People > Rim-Sin I
Rim-Sin I
Background
Rim-Sin I was the king of the Sumerian city-state of Larsa between 1758 BC to 1699 BC according to the Short Chronology and between 1822 BC and 1763 BC according to the Middle Chronology. Rim-Sin I was a contemporary of Hammurabi and Babylon as well as Irdanene of Uruk. As soon as Rim-Sin I assumed power in Larsa he set about enhancing the city and expanding its infrastructure.
Rim-Sin I's ambitious vision and building projects paid off because within two decades or so the city was so big and wealthy it became a source of major competition with the other city-states of Sumer. Soon a coalition formed against Larsa by the kings of Isin, Uruk, and Babylon. Despite the alliance of city-states Rim-Sin I was able to defeat them in battle and capture the cities of Pi-Naratim, Zibnatum, Bit-Susin, Uzarbara, Kisarra, Uruk and Isin. He was also responsible for destroying the city of Der. Following the capture of Isin and the end of his campaign no further major events are recorded for Rim-Sin I's reign until the collapse of his rule.
When the Babylonian king Hammurabi attacked Isin and captured it for the Old Babylonian Empire he decidedly went from neutral to hostile to Rim-Sin I. Within six months Hammurabi captured the city of Larsa as well and Rim-Sin I was taken prisoner. He died while in captivity and his short-lived empire was integrated into the equally short lived Babylonian Empire under Hammurabi.
