THE CAMBRIDGE ANCIENT HISTORY - REVISED EDITION - VOLUME II - CHAPTER VII - PERSIA c.1800-1550 B.C. - I. THE DYNASTY OF THE ‘GRAND REGENT’ RULERS IN ELAM

Sep 28, 2026

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Revised Edition Volume II, Chapter VII presents the historical context for Persia c.1800–1550 B.C., focusing on Elam. The chapter explains how limited surviving sources—especially damaged Akkadian clay tablets largely from Susa—constrain reconstruction of events and archaeological evidence. Using the legal and oath practices reflected in documents, it traces the legal system alongside political organization. It argues that Elam’s structure was federal, describing the overlord, viceroy/heir presumptive brother, and the regent/king of Susa as key components shaping authority and succession.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

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Pages48

Reading Time1 h 14 min

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CHAPTER VII

PERSIA c.1800-1550 B.C.

I. THE DYNASTY OF THE ‘GRAND REGENT’ RULERS IN ELAM

The Elamite sources and the task of reconstructing the legal system

Federal structure of Elam and the fratriarchy of succession

Titles and roles: overlord (sukkal-mah), viceroy, and the regent/king of Susa

THE CAMBRIDGEANCIENT HISTORY # REVISED EDITION OFVOLUMES I &II CAVRIDGE UNIVER SITY PRESS 6s.net;51.25 AVWand e3601SttARYGROVE COLEGEE X LIBRIS BY WALTHER HINZ Professor of Iranian History in theUniversity of Göttingen VOLUME II,CHAPTER VII CAMBRIDGEAT THE UNIVERSITY PRES S PU BLISHED BYTHE SYNDICS OF THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Bentley House,200 Euston Road,London,N.W.IAmerican Branch:32 East 57th Street,New York 22,N.Y.West African Office:P.O.Box 33,Ibadan,Nigeria CAM BRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS I964 Printed in Great Britain at the University Printing House,Cambridge(Brooke Crutchley,University Printer) ## CHAPTER VII PERSIA c.1800-1550 B.C. # I.THE DYNASTY OF THE‘GRAND REGENT’RULERS IN ELAM To posterity the history of Persia at the time when the FirstDynasty of Babylon held sway in Mesopotamia seems to narrowitself down to the history of Elam,and indeed almost down to thehistory of Susiana,the Elamite plain which bordered on Mesopo-tamia.Whatever took place in the mountainous parts of thecountry at this time remains shrouded in impenetrable obscurity.From the whole of Persia not a single archaeological monument hascome down tous for this period,not even from Susiana.From onlyone Elamite ruler during the Early Babylonian period has arecord in the Elamite language survived.Apart from this oursources from the country itself (leaving aside certain indicationsin Elamite inscriptions of the later,'classical'period of thethirteenth to the twelfth centuries)consist of 837 clay tablets,written in Akkadian and in many cases damaged.Of these,somewhat more than half are legal documents,the remainder com-mercial texts;nearly all come from Susa,only a few from Malamir(possibly the ancient Khukhnur). In view of this state of affairs with regard to the sources,themain task of the next section in this chapter must be to trace apicture of the legal system in ancient Elam.However,therecords in question also provide important information about itspolitical history,insofar as the Elamites often took oath byinvoking the reigning princes.By careful assessment of all thedocuments,not only is it possible to sketch an outline of thehistory of the‘Grand Regents’(sukkal-mah),but light can bethrown on the internal structure of the Elamite state.Beforepassing on to the history of the rulers,it seems usefulto make clearwhat this structure was,a matter already touched upon more thanonce by anticipation.1 As far back into the past as the historian's gaze can penetratethe constitution of Elam appears to have been federal.2 Only asa federation was it possible for an empire to hold together which PERSIA c.1800-1550 B.C. was made up of utterly different components,namely the plainof Susiana on the one hand,and the mountain ranges and highvalleys of Anshan—the modern Bakhtyari district—on the other.However,it was not only in the interest of the ruler,but also ofthe people of Elam to live in an empire uniting the fruitfulagricultural plains of the lowlands with the mountainous regionsof the north and east,which were rich in timber,stone and metal.It was precisely in this union that Elam had the advantage overMesopotamia. From earliest times we find at the head of the Elamite con-federation an overlord ruling over a body of vassal princes.Withhim—and this is the peculiar feature of Elam—ruled,as viceroyand heir presumptive,the brother next in age to the overlord.Thus the Elamite constitution was based on a fratriarchy;thesuccessor to the throne was not the ruler's son,but his brother.Only in the Middle Elamite period was this system altered infavour of succession by the son. The overlord of Elam bore different titles at different times.During the Old Babylonian period,now under consideration,his title was,as a rule,sukkal-mah in Sumerian,or 'Grand Regent'.The grand regent's town of residence was the federal capitalSusa.The viceroy,on the other hand,who bore the title of'Regent (sukkal)of Elam and Simash’,did not live

FAQs

为什么这一时期的波斯与埃兰史料显得特别有限？

因为现存证据极少：从整个波斯到这一时期几乎没有传世的考古遗迹，连苏西亚也缺乏。能够使用的主要是少量幸存的埃兰统治者记录，以及大量写在泥板上的阿卡德文文本，其中许多已受损。

作者计划如何从现有材料中重建古代埃兰的法律制度？

下一部分的核心任务是通过文书记录描绘埃兰的法律体系。文本本身也提供政治史信息，例如埃兰人常通过宣誓来援引在位诸侯。作者会对文书进行细致评估以勾勒“Grand Regents”的历史轮廓，并揭示国家内部结构。

埃兰的政治结构为何被描述为联邦制，并如何体现于王权继承？

作者认为埃兰在历史较早时期呈现联邦特征，因为它由极不相同的地区构成：苏西亚平原与安山的山地高谷。王权继承体现为兄弟共治（fratriarchy）：统治者的继承并非总是儿子，而往往是他的兄弟；中期埃兰才将这一制度改为由儿子继承。

Sep 28, 2026

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