Settlements > Susa
Susa
Background
Susa was originally the capital of Elam which was a civilization that neighbored ancient Sumer and was later conquered along with Sumer under the Akkadian Empire.
Origins
Susa Dynasty (3750 BC)Avan Dynasty (2400 BC - 2095 BC)Simashk Dynasty (2095 BC - 1970 BC)Hamazi Dynasty (1970 BC - 1500 BC)Kidinuids Dynasty (1500 BC - 1400 BC)Igehalkids Dynasty (1400 BC - 1210 BC)Shutrukid Dynasty [The 1st Dynasty] (1210 BC - 1100 BC)Shutrukid Dynasty [The 2nd Dynasty] (770 BC - 640 BC)Shutrukid Dynasty [The 3rd Dynasty] (646 BC - 539 BC)Achaemenid rule begins in Susa (539 BC)It is believed that originally the city of Susa was itself its own kingdom inhabited by a group of people called the Susians. During the period of the first civilizations it was probably heavily contested territory due to its prime location in Mesopotamia. The first known reign of the Susians was the first Dynasty of Susa that began around 3750 BC.
After this around 2650 BC it appears the city was taken over by the Kingdom Kish lead by Enmebaragesi that was based out of their capital of Kish City on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf. They moved north along the coast of the Persian Gulf and conquered Susa.
Around 2280 BC the king of Susa known as Kudur-Nakhunta began a military campaign into Mesopotamia and was successful in conquering many civilizations throughout Sumer. During this period the city of Uruk was sacked and the Statue of the Goddess Nana was relocated to Susa.
Under the reign of Kudur-Nakhunta the city of Susa became a regional power in Mesopotamia and Southwest Asia and soon came to dominate Elam, Sumer and Kish.
The next king we know about from Susa's history was Shutruk-Nakhunta who boasted of destroying Chaldea and relocated the Statue of Melishikhu and built many temples at Susa. His records state he captured hundreds of cities and towns and brought back several kings as prisoners.
The grandson of Shutruk-Nakhunta’s named Shilkhak-in-Shushinak later restored all of the temples and statues his ancestors had collected and built including the Statue of Melishikhu, the Statue of Kudurru and many other statues to gods throughout Mesopotamia. During this time Susa had become a serious power in and of itself and one of the most influential cultural cities of the ancient era.
Foreign Invasion
Around 1100 BC the civilizations of Babylonia and Elam came together and realized the only way to stop the growth of Susa was to unite and destroy the kingdom. They were successful and subjugated the city of Susa until around 770 BC. Next the Assyrian king named Ashurbanipal invaded Susa in 640 BC and claimed it for the Assyrian Empire.
Following the Assyrians it was conquered by Cyrus the Great in 539 BC where it was later turned into a massive administrative capital within the Achaemenid Empire.