Shamshi-Adad V

Shamshi-Adad V, from a stela at the British Museum

Shamshi-Adad V (r. 869-856 BC) was a king of Assyria during the time of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. He gained his throne only after a bruising civil war with his brother, a war that weakened the Assyrian nation-state until the eventual accession of (some say usurpation by) Tiglath-Pileser III.

Dates of reign

The dates shown for Shamshi-Adad's accession and death are 45 years earlier than is conventionally assumed, reflecting the strong probability that Tiglath-Pileser III excised 45 years out of Assyrian history, including the reigns of one, or perhaps two, kings between Adad-nirari III and Shalmaneser IV.

Overview of reign

Shamshi-Adad V was the son and successor of Shalmaneser III. He had a brother, Assur-danin-pal, who led a revolt of the city of Nineveh and 27 other cities, beginning in 871 BC. Shamshi-Adad had managed to solidify his control by the time of his father's death, but would not be able to crush the revolt completely for another four years.

His stela, at the British Museum, shows him calling upon the gods, wearing an archaic beard, perhaps in order to establish his legitimacy after the civil war.

His consort was Shammuramat, identified by many with the mythical queen Semiramis.

In the last years of his reign, he signed a treaty with King Marduk-zakir-shumi I of Babylonia. In 853 BC he fought and won the battle of Dur-Papsukkal against the Babylonian king Murduk-balassu-iqbi.

Death and succession

Shamshi-Adad died in 856 BC. His son Adad-nirari III inherited his throne, though for a few years the queen-consort Shammuramat ruled as regent until Adad-nirari came of age.

Shamshi-Adad V Member of::Rulers of Assyria Died: Died:: 856 BC
Preceded by Successor of::Shalmaneser III	King of Ruler of::Assyria Accession::869 BC–Died::856 BC	Succeeded by Succeeded by::Adad-nirari III