Lugalbanda

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According to the Sumerian king list, Lugalbanda was the third king of Uruk and father of Gilgamesh, the legendary king of that ancient city. Legend has it that his wife was Ninsun, a goddess.

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, not only did Lugalbanda procreate with the goddess Ninsun to give birth to Gilgamesh, but in the sixth tablet, it states that "he (Gilgamesh) gave as ointment to his god Lugalbanda", deifying him.

Thanks to archaeology, we have two epic texts featuring Lugalbanda as the main character, called by scholars Lugalbanda I (or Lugalbanda in Mountain Cave) and Lugalbanda II.

Neither of these epic texts speaks of Lugalbanda as a king, but we can read about him in the midst of his military and politic career — that, as we can gather from other texts, brought him, several years later, to be chosen as Enmerkar's successor to Uruk's throne.

Also in neither poem is there mentioned any battle where Lugalbanda is directly involved, although he is apparently one of the generals of Enmerkar's army.

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Preceded by
Enmerkar		 Ensi of Uruk
ca. 2600 BC or legendary		 Succeeded by
Dumuzid, the Fisherman
v • d • e
Notable rulers of Sumer
Ante-diluvian kings Alulim · Dumuzid, the Shepherd · Ziusudra 3rd Dynasty of Kish Kubaba
1st Dynasty of Kish Etana · Enmebaragesi 3rd Dynasty of Uruk Lugal-Zage-Si
1st Dynasty of Uruk Enmerkar · Lugalbanda · Dumuzid, the Fisherman · Gilgamesh Dynasty of Akkad Sargon · Manishtushu · Naram-Sin · Shar-Kali-Sharri · Dudu · Shu-turul
1st Dynasty of Ur (Meskalamdug)* · Mesannepada · (Puabi)*
2nd Dynasty of Uruk Enshakushanna 2nd Dynasty of Lagash Puzer-Mama · Gudea
1st Dynasty of Lagash Ur-Nanshe · Eannatum · En-anna-tum I · Entemena · Urukagina 5th Dynasty of Uruk Utu-hegal
Dynasty of Adab Lugal-Anne-Mundu 3rd dynasty of Ur Ur-Nammu · Shulgi · Amar-Sin · Shu-Sin · Ibbi-Sin
* Meskalamdug and Puabi, though not necessarily rulers, are famous for their grave finds.