Alulim
First king in the Sumerian King List
- City
- Eridu
- Reign in king list
- 28,800 years
- Greek form
- Aloros (Berossus)
- Sources
- Sumerian King List; Ballad of Early Rulers
The first king of the world in the Sumerian King List, said to have ruled Eridu for 28,800 years after kingship came down from heaven.
What is Alulim known for?
The Sumerian King List opens with the line that kingship descended from heaven and came first to Eridu, where Alulim became king and ruled 28,800 years. He is followed by Alalngar, and the eight kings before the Flood together reign 241,200 years.
Other texts give different numbers, including 36,000 years. The Babylonian priest Berossus, writing in Greek around 280 BCE, called him Aloros and gave him 36,000 years. Every list agrees he ruled at Eridu, the city of the god Enki.
Alulim does not appear in contemporary early inscriptions, and Assyriologists consider him legendary. The huge reign lengths are often compared with the long lives of the patriarchs before the Flood in Genesis.
Opens the Sumerian King List's line of pre-Flood kings with a reign of 28,800 years.
Mentioned on these pages
- Rabbit holeEridu
- PassageKingship descended from heaven (Sumerian King List)
Sources
- ETCSL, 'The Sumerian King List: translation' (University of Oxford)Primary text
- Wikipedia, 'Alulim'Reference
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