E'LAM. A country including the high plateau traversed by the Zagros and Pushti chains and the great plain east of the lower Tigris and north of the Persian Gulf. It corresponded in a general way to the modern Khuzistan, in part to the Susiana and Elymals of the Greek classi cal writers. The name is derived from the As syrian Ilauntu, the highlands,' and seems to be a translation of the Sumerian Nimma. The na tive designation appears to have been Shushunka Anshan. Shushunka was the source of the Greek name Susiana, and denotes the territory ruled from the capital Shushan. (See Susi.) Anzan or Anshan is a more ancient native name, and indicates the region subject to the city of Anzan. The situation of this city has not yet been identified. It is, therefore. uncertain whether the original kingdom of Anshan is to be sought north or southwest of Susa. In later times it seems to have been used of the whole territory. Cyrus apparently reigned in Susa as king of Anshan. The Greek ElvmaIs was derived from the Semitic name and was probably identical with Susiana. From the highlands descended the great rivers of Elam, the Karun Enlaios), the Kercha (Uknu, Choaspes), and others. The valleys were exceedingly fertile, while in the southwestern plains the heat may not have been so intense in ancient times as at present. As to the ethnic relations of Elam in antiquity, our knowledge is yet quite scanty. It is impossible to determine how long those races have been in the land that are found there to-day. The negroes may be a eompara lively late importation. Recent research renders it probable that the Aryans were in the land at a much earlier date than has been sup pos•d. Inseriptions that have just been discov ered seem to show the presence of a Semitic con tingent before the time of Ilammurabi. • Turanian elements arc more likely to have found their way into the country in the last thousand years than in earlier periods. The mass of the people seems to have helonged to the large family of nations of which the people of the Caueasus are the present representatives. This is shown by the often very striking similarity between the El:mil ic dialects and the Georgian. Udie. Curie, and Sassanian languages. The dialects in which inscriptions been preserved are: (1) The Old Elamitiet (2) the Nov Elamitie of the A•hennenian period; (3) the Mal .1 mir dialect. A fourth dialect, the Kashite. is known through inscrip tions. Besides, there is all inscription found at Susa that may he Iranian. Partly through these records and partly through foreign sources light is thrown upon certain periods of the history of ancient Elam. Idingiranagin of Lagash te.4100 n.c.), Alusharshid of Kish (e.1000 mt.), and Shargan Sharali of Agade (c.3800 it.c.) claim Elam among their conquests; and God ea of La gash (c.3300 n.c.) and Ini Sin of Ur (e.2500 n.c.) refer to their having taken the city of Anshan. Kudur-Nanchundi I. is the first known king. lie conquered Itabylotiia in n.c. 2285. Simti Shilchak was his successor. Kudur \la bilk, prince of Yamutbal, an Elamitish princi pality between the Pushti Kuh and Jebel Ilam rin, styles himself "father of Martu" (probably Syria). His son Rim Sin was vicegerent in tsar Sall] until he was conquered by llammurabi (c.2240-2186 n.c.). A Kushite chief, Gandesh,
invaded Babylonia and founded a powerful dy nasty there (c.1700 Churbatila of Elan] fought with Knrigalzu il. of Babylon (1338 1283 n.c.), and was taken captive at Kar Dungi. After this Babylonian conquest of Susa. Inshu shinak, his son Shatrak Nanehundi, and grand son, Shilchak Inshushinak, seem to have reigned. Nabukuduruzar 1. (B.c. 1139-1123) and Mar duknadinachi (B.C. I 1 1 6-1 102 ) fought with h Kashi and Elam, as did also Shamshi Adad (n.c. S25-S12) and Adadnirari I11. (n.c. S12 7S3), who conquered Illip (northeast part of Elam) and Umliash (between Jebel Hamrin and the Euphrates). Owing to the frequent refer ences to Elam in the Assyrian inscriptions from the time of Tiglathpileser III. to that of A s urbanipal, it is possible to give an approximately correct list of kings with their dates for a Imn dred years: Chumbanigash (n.c. 742-717). Shut ruk Nanchundi (n.c. 717-699). Challudash (me. 699-693), Kudur Nanehundi III. (me. 693-692 ). Chumba Mann (n.c. 692-639), Chumbachaldash I. (n.c. 6S9-6S1), Chumbaehaldash II. (n.c. 68) 675), Urtaki (B.c. 675-664), Tamniaritu 1. (B.c. 664-657). Thunman (n.c. 657-655), Tam maritu and Chumbanigash (n.c. 655-648), Inda bigash ( B.C. 1i 1s ) Chumba•ImIdash Ili. (n.c. 647 ) , ritu 11. and Chumbachalda sh III. 647-642). The long struggle between Elam and Assyria. during which Sennacherib was lin miliated in B.C. 694 by Challudash, who carried away his son Assurnadinshum from Ilahlyon, and in B.C. 690 by Chunthaminann, who probably WW1 the battle of Chaluli, led to the imposition of Assyrian suzerainty in n.c. (155, and the final destruction of the State in lie 612, when Susa was razed to the ground. and thirty-two statues of kings and all the images of the gods were car ried away to Nineveh. Ilow long the Assyrians were able to maintain their power in Elam is not known. Jeremiah xlix. 35-39 cannot lie quoted to show the eondition in the time of Nebuchad nezzar, for this prophecy was written at the end of the A•hemamian period and Elam stands for Persia. Media under ryaxares and Astyages claimed suzerainty over Elam. But the Apirti kings whose inscriptions have been lmind at Mal Antic seem to have been quite independent in the beginning of the sixth century. and the same is probably true of Teispes. Cyrus I., Camhyses and Cyrus II. as kings of Anshan. Isaiah xxi. 1 sqq. was apparently written between e.c. 519 ,and me. 539. In the Aehenurnian period Elam was loyal to Cyrus. Cambyses. and Smerdis, re belled against Darius, but remained a favored satrapy, whose capital was one of the residence cities of the kings. For the recent excavations in this city see SE$A.
Bnimota(Aritv. Loftus, Travels and Rescorclus in Chaldca and Susiana (London, 18571 : uppert, Les inscriptions co longue susicnin ( Paris, 1873) ; Weissbaeh, Die Aeliameniden-liischriften der Zi•citen Art (Leipzig, 18901; Sayee, in scriptions of Mal Antir (Leyden, 1885) ; Billerbach, .`? s a (Leipzig. 1893) : Jane Diculafoy, La la ('holder et la Susiane (Paris, 1887) ; Marix• Dieulafoy, L'acropole de .Suss (Paris, 189:3) ; 11eiarkdi Winkler, die Sprach(' der ziniten rolumne der Actium en iden-Inschriften (Breslau. 1S96); Hiising, Efamische Studien (Berlin, 1898).