Naram-Sim encountered series of insurrections similar to that of his father Manishtusu and his uncle Rimush, however, in a larger scale. Furthermore, external threats began to question the might of the Akkadian Empire. The result of his military campaigns determined his place in his family’s and world’s history.
The spirit of independence, once again, and self rule among the city-states lingered even after decades from the passing of Sargon the Great. Surprisingly, Kish, the birthplace of the renowned first Empire-builder, rebelled under the leadership of Iphur-kishi and gained the support of Lugal-Anne of Ur as well as the Sumerian city-state of Uruk. City-states of “Cutha, Tiwa, Wurumu, Kazallu, Giritab, Apiak, Ibrat, Dilbat,...and Sipar,” according to an inscription, all rose up in rebellion against Naram-Sin. According to the inscription, he fought 9 battles just to crush the massive rebellion.
Afterwards, Naram-Sin waged war against bordering countries. He subdued the Gutians led by Gula-an. He also crushed the Lullubi under Anu-Banini. In celebration of his victory against the latter, he erected a stele with himself having all the trappings of divinity - a giant figure with horned-helmet carrying a bow and arrow - climbing up a mountain subduing the Lullabi under a starry sky (the stars being associated with the Akkadian god of Anum).
Alongside the Lullabi, he also crushed Ebla in the north. He later erected the palace in Nagar (Tell Barak) to cement control over the region. And so, the Akkadian Empire once again had the cedar forest of Lebanon, the Taurus Mountains, and the Amanus Mountains in its borders.
With his massive military achievements, Naram-Sim claimed victory and saw it as the gods’ approval of his reign.
Divine King
The success of his military campaigns, based on available inscriptions, allowed Naram-Sin to elevate himself above a mere King of a city state. With his elevation began a tradition that influenced future conquerors and Kings in Mesopotamia. Moreover, in order to keep the empire, he continued policies that his grandfather used before.
The victories in the battlefield gave Naram-Sin the bragging rights and the reason to upgrade his title. He faced foes larger than his predecessors, if based on the inscriptions. He decided to style himself as the Sarru Kibrat’arbaim or King of the Four Corners. A title coveted by Babylonians, Assyrians, and even by the Persians to mark their success as conquerors and rulers of the known world. The same way as the appeal of title of Caesar or Czar and Holy Roman Emperor. An inscription stated:
“Naram-Sin, the strong one, King of Akkad: when the four corners (of the universe) together were hostile to him, he remained victorious in nine battles in a single year because of the love of Ishtar bore for him, and he took captive those kings who had risen against him. Because he had been able to preserve his city in the time of crisis, (the inhabitants of) his city asked from Ishtar in Eanna, from Enlil in Nippur, from Dagan in Tuttul, from Ninhursaga in Kesh, from Enki in Eridu, from Sin in Ur, from Shamash in Sippar, and from Nergal in Kutha, that he be the god of their city Akkad, and they built a temple for him in the midst of Akkad.”
Furthermore, He ordered the use of a star and write Anum with the former the symbol of the latter, the Akkadian god of the sky and father of gods. This furthered his assumption of divinity. Hence, besides a conqueror, Naram-Sin made himself a living god-King.
Naram-Sin used, not just status and titles to create a sense of invincibility, he also used marriage and nepotism. During the Empire’s foundation, Sargon the Great appointed his daughter Enheduanna to an influential post of priestess of Nanna, the moon goddess, in the city of Ur to settle Akkadian rule over the city. Decades later, Naram-Sin did the same, appointing her daughters as priestesses in temples for influential deities and cities. For example her daughter Enmenanna took the same post as Enheduanna. Some of Naram-Sin’s daughters, though, lived in various city-states as wives of local rulers, such as the case of Taram-Agade who stayed in Urakesh.
Naram-Sin hoped for his achievements, titles, and appointments to keep the Empire intact. Nevertheless, the margins of the Empire threatened the power of the Sargonic Dynasty.
Death and Succession
Naram-Sin passed away in 2,218 BCE and his son Sar-Kali-Sarri succeeded to the throne. However, the reign of Sar-Kali-Sarri saw intensifying attacks and invasions from neighboring countries, especially the Gutians. Besides the invasion, a curse, brought by Naram-Sin, said to have brought the decline of the Empire. The part of the curse stated:
“May your clay be returned to its abzu (fresh water from the underground, May it be clay cursed by Enki!
May your grain be returned to its furrow, may it be grain cursed by Ezinu!
May your timber be returned to its forest, may it be timber cursed by Ninilduma!
May the cattle slaughterer slaughter his wife, may your sheep butcher butcher his child!
May water wash away your pauper as he is looking for...!
May your prostitute hang herself at the entrance to her brothel!...
May your gold be bought for the price of silver, may your silver be bought for the price of pyrite (?), and may your copper be bought for the price of lead!"
The Curse of Agade brought about by the gods due to Naram-Sin’s desecration of a temple of Enlil during his military campaigns. Regardless, half-century after the death of Naram-Sin the Empire finally fell.
Summing Up
Naram-Sin witnessed the height of Akkadian military prowess and started a political tradition that later ruler and Empire builders used. He faced bigger enemies than his predecessors and succeeded. He used his success to justify his new title - King of the Four Corners - an ancient version of King of the world.
Naram-Sin is the world’s first King of the world - in a sense. He built up from the works of his grandfather, father, and uncle. He subjugated growing rebellions and achieved expanding the Empire’s borders. Nevertheless, he failed to cement order as rebellions stubbornly continued, worse growing repression further fanned the growing discontent and hatred towards the Sargonic dynasty. Despite being Mesopotamia's King of the world, the end of his reign marked the start of the Akkadian Empire’s decline - a pattern history came to be known well - from apex towards decline and downfall.
Bibliography:
Books:
Hallo, William & William Kelly Simpson. The Ancient Near East: A History. New York, New York: Harcourt BRace Jovanovich, Inc., 1971.
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