Editing Larsa (section)

==History==
Larsa is found (as UD.UNUG) on [[Proto-cuneiform]] lexical lists from the Uruk 4 period (late 4th millennium BC). A few Proto-cuneiform tablets were also found there.<ref>Charvát, Petr, "From King to God: The NAMEŠDA Title in Archaic Ur", in Organization, Representation, and Symbols of Power in the Ancient Near East: Proceedings of the 54th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale at Würzburg 20–25 Jul, edited by Gernot Wilhelm, University Park, USA: Penn State University Press, pp. 265-274, 2012</ref> Three Neolithic clay tokens, from a slightly early period, were also found at Larsa.<ref>Schmandt-Besserat, Denise. ''Before writing: From counting to cuneiform'', Vol. II, University of Texas Press, 1992</ref><ref>Overmann, Karenleigh A., ''The Material Origin of Numbers: Insights from the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East'', Piscataway, NJ, USA: Gorgias Press, Table 9.2, pp. 169-170, 2019</ref> For most of its history Larsa was primarily a cult site for the god Utu. In the early part of the 2nd millennium BC the [[Lagash#First dynasty of Lagash(c. 2500–2300 BC)|First Dynasty of Lagash]] made it a major power for perhaps two centuries. The last known occupation was in the [[Hellenistic]] period.

===Early Bronze Age===
====Early Dynastic IIIB====
The historical "Larsa" was already in existence as early as the reign of Early Dynastic ruler [[Eannatum]] of [[Lagash]] (circa 2500–2400 BC), who annexed it to his empire. In a large victory stele found at [[Girsu]] he wrote:
{{blockquote|"... E-anatum was very clever indeed and he made up the eyes of two doves with [[Kohl (cosmetics)|kohl]], and adorned their heads with cedar (resin). For the god Utu, master of vegetation, in the E-babbar at Larsa, he had them offered as sacrificial bulls."<ref name="Frayne1993" >Douglas Frayne, "Lagas", in Presargonic Period: Early Periods, Volume 1 (2700-2350 BC), RIM The Royal Inscriptions of Mesopotamia Volume 1, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 77-293, 2008 ISBN 9780802035868</ref>
}}

A later ruler, [[Entemena]], nephew of Eannatum, is recorded on a foundation cone found at nearby [[Bad-Tibira]] as cancelling the debts of the citizens of Larsa "He cancelled [oblig]ations for the citizens of Uruk, Larsa, and Pa-tibira ... He restored (the second) to the god Utu’s control in Larsa ...".<ref name="Frayne1993" />

====Akkadian period====
Larsa is attested in the Akkadian Empire in the ''[[Temple Hymns]]'' of [[Enheduanna]], daughter of [[Sargon of Akkad]].
{{blockquote|"... Your lord is the soaring sunlight, the ruler ... righteous voice. He lights up the horizon, he lights up the zenith of heaven. Utu, lord of the Shining House,has built a home in your holy court, House of Larsa, and has taken his seat upon your throne."<ref>Helle, Sophus, "The Temple Hymns", in Enheduana: The Complete Poems of the World's First Author, New Haven: Yale University Press, pp. 53-94, 2023</ref>
}}

====Ur III period====
In the Ur III empire period that ended the millennium, its first ruler [[Ur-Nammu]] recorded, in a brick inscription found at Larse, rebuilding the E-babbar temple of Utu there.<ref>Frayne, Douglas, "Ur-Nammu E3/2.1.1". Ur III Period (2112-2004 BC), Toronto: University of Toronto Press, pp. 5-90, 1997</ref>

===Middle Bronze Age===
[[File:Worshipper Larsa Louvre AO15704.jpg|thumb|The [[Worshipper of Larsa]], a votive statuette dedicated to the god [[Amurru (god)|Amurru]] for [[Hammurabi]]'s life, early [[2nd millennium BC]], [[Louvre]]]]
{{main|Isin-Larsa period}}
The city became a political force during the [[Isin-Larsa period]]. After the [[Third Dynasty of Ur]] collapsed c. 2004 BC, [[Ishbi-Erra]], an official of the last king of the Third Dynasty of Ur, [[Ibbi-Sin]], relocated to [[Isin]] and set up a government which purported to be the successor to the Third Dynasty of Ur. From there, Ishbi-Erra recaptured [[Ur]] as well as the cities of [[Uruk]] and Lagash, which Larsa was subject to. Subsequent rulers of Isin appointed governors to rule over Larsa; one such governor was an [[Amorite]] named [[Gungunum]]. He eventually broke with Isin and established an independent dynasty in Larsa. To legitimize his rule and deliver a blow to Isin, Gungunum captured the city of Ur. In his year names he recorded the defeat of the distant [[Anshan]] in Elam as well as city-states closer to Larsa such as [[Malgium]]. As the region of Larsa was the main center of trade via the [[Persian Gulf]], Isin lost an enormously profitable trade route, as well as a city with much cultic significance.

