Iter-pisha

Iter-pisha, inscribed in cuneiform as i-te-er-pi/pi4-ša and meaning "Her command is surpassing", (died 1829 BC) was the 12th king of Isin during the Old Babylonian period. The Sumerian King List tells us that "the divine Iter-pisha ruled for 4 years." The Ur-Isin King List which was written in the 4th year of the reign of Damiq-ilishu gives a reign of just 3 years. His relationships with his predecessor and successor are uncertain and his reign falls during a period of general decline in the fortunes of the dynasty.

Biography

He was a contemporary of Warad-Sin, the king of Larsa, whose brother and successor, Rim-Sin I would eventually come to overthrow the dynasty, ending the cities' bitter rivalry around 40 years later. He is only known from King lists and year-name date formulae in several contemporary legal and administrative texts. Two of his year-names refer to his provision of a copper Lilis for Utu and Inanna respectively, where Lilissu is a kettledrum used in temple rituals.

He is perhaps best known for the literary work generally known as the letter from Nabi-Enlil to Iter-pisha formerly designated letter from Iter-pisha to a deity, when its contents were less well understood. It is extant in seven fragmentary manuscripts and seems to be a petition to the king from a subject who has fallen on hard times. It is a 24-line composition that had become a belle letter used in scribal education during the subsequent Old Babylonian period.