Aga of Kish

Aga
𒀝𒂵
Aga; 𒀝𒂵
King of Kish; Ruler of Sumer; Governor ofUmma; Governor ofZabala;
	Aga depicted on theStele of Ushumgalas official of theGreat AssemblyofUmma
King of the First dynasty of Kish
Reign	EDI (2900-2700 BC)
Predecessor	Enmebaragesi
Successor	End of Kishite hegemonyGilgamesh(Uruk Dynasty)
Father	Enmebaragesi

Aga(Sumerian:𒀝𒂵^[2]Aga,Agga,orAkkà) commonly known asAga of Kish,was the twenty-third and last king in the first dynasty ofKishduring theEarly Dynastic Iperiod.^[3]^[4]He is listed in theSumerian King Listand many sources as the son ofEnmebaragesi.^[5]^[6]^[7]TheKishiteking ruled the city at its peak, probably reaching beyond the territory ofKish,includingUmmaandZabala.^[1]

TheSumerianpoemGilgamesh and Agarecords the Kishite siege ofUrukafter itslord Gilgameshrefused to submit to Aga, ending in Aga's defeat and consequently the fall of Kish's hegemony.^[8]

Name[edit]

The name of Aga isSumerian^aand a relatively rarely attested personal name inEarly Dynastic times,making his identification in royal texts spottable.^[9]His name appears in theStele of Ushumgal,as thegal-ukkin( "Great Assembly official" ).^b

AK (𒀝)was likely an Early Dynastic spelling ofAkka,(the past particle of the Sumerian verb "to make" ).^[10]The name in question is to be interpreted as a Sumerian genitival phrase,Akkaprobably means "Made by [a god]" (ak + Divine Name.ak).^[11]

Gem of King Aga

Gem of unknown provenance mentioning Ak(𒀝),an alternate naming for Aga. The gem has four columns of text on its faces, and reads "ForInanna,Aga King ofUmma"(𒀭𒈹𒀝𒈗𒄑𒆵𒆠,^dinannaaklugal umma^ki).^[12]^[13]^[14]

Distinct forms attested of Aga's name^[2]
Cuneiform	Transliteration	Main inscription	Period
𒀝	Ag/Ak	Stele of Ushumgal Gem of King Aga	2900-2700 BC
𒀝𒂵	Ag-ga/Ak-ka	Gilgamesh and Aga Tummal Inscription	1900–1600 BC
𒀝𒃷	Ag-ga3/Ak-ka3	Sumerian King List	1900–1600 BC

Historical king[edit]

Aga is attested in two compositions of an historiographical nature, theSumerian King Listand theTummal Inscription,both as the son ofEnmebaragesi,who has been verified through archaeological inscriptions; these sources may confirm Aga and Gilgamesh's existence.^[15]^[16]Aga's name appears in theStele of Ushumgaland the Gem of King Aga, both showing influence overUmma.^[1]

Enmebaragesi,
the king in this very city (Nippur),
built the House ofEnlil,
Agga the son of Enmebaragesi,
made the Tummal pre-eminent.

— Old BabyloniantabletTummal Inscription(1900-1600 BCE)^[17]

Reign[edit]

According to theSumerian King List(ETCSL 2.1.1), Kish had the hegemony ofSumerwhere he reigned 625 years, succeeding his father Enmebaragesi to the throne, finally ending in defeat by Uruk.^[6]

The use of the royal titleKing of Kishexpressing a claim of national rulership owes its prestige to the fact that Kish once did rule the entire nation.^[18]His reign probably coveredUmma,and consequentlyZabala,which was a dependent of it in theEarly Dynastic Period;this can be supported on his appearance in theGem of King Aga,where he is mentioned as the king of Umma.^[1]There is some scant evidence to suggest that like the laterUr III kings,the rulers ofED Kishsought to ingratiate themselves to the authorities inNippur,possibly to legitimize a claim for leadership over the land of Sumer or at least part of it.^[1]Archeological evidence from Kish shows a city flourishing inED IIwith its political influence extending beyond the territory, however inED IIIthe city declined rapidly.^[19]

Gilgamesh and Aga[edit]

In the poemGilgamesh and Aga(ETCSL 1.8.1.1), Aga of Kish sends messengers to his vassal Gilgamesh^[20]inUrukwith a demand slave labor for the irrigation of Kish.^[21]^[22]

There are wells to be finished.
There are wells in the land to be finished.
There are shallow wells in the land to be completed.
There are deep wells and hoisting ropes to be completed.

— Aga commanding Uruk to work for the irrigation of Kish.

