Siwe-Palar-Khuppak
King of Elam
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Siwe-Palar-Khuppak (died c. 1745 BC) was an Elamite Grand Regent (Elamite: Sukkalmah) from around 1778 to 1745 BC.[1] As the ruler of Elam during this portion of the Middle Bronze Age, Siwe-Palar-Khuppak was quite involved in the politics of the ancient Near East, and he forged strong relationships with the powers of Mesopotamia, including Babylon.
| Siwe-Palar-Khuppak | |
|---|---|
| King of Elam | |
| Reign | c. 1778 – c. 1745 BC |
| Predecessor | Shimut-wartash I |
| Successor | Kuduzulush I |
| Died | c. 1745 BC |
| Father | Shirukduh |
Placement in the Sukkalmah Dynasty
Siwe-Palar-Khuppak was one of the most important of Elam's rulers called Sukkalmahs. His father, Shirukduh, was a prominent Sukkalmah who had a vigorous foreign policy. Siwe-Palar-Khuppak was the second of three sons of Shirukduh. His brothers Shimut-wartash I and Kuduzulush I held high positions in Elamite government.
Relations with Mesopotamian kingdoms
Around 1767 BC, Siwe-Palar-Khuppak formed a coalition with Zimri-Lim of Mari and Hammurabi of Babylon. He led this coalition against Eshnunna, conquering it and imposed direct rule from his sukkal Kudu-zulush in Susa.[2] This coalition turned against him as he attempted to expand his power into Babylon, starting the Elamite War. Hammurabi, allied with Zimri-Lim, expelled the Elamite's forces from Eshnunna.[2] One of his generals was Kunnam who appears in many letters found at Mari.
In a clay tablet, Siwe-Palar-Khuppak refers to himself as "Governor of Elam" and "Enlarger of the Empire". It is speculated that the tablet was made after Siwe-Palar-Khuppak's defeat by Hammurabi's coalition, and that the title "Enlarger of the Empire" refers to conquests made to west in modern Iran to offset his defeat.[1] This hypothesis is supported by the fact that a 12th-century document lists Siwe-Palar-Khuppak as one of Elam's great men.
