Rimush of Assyria

Schroeder’s line art for the Assyrian Kinglist fragment known as KAV 14^{[i 1]} after his publication.^[1]

Rīmu[š], inscribed ^mri-mu-u[š] on the only variant king list on which he appears,^{[i 1]} was the ruler of Assyria or perhaps just the part centered on Ekallatum, a successor to and probably a descendant of Šamši-Adad I, although the exact relationship is uncertain. He reigned sometime during the middle of the 18^th century BC.

Biography

Neither the Khorsabad nor SDAS copies of the Assyrian Kinglist, the only lists whose earliest part is still intact, include any successors of Šamši-Adad I’s son and heir Išme-Dagān, who had been ousted by Hammurabi. The fragmentary list known as KAV 14^{[i 1]} (pictured) gives the sequence Šamši-Adad, Išme-[Dagān], [Mu]t-Aškur, then Rimu-˹x˺ before skipping to the 54^th ruler, ^mŠÚ-^dNinua. There may be sufficient space to insert a successor to Rīmuš (Asīnû?) on the end of the line his name is given. As the group falls within a section separated by lines from the rest of the list and the first three are known from other sources^{[i 2]} to be related as father, son and grandson, it is assumed that the four or five names form a dynasty.^[2]

Rīmuš would appear to be named for the son of the legendary king Sargon of Akkad, perhaps reflecting the extent to which Šamši-Adad and his successors identified with this ancient prestigious dynasty, although the earlier Rīmuš was apparently assassinated by his own courtiers “with their seals,” according to a liver-omen of the monumental Bārûtu series, a somewhat ignominious end.^[3] The events resulting in the demise of the dynasty are witnessed in only one inscription, that of Puzur-Sîn, who boasted of overthrowing the son of Asīnûm, descendant of Šamši-Adad, whose name has not been preserved.^[4] This may have been Rīmuš, or if Asīnû followed him, perhaps his grandson. The result was apparently turmoil as a rapid succession of seven usurpers took power, each reigning briefly before being overthrown.

Inscriptions

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Assyrian Kinglist fragment VAT 9812 = KAV 14: 5.
2. ↑ From correspondence at Mari.

References