Gilgamesh repeats the message before the "city fathers" (ab-ba-iri) to suggest defiance of Aga, but the elders refuse. Gilgamesh, goes on to incite rebellion among theguruš(able-bodied men) who would have to do the labor. They refer to Aga as the "son of the king", which suggests he was still young and immature.^[23]Thegurušaccept Gilgamesh's call to revolt and declare himlugal(king).^c

After ten days, Aga lays siege to the walls of Uruk, whose citizens are now confused and intimidated. Gilgamesh asks for a volunteer to stand before Aga; his royal guardBirhurturaoffers himself. On leaving the city gates, he is captured and brought before Aga, who interrogates and tortures him. Aga asks an Uruk soldier leaning over the wall if Birhurtura is his king. Birhurtura denies this, replying that when the true king appears, he will beat capture Aga and beat his army to dust. The infuriated Aga redoubles his torture.

Then Gilgamesh leans over the wall. Aga withstands his divine radiance, but it terrifies the Kishite army.Enkiduand theguruštake advantage of their confusion to cut through them and capture Aga in the middle of his army. Gilgamesh addresses Aga as his superior, remembering how Aga saved his life and gave him refuge; Aga withdraws his demand and begs his favor to be returned. Gilgamesh, in the sight of his godUtu,sets Aga free to return to Kish.^[24]

Story of Gilgamesh and Aga

Story of Gilgamesh and Aga. Old Babylonian period.Sulaymaniyah Museum,Iraq

Replacement in the poem[edit]

TheShulgi Hymn O(ETCSL 2.1.1) of theUr IIIrulerShulgi(c. 2094 BC – 2047 BC) praises Gilgamesh for defeatingEnmebaragesiof Kish rather than his son. While such an encounter is quite conceivable,^dthe assumption of two different wars is difficult to uphold because Gilgamesh emerges as victorious in both; his first victory would have left Kish already defeated, pre-empting the second victory.^[25]If Gilgamesh had won a previous war against Kish, he would not have spoken with Aga of past military cooperation and indebtedness for saving his life.

Another theory is that for literary considerations, the founding hegemon Enmebaragesi would be a more impressive opponent than his son. Enmebaragesi was merely inserted to replace Aga, and the different versions of the hymn constitute to a single literary work.^[26]

Notes[edit]

a.^The rest of the Kish dynasty hadSemiticnames, such asJushur,Zu QAQ iporMashda.^[27]

b.^gal-ukkin-na(𒃲𒌺𒈾) "Chairman of the Assembly".^[28]

c.^Lugal is Gilgamesh's title in wartime, while his official title isEnof Kulaba (Uruk).^[29]

d.^The prolonged war betweenLagashandUmma,known from the inscriptions of five consecutive kings of Lagash.

Citations[edit]

^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^fFaryne "The Struggle for Hegemony in Early Dynastic II Sumer"The Canadian Society for Mesopotamian Studiespp.65-66
^^a ^b"Sumerian Dictionary" Aga "(RN) entry".Upenn.edu.
^BeaulieuA History of Babylon, 2200 BC - AD 75p.36
^Kramer (1963)The Sumerians: their history, culture, and characterp.49
^JacobsenThe Sumerian King Listp.83
^^a ^bSumerian King List(ETCSL 2.1.1)
^KuhrtThe Ancient Near East, C. 3000-330 BC, Volume 1p.29
^KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.10
^Selz (2003) p. 506
^"Epsd2".
^SallabergerToward a Chronology of Early Dynastic Rulers in Mesopotamiap.149
^Selz (2003) p. 510
^"CDLI-Found Texts".cdli.ucla.edu.
^GeorgeThe Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic: Introduction, Critical Edition and Cuneiform Textsp.105
^KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.13
^Sollberger (1962) p. 40-47
^"CDLI-Found Texts".cdli.ucla.edu.
^KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.30 n.83
^KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.16
^Keetman.Akka von Kiš und die Arbeitsverweigererp.17
^W.G Lambert (1980) p.339-340
^KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.17
^Keetman.Akka von Kiš und die Arbeitsverweigererp.19
^GeorgeThe epic of Gilgamesh: a new translationp.148
^KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.14
^KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.15
^KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.20
^Fleming (2009) p.209
^KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.29

References[edit]

