Entemena

Entemena (Enmetaina) - ruler ( ency ) of the Sumerian state of Lagash , ruled around 2360 - 2340 BC. e., from the 1st Lagash dynasty .

Silver vase of Entemena ( Louvre Museum ). The inscription reads:

“For Ningirsu, Enlil’s first warrior - Enthemen, Ensi Lagash, whom Nanshe chose in his heart, the great Ensi Ningirsu, son of Enannatum, Ency Lagash, made a vase of pure silver [and] stone for Ningirsu, the king who loved him. (?), from which Ningirsu drinks, [and] presented it to Ningirsu in Eninna for the sake of his life.
At that time, Dudu was the sanga of Ningirsu. ”

Son of Enannatum I , nephew of Eanatum .

In his reign, the ensy Ummah, Ur Lumma called for help from strangers (perhaps the Elamites , and maybe the inhabitants of Hamazi ) and invaded Lagash territory. Entemena moved toward him and, under a certain Ghana-ugigga, fought with him. The Ummahites were defeated and fled. Entemena pursued them until the Ummah. In addition, the Lagashians destroyed a select detachment of Ur-Lumma from 60 warriors on the banks of the Lumma-girnta canal. Apparently, as a result of these failures in the war, an uprising broke out in the Ummah, Ur Lumma was overthrown and killed, and Priest Il took his place. Ile also refused to pay Lagash tribute and made his claims regarding the territory of Guadinna. No matter how confusing the text compiled by the chroniclers of Entemena, one can guess that it didn’t come to war, the ceasefire was concluded on the basis of a decision imposed by some third party - apparently the same foreign ally of the Ummah. The former border was restored, but the citizens of the Ummah did not suffer any punishment: they not only did not have to pay debts or tribute, they did not even have to worry about supplying water to the agricultural areas affected by the war. During the reign of Enthemen, Luen, a priest of the goddess Ninmar from the city of E-Ninmar, with his squad repelled the raid of 600 Elamite warriors.

Clay nail of Entemena (Louvre Museum). The inscription reads:

“For Nanshe E-Engurra Entemen, Ensi Lagasha, whom Nanshe chose in his heart, the great Ensie Ningirsu, son of Enannatum, Ensie Lagasha, built the E-Engurra (“ House of the Depths ”), a date garden, [and] trimmed it for her with gold and silver. He brought it (a clay nail) to [E-Engurra] [and] placed it [there] for her (Nanshe). "

The rod containing the name of Entemena (Louvre)

The inscriptions of Enthemen tell about the construction of temples of such gods as Nunn , Enki , Enlil . From this list it can be concluded that the power of Enthemen extended to Uruk , Ereda , Nippur and other cities. The following facts also speak about the influence of Entemena on a number of city-states of Sumer : a seventy- six -centimeter miniature diorite statue of this ruler was found in Nippur , in Uruk - an inscription about the conclusion of a fraternal union between Entemena and the ruler of Uruk Lugalkingeneshdudu and about the construction of the temple undertaken by Entemenna. There is much evidence that Entemena was actively involved in the construction of canals not only in his native Lagash , but also beyond. One of the inscriptions of the Entemena indicates the presence in Lagash at that time of 3,600 full citizens. They were opposed, apart from slaves, by several tens of thousands of free, but not full-fledged people.

However, in Lagash itself Entemen was not a complete host. Next to him was the figure of Dudu, the high priest - the sang of the main god Ningirsu . Dudu even made inscriptions in his own name, some documents have double dating, by the names of Entemen and Dudu. But Entemena was also directly related to the temples. We heard a text about the establishment by Entemena of a new temple of the god Enlil on the plain or in the steppe, possibly on previously undeveloped land.

Perhaps Entemena conducted some activities aimed mainly at temporarily easing the burdens of requisitions and duties, as well as debts and arrears that lay on well-known groups of the population, and maybe some legislative reforms.

Enthemen ruled for about 20 years (there is an inscription dated to the 19th year of his reign) and died about 2340 BC. e. or a little later. During the life of Enthemen in the documents, his son Luma-tour or Humma-Banda takes a very prominent place (the name is read in different ways, but it means “Younger (or young) Luma (Huma).” Luma or Huma was the nickname of Eanatum ). Apparently, this son was the firstborn of Entemena, but apparently he died before his father and the throne passed to another son of Entemena Enannatum II .