Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Iddin-Dagan
Iddin-Dagan (Akkadian: 𒀭𒄿𒁷𒀭𒁕𒃶, Di-din-Dda-gan; died c. 1954 BC) was the 3rd king of the dynasty of Isin. He is best known for his participation in the sacred marriage rite and the sexually-explicit hymn that described it.
Iddin-Dagan was preceded by his father Shu-Ilishu and succeeded by his son Išme-Dagān. The Sumerian King List indicates his reign lasted 21 regnal years. His titles included: “Mighty King” — “King of Isin” — “King of Ur” — “King of the Land of Sumer and Akkad.” Several year-names are known.
The first year name recorded on a receipt for flour and dates reads: “Year Iddin-Dagān (was) king and (his) daughter Matum-Niatum (“the land which belongs to us”) was taken in marriage by the king of Anshan.” Vallat suggests it was to Imazu (son of Kindattu, who was the groom and possibly the king of the region of Shimashki) as he was described as the King of Anshan in a seal inscription, although elsewhere unattested. Kindattu had been driven away from the city-state of Ur by Išbi-Erra (the founder of the First Dynasty of Isin), however; relations had apparently thawed sufficiently for Tan-Ruhurarter (the 8th king to wed the daughter of Bilalama, the énsí of Eshnunna.) His daughter must have been at marriage age (coming-of-age) when he became king, indicating that the king himself maybe was in his 30s.
The continued fecundity of the land was ensured by the annual performance of the sacred marriage ritual in which the king impersonated the god Dumuzi-Ama-ušumgal-ana and a priestess played the role of Inanna. A hymn describing Iddin-Dagan's performance of this ritual in ten sections (Kiruḡu) indicates that this ceremony involved a procession of: male prostitutes, wise women, drummers, priestesses, and priests bloodletting with swords to the accompaniment of music, followed by offerings and sacrifices for the goddess Inanna, or Ninegala.
The ceremony reached its climax with the copulation of the king and priestess and is described thus:
She bathes (her) loins for the king. She bathes (her) loins for Iddin-Dagān. Holy Inanna bathes with soap, and sprinkles the floor with aromatic resin. The king then approached (her) loins with head raised high. Iddin-Dagān approached (her) loins with head raised high. Ama-ušumgal-ana lies down beside her and {caresses her holy thighs} (says:) "O my holy thighs! O my holy Inanna!." After the lady has made him rejoice with her holy thighs on the bed, after holy Inanna has made him rejoice with her holy thighs on the bed, she relaxes (?) with him on her bed: "Iddin-Dagān, you are indeed my beloved!"
— šir-namursaḡa to Inanna for Iddin-Dagān, 9th Kiruḡu
There are four extant hymns addressed to Iddin-Dagan: this Sacred Marriage Hymn, a praise poem dedicated to the king, a war song, and a dedicatory prayer.
Hub AI
Iddin-Dagan AI simulator
(@Iddin-Dagan_simulator)
Iddin-Dagan
Iddin-Dagan (Akkadian: 𒀭𒄿𒁷𒀭𒁕𒃶, Di-din-Dda-gan; died c. 1954 BC) was the 3rd king of the dynasty of Isin. He is best known for his participation in the sacred marriage rite and the sexually-explicit hymn that described it.
Iddin-Dagan was preceded by his father Shu-Ilishu and succeeded by his son Išme-Dagān. The Sumerian King List indicates his reign lasted 21 regnal years. His titles included: “Mighty King” — “King of Isin” — “King of Ur” — “King of the Land of Sumer and Akkad.” Several year-names are known.
The first year name recorded on a receipt for flour and dates reads: “Year Iddin-Dagān (was) king and (his) daughter Matum-Niatum (“the land which belongs to us”) was taken in marriage by the king of Anshan.” Vallat suggests it was to Imazu (son of Kindattu, who was the groom and possibly the king of the region of Shimashki) as he was described as the King of Anshan in a seal inscription, although elsewhere unattested. Kindattu had been driven away from the city-state of Ur by Išbi-Erra (the founder of the First Dynasty of Isin), however; relations had apparently thawed sufficiently for Tan-Ruhurarter (the 8th king to wed the daughter of Bilalama, the énsí of Eshnunna.) His daughter must have been at marriage age (coming-of-age) when he became king, indicating that the king himself maybe was in his 30s.
The continued fecundity of the land was ensured by the annual performance of the sacred marriage ritual in which the king impersonated the god Dumuzi-Ama-ušumgal-ana and a priestess played the role of Inanna. A hymn describing Iddin-Dagan's performance of this ritual in ten sections (Kiruḡu) indicates that this ceremony involved a procession of: male prostitutes, wise women, drummers, priestesses, and priests bloodletting with swords to the accompaniment of music, followed by offerings and sacrifices for the goddess Inanna, or Ninegala.
The ceremony reached its climax with the copulation of the king and priestess and is described thus:
She bathes (her) loins for the king. She bathes (her) loins for Iddin-Dagān. Holy Inanna bathes with soap, and sprinkles the floor with aromatic resin. The king then approached (her) loins with head raised high. Iddin-Dagān approached (her) loins with head raised high. Ama-ušumgal-ana lies down beside her and {caresses her holy thighs} (says:) "O my holy thighs! O my holy Inanna!." After the lady has made him rejoice with her holy thighs on the bed, after holy Inanna has made him rejoice with her holy thighs on the bed, she relaxes (?) with him on her bed: "Iddin-Dagān, you are indeed my beloved!"
— šir-namursaḡa to Inanna for Iddin-Dagān, 9th Kiruḡu
There are four extant hymns addressed to Iddin-Dagan: this Sacred Marriage Hymn, a praise poem dedicated to the king, a war song, and a dedicatory prayer.