Faryne, Douglas (2009)."The Struggle for Hegemony in" Early Dynastic II "Sumer".The Canadian Society for Mesopotamian Studies.IV:65–66.
Beaulieu, Paul Alain (2018).A History of Babylon, 2200 BC - AD 75(First ed.). Wiley Blackway.ISBN 978-111-945-9071.
Katz, Dina (1993).Gilgamesh and Akka(First ed.). Groningen, the Netherlands: SIXY Publication.ISBN 90-72371-67-4.
Jacobsen, Thorkild(1939).Sumerian King List(Second ed.). University of Chicago Press.ISBN 978-0226622736.
Sallaberger, Walther (2015).Toward a Chronology of Early Dynastic Rulers in Mesopotamia(First ed.). Brepols Publishers.ISBN 978-2-503-53494-7.
George, A.R.(2003).The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic: Introduction, Critical Edition and Cuneiform Texts(First ed.). Oxford University Press.ISBN 978-0-19-927841-1.
Kramer, Samuel Noah (1963).The Sumerians: their history, culture, and character(First ed.). University of Chicago Press.ISBN 0-226-45238-7.
Fleming, Daniel E. (2000).Time at Emar: The Cultic Calendar and the Rituals from the Diviner's Archive(First ed.). Eisenbrauns.ISBN 978-1-57506-044-6.
George, Andrew(1999).The Epic of Gilgamesh: A new translation(First ed.). Penguin classics.ISBN 0-14-044721-0.
Kuhrt, Amélie(1999).The Ancient Near East, C. 3000-330 BC, Volume 1(First ed.). New York: Routledge.ISBN 0-415-01353-4.
Keetman, Jan (2012). "Akka von Kiš und die Arbeitsverweigerer".Babel und Bibel:Annual of Ancient Near Eastern, Old Testament, and Semitic Studies.VI.
Selz, G (2003). "Who is who? Aka, King of Giš(š)a: on the historicity of a king and his possible identity with Aka, King of Kiš".Old Orient and Old Testament(274).
Sollberger, E (1962). "The Tummal Inscription".JCS(16).
W.G, Lambert (1980). "Akka's threat".OrNS(40).

External links[edit]

ETCSL - Text and translation ofGilgamesh and Aga(alternate site)

Regnal titles
Preceded by En-me-barage-si	Ruler of Sumer c. 2900-2700 BC	Succeeded by GilgameshofUruk
Preceded by En-me-barage-si	EnsiofKish c. 2900-2700 BC	Succeeded by End of dynasty

[DF65-1] Faryne "The Struggle for Hegemony in Early Dynastic II Sumer"The Canadian Society for Mesopotamian Studiespp.65-66

[SDA-2] "Sumerian Dictionary" Aga "(RN) entry".Upenn.edu.

[3] BeaulieuA History of Babylon, 2200 BC - AD 75p.36

[4] Kramer (1963)The Sumerians: their history, culture, and characterp.49

[5] JacobsenThe Sumerian King Listp.83

[SKL-6] Sumerian King List(ETCSL 2.1.1)

[7] KuhrtThe Ancient Near East, C. 3000-330 BC, Volume 1p.29

[8] KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.10

[9] Selz (2003) p. 506

[10] "Epsd2".

[11] SallabergerToward a Chronology of Early Dynastic Rulers in Mesopotamiap.149

[12] Selz (2003) p. 510

[13] "CDLI-Found Texts".cdli.ucla.edu.

[14] GeorgeThe Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic: Introduction, Critical Edition and Cuneiform Textsp.105

[15] KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.13

[16] Sollberger (1962) p. 40-47

[17] "CDLI-Found Texts".cdli.ucla.edu.

[18] KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.30 n.83

[19] KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.16

[20] Keetman.Akka von Kiš und die Arbeitsverweigererp.17

[21] W.G Lambert (1980) p.339-340

[22] KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.17

[23] Keetman.Akka von Kiš und die Arbeitsverweigererp.19

[24] GeorgeThe epic of Gilgamesh: a new translationp.148

[25] KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.14

[26] KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.15

[27] KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.20

[28] Fleming (2009) p.209

[29] KatzGilgamesh and Akkap.29

[30] Rulers with names in italics are considered fictional.

[31] Hallo, W.;Simpson, W.(1971).The Ancient Near East.New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich. pp. 48–49.

[32] "Rulers of Mesopotamia".cdli.ox.ac.uk. University of Oxford, CNRS.

[33] Thomas, Ariane;Potts, Timothy(2020).Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins.Getty Publications. p. 14.ISBN 978-1-60606-649-2.

[34] Roux, Georges(1992).Ancient Iraq.Penguin Books Limited. pp. 532–534 (Chronological Tables).ISBN 978-0-14-193825-7.

[SKL-35] PerSumerian King List

[36] Unger, Merrill F.(2014).Israel and the Aramaeans of Damascus: A Study in Archaeological Illumination of Bible History.Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 5.ISBN 978-1-62564-606-4.

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