Siwe-Palar-Khuppak

Siwe-Palar-Khuppak was an Elamite Grand Regent (Elamite: Sukkalmah) from around 1778 to 1745 B.C.E.^[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
Sukkalmah Sukkal of Susa
King of Elam
Reign	c. 1778 – c. 1745 BC
Predecessor	Shimut-wartash I
Successor	Kuduzulush I
Dynasty	Sukkalmah
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 B.C.E, 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. Hammurabi, allied with Zimri-Lim, expelled the Elamite's forces from Eshnunna^[2] One of his generals was Kunnam of Elam 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 twelfth-century document lists Siwe-Palar-Khuppak as one of Elam's great men.