Sumerian Shakespeare
Great Sumerian Kings
Lugal, "king"
The stories of Ur-Namma, Gudea, and Eannatum have already been extensively covered on other pages of this website. The purpose of this section is to give the biographies of other great Sumerian kings.
A Sumerian king has a drink while being attended by a servant. The servant holds his hand under his armpit as a gesture of obedience. Detail from a lyre inlay, partially restored.
See the entire inlay.
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Sumerian Shepherd Kings: The guardians and protectors of their flocks, the people. They made Sumer great.
The Kings of Uruk: The original shepherd kings. They began Sumerian civilization.
War: Umma and Lagash. The Sumerian version of the "Hundred Years War."
Enmetena: An important but often overlooked Sumerian king.
Urukagina: The reformist king, a champion of the people.
Lugalzagesi: A great king, much maligned.
Lugalzagesi Translation: It tells his side of the story.
The Man of Umma: Lugalzagesi's plundering of Lagash.
Urukagina "Liberty" cones: They detail his social reforms.
Enmetena, not Urukagina: An important Sumerian tablet belonging to Enmetena but mistakenly ascribed to Urukagina.
Enmetena foundation cone: This is the main source of information about the war between Umma and Lagash.
Enmetena tablet: The first mention of the Sumerian word for "freedom."
Enmetena vase: An inscribed silver vase, with a translation.
Enannatum tablet: The father of Enmetena. A brief description of his battle against Umma. Akurgal, Enmetena's grandfather, also fought against Umma.
Ur-Nanshe Translation: Fragmentary description of another battle against Umma – by Enmetena's great-grandfather.
