Assyrian Kings

ASSYRIAN KINGS

This page lists the Kings of Assyria from earliest times. Synchronisms with absolute dates known from Babylonian chronology and the limmu lists, which give the names of eponymous officials for each year, provide good absolute dates for the years between 911 BC and 649 BC.

The dates for the kings given below as reigning between 1420 BC and 1179 BC are particularly problematic, as the dating differs depending on which of the Assyrian King Lists is given precedence. The dating below for the kings of this period is based on Assyrian Kings Lists B and C, which give only three years to Ninurta-apal-Ekur, and the same to Ashur-nadin-apli. A list based more on Assyrian King List A would give 14 years to Ninurta-apal-Ekur and 4 years to Ashur-nadin-apli. This version is followed by many sources, which thus give Ashur-uballit I as succeeding in 1366 BC and Shalmaneser I in 1275 BC.

Although the dates between 1179 BC and 912 BC are not as secure as the dates from 911 BC onwards, they are generally agreed upon by most Assyriologists. The dating for the end of the Assyrian period is unresolved, due to the lack of limmu lists after 649 BC. Some sources give Ashurbanipal only 38 years, having him die in 631 BC. Ashur-etil-ilani then reigns from 631 to 627, and Sin-shar-ishkun reigns thereafter down to 612 BC, when he is known to have died in the sack of Nineveh.

Early Period
Ikunum
Tudiya
Adamu
Yangi
Suhlamu
Harharu
Mandaru
Imsu
HAR-su
Didanu
Hana
Zuabu
Nuabu
Abazu
Belu
Azarah
Ushpia (ca. 2020 BC)
"Kings who were forefathers" (listed in reverse order by the Assyrian King List)

Apiashal son of Ushpia
Hale son of Apiashal
Samani son of Hale
Hayani son of Samani
Ilu-Mer son of Hayani
Yakmesi son of Ilu-Mer
Yakmeni son of Yakmesi
Yazkur-el son of Yakmeni
Ila-kabkaba son of Yazkur-el
Aminu son of Ila-kabkaba
"Kings whose eponyms are destroyed(?)"

Sulili son of Amini
Kikkia
Akiya
Puzur-Ashur I fl. ca.1975 BC
Shallim-ahhe
Ilushuma raids into southern Mesoptamia
Erishum I 1939-1900 BC
[edit]
Old Assyrian Period
Erishum I 1906-1867 BC
Ikunum
Sargon I (rule at the Temple / Castle of Nimud, see Nimrud)
Puzur-Ashur II
Naram-Sin 1830-[[1815 BC
Erishum II 1815-1809 BC
Shamshi-Adad I 1813-1781 BC
Ishme-Dagan 1780-1741 BC
Assur-dugul "son of a nobody, not suitable to the throne"
Assur-apla-idi (first of "six kings son(s) of a nobody")
Nasir-Sin
Sin-namir
Ibqi-Ishtar
Adad-salulu
Adasi fl. c. 1700 BC
Belu-bani 1700-1691 BC
Libaia 1690-1674 BC
Sharma-Adad I 1673-1662 BC
Iptar-Sin 1661-1650 BC
Bazaia 1649-1622 BC
Lullaia 1621-1618 BC
Shu-Ninua 1615-1602 BC
Sharma-Adad II 1601 BC
Erishum III 1598-1586 BC
Shamshi-Adad II 1585-1580 BC
Erishum III 1580-1567 BC
Shamshi-Adad II 1567-1561 BC
Ishme-Dagan II 1561-1545 BC
Shamshi-Adad III 1545-1529 BC
Ashur-nirari I 1529-1503 BC
Puzur-Ashur III 1503-1479 BC
Enlil-nasir I 1479-1466 BC
Nur-ili 1466-1454 BC
Ashur-shaduni 1454 BC
Ashur-rabi I
Ashur-nadin-ahhe I
Enlil-nasir II 1420-1414 BC
Ashur-nirari II 1414-1407 BC
Ashur-bel-nisheshu 1407-1398 BC
Ashur-rim-nisheshu 1398-1390 BC
Ashur-nadin-ahhe II 1390-1380 BC

Middle Assyrian Period
Eriba-Adad I (1380-1353 BC)
Ashur-uballit I (1353-1317 BC)
Enlil-nirari (1317-1307 BC)
Arik-den-ili (1307-1295 BC)
Adad-nirari I (1295-1263 BC)
Shalmaneser I (1263-1233 BC)
Tukulti-Ninurta I (1233-1196 BC)
Ashur-nadin-apli (1196-1193 BC)
Ashur-nirari III (1193-1187 BC)
Enlil-kudurri-usur (1187-1182 BC)
Ninurta-apal-Ekur (1182-1179 BC)
Ashur-Dan I (1179-1133 BC)
Ninurta-tukulti-Ashur (1133 BC)
Mutakkil-nusku (1133 BC)
Ashur-resh-ishi I (1133-1115 BC)
Tiglath-Pileser I (1115-1076 BC)
Asharid-apal-Ekur (1076-1074 BC)
Ashur-bel-kala (1074-1056 BC)
Eriba-Adad II (1056-1054 BC)
Shamshi-Adad IV (1054-1050 BC)
Ashur-nasir-pal I (1050-1031 BC)
Shalmaneser II (1031-1019 BC)
Ashur-nirari IV (1019-1013 BC)
Ashur-rabi II (1013-972 BC)
Ashur-resh-ishi II (972-967 BC)
Tiglath-Pileser II (967-935 BC)
Ashur-Dan II (935-912 BC)

Neo-Assyrian Period
Adad-nirari II (912 - 891 BC)
Tukulti-Ninurta II (891 - 884 BC)
Ashur-nasir-pal II (884 - 859 BC)
Shalmaneser III (859 - 824 BC)
Shamshi-Adad V (822 - 811 BC)
Adad-nirari III (811 - 783 BC)
Sammu-ramat, regent, (811 - 805 BC)
Shalmaneser IV (783 - 773 BC)
Ashur-Dan III (773 - 755 BC)
Ashur-nirari V (755 - 745 BC)
Tiglath-Pileser III (745 - 727 BC)
Shalmaneser V (727 - 722 BC)

End of the document known as Assyrian King List; the following kings reigned after the list had been composed.

Sargon II (722 - 705 BC)
Sennacherib (705 - 681 BC)
Esarhaddon (681 - 669 BC)
Ashurbanipal (669 - c.631 or 627 BC)
Ashur-etil-ilani
Sin-shumu-lishir
Sin-shar-ishkun (?-612 BC)
In 612 BC, Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, fell to the Medes and Babylonians; supported by the Egyptians, an Assyrian general continued to rule for a few years from Harran as

Ashur-uballit II (612- c.609 BC)

Back to Homepage