Sin-shumu-lishir

Sin-shumu-lishir (or Sin-shum-lishir, Sîn-šumu-līšir), was a usurper king of a part of the Assyrian empire during 626 BC. Little is known about this king due to the lack of sources covering this time.

Reign

Sin-shumu-lishir first appears in Assyrian sources as a general of the Assyrian king Ashur-etil-ilani.^[1] It seems that he later tried to seize the throne. He is credited with a reign of one year by the Uruk king list, preceding Sin-shar-ishkun.

His first year was attested in texts from the Babylonian cities of Bab-ili, Nippur, and Ru'a.^[2] Because there is only evidence about his first year as ruler, it is not likely that his reign lasted much longer. Sin-shumu-lishir never controlled all of the Assyrian empire and most likely only a part of Babylonia.

His short reign must have taken place in 626 BC because before that year Kandalanu reigned over his attested cities and after that Nabopolassar and Sinsharishkun did so.^[3]

Notes