealand", palê Tamti)[9] and Nabu-shuma-ishkun ("dynasty of Chaldea").[7]

Because the entries of the individual kings are damaged in King List A as well, the lengths of the reigns of most of the kings are impossible to determine with certainty.[6]

Because "E" likely refers to Babylon, most of the rulers are assumed to have been of Babylonian origin, unless other sources make clear that they had other ethnic backgrounds (there are a handful of kings attributed to the dynasty that are known to have been Chaldeans).[10]

List of kings of the dynasty of E edit

{fix w. srces in the list}

Regnal dates follow Chen (2020)[11] and Collon (1995).[12] Ethnic, and genealogical affiliations, follow Beaulieu (2018),[6] Chen (2020)[11] and Fales (2014).[13]

Rebels and puppet rulers ascribed to the "dynasty of E" during the rule of the Neo-Assyrian Empire:

  • Bel-ibni (r.703–700 BC) – Babylonian, Rab-bānî family. Assyrian puppet ruler.
  • Nergal-ushezib (r.694–693 BC) – Babylonian, Gaḫal kin family. Rebel against Assyria.
  • Mushezib-Marduk (r.693–689 BC) – Chaldean, Bit-Dakkuri tribe. Rebel against Assyria.

Notes edit

  1. ^ 'Dynasty of E' is the native Babylonian name for this line of kings. It is probable that 'E' actually refers to Babylon, i. e. that the name of the dynasty should actually be interpreted as 'dynasty of Babylon'.[2]
  2. ^ The numerial designation IX, rather than VIII, was often used in older scholarship, when the king Nabu-mukin-apli (r.c. 978–943 BC) was mistakenly ascribed to a dynasty of his own, rather than counted as the first king of the dynasty of E.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ Fales 2014, p. 203.
  2. ^ a b c Beaulieu 2018, p. 12.
  3. ^ Bayles Paton 1901, p. 16.
  4. ^ Beaulieu 2018, p. 13.
  5. ^ Fales 2014, p. 208.
  6. ^ a b c Beaulieu 2018, p. 178.
  7. ^ a b Livius.
  8. ^ Beaulieu 2018, p. 185.
  9. ^ Beaulieu 2018, p. 186.
  10. ^ Beaulieu 2018, p. 179.
  11. ^ a b Chen 2020, pp. 202–206.
  12. ^ Collon 1995, p. 236.
  13. ^ Fales 2014, pp. 217–218.

Bibliography edit

  • Beaulieu, Paul-Alain (2018). A History of Babylon, 2200 BC - AD 75. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1405188999.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Chen, Fei (2020). "A List of Babylonian Kings". Study on the Synchronistic King List from Ashur. BRILL. ISBN 978-9004430921.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Collon, Dominique (1995). Ancient Near Eastern Art. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520203075.
  • Fales, Frederick Mario (2014). "The Two Dynasties of Assyria". In Gaspa, Salvatore; Greco, Alessandro; Morandi Bonacossi, Daniele; Ponchia, Simonetta; Rollinger, Robert (eds.). From Source to History: Studies on Ancient Near Eastern Worlds and Beyond. Münster: Ugarit Verlag. ISBN 978-3868351019.

Web sources edit

Royal house
Dynasty of E
Founding year: 978 BC
Preceded by Ruling House of Babylonia
c. 978–732 BC
Succeeded by