Ili-Ishar

Ili-Ishar, also Ilum-Ishar (𒀭𒄿𒊬, Il₃-Ishar; died c. 2072 BC), was a ruler of the city of Mari, northern Mesopotamia, after the fall of Akkad c. 2085-2072 BCE.^[2] His father was Apil-kin, and his brother was Tura-Dagan, who succeeded him.^[3]

Ili-Ishar 𒀭𒄿𒊬
Brick with inscription of "Ili-Ishar, Shakkanakku of Mari", commemorating a canal-building project[1]
King of Mari
Reign	c. 2085 - c. 2072 BC
Predecessor	Iddi-ilum
Successor	Tura-Dagan
Died	c. 2072 BC
Dynasty	Shakkanakku dynasty
Father	Apil-kin

Mari

Location of Mari

He held the title of Shakkanakku (military governor), which was borne by all the princes of a dynasty who reigned at Mari in the late third millennium and early second millennium BC. These kings were the descendants of the military governors appointed by the kings of Akkad.^[4] He was contemporary of the Third Dynasty of Ur, and probably their vassal.^[5]

Several brick inscriptions in the name of Ili-Ishar have been found in Mari, describing the building of a canal:

"Ilum-išar, šakkanakku of Mari, made the Ḫubur go down to Bāb-Mēr"

— Mari inscriptions of Ili-Ishar.^[6][7]

On some of his inscriptions, Ili-Ishar uses the title dannum' ("the Great") in front of his function Shakkanakku ("Military Governor"), a practice which is first attested at Mari from the inscriptions of Apil-Kin, and was initially introduced by Naram-Sin of Akkad.^[8]

• 
  Inscription "Ili-Ishar Shakkanakku Mari-ki" (𒀭𒄿𒊬 𒄊𒀴 𒈠𒌷𒆠, "Ili-Ishar, Military Governor of Mari") on the brick
• 
  Inscriptions of Ilum-Ishar, excavated in Mari

Ili-Ishar of Mari
Regnal titles
Preceded by Iddi-ilum	King of Mari c. 2085 - c. 2072 BC	Succeeded by Tura-Dagan