Gungunum's two successors, [[Abisare]] (c. 1905–1894 BC) and [[Sumuel]] (c. 1894–1865 BC), both took steps to cut Isin completely off from access to canals. Isin quickly lost political and economic influence.

[[File:Detail of a terracotta cylinder of Nabonidus, recording the restoration work on the temple of Shamash at Larsa. 555-539 BCE. Probably from Larsa, Iraq, housed in the British Museum.jpg|thumb|Detail of a terracotta cylinder of Nabonidus, recording the restoration work on the temple of Shamash at Larsa. Dated to 555–539 BC. Probably from Larsa, Iraq. Housed in the British Museum]]
Larsa grew powerful, but never accumulated a large territory. At its peak under king [[Rim-Sin I]] (c. 1822–1763 BC), Larsa controlled about 10–15 other city-states. In the latter half of this period the city of [[Mashkan-shapir]] acted as a second capital of the city-state.<ref>Steinkeller, P., "A History of Mashkan-shapir and Its Role in the Kingdom of Larsa", In E. C. Stone & P. Zimansky (eds.), The Anatomy of a Mesopotamian City. Survey and Soundings at Mashkan-shapir, Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, pp. 26-42, 2004</ref><ref>Ali Ahmed Gadalla, Azza, "The City of Mashkan-Shabir and The Kingdom of Larsa", Annals of the Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University 50.13, pp. 294-321, 2022</ref> Nevertheless, huge building projects and agricultural undertakings can be detected archaeologically. After the defeat of Rim-Sin I by [[Hammurabi]] of [[Babylon]], Larsa became a minor site, though it has been suggested that it was the home of the First [[Sealand Dynasty]] of Babylon.<ref>W. G. Lambert, "The Home of the First Sealand Dynasty", [[Journal of Cuneiform Studies]], 26, pp. 208–210, 1974</ref>

===Iron Age===
Larsa was known to be active during the Neo-Babylonian, Achaemenid, and Hellenistic periods based on building brick inscriptions as well as a number of cuneiform texts from the Larsa temple of Samash which were found in Uruk.<ref>Beaulieu, Paul-Alain, "Neo-Babylonian Larsa: A Preliminary Study", Orientalia, vol. 60, no. 2, pp. 58–81, 1991</ref><ref>Boivin, O., "The ilku and Related Fiscal Obligations in Sixth Century Larsa", in: K. Kleber (ed.), Taxation in the Achaemenid Empire (Classica et Orientalia 26), Wiesbaden, pp. 153–176, 2021</ref><ref>Beaulieu, P.-A., "A Finger in Every Pie: The Institutional Connections of a Family of Entrepreneurs in Neo-Babylonian Larsa", in: A.C.V.M. Bongenaar (ed.), Interdependency of Institutions and Private Entrepreneurs: Proceedings of the Second MOS Symposium, Leiden 1998 (PIHANS 87), Leiden, pp. 43–72, 2000</ref><ref>Joannès, F., "Les débuts de l’époque hellénistique à Larsa", in: C. Breniquet/C. Kepinski (ed.), Études mésopotamiennes. Recueil de textes offerts à Jean-Louis Huot, Paris, pp. 249–264, 2001</ref> The E-babbar of Utu/Shamash was destroyed by fire in the 2nd century BC and the area re-used for poorly built private homes.<ref>Lecomte, O., "Stratigraphical analysis and ceramic assemblages of the 4th–1st centuries B. C. E.Babbar of Larsa", in: U. Finkbeiner (ed.), Materialien zur Archäologie der Seleukiden-  und Partherzeit im südlichen  Babylonien und im Golfgebiet, Tübingen, pp. 17–39, 1993</ref> The entire site was abandoned by the 1st century BC.<ref>Westenholz, Aage, "The Graeco-Babyloniaca Once Again", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und Vorderasiatische Archäologie , vol. 97, no. 2, pp. 262-313, 2007</ref>