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A Praise Poem of Shulgi

A Praise Poem of Shulgi (c. 2020-2000 BCE) is an ancient Sumerian document celebrating the famous run of 200 miles (321.8 km) in one day made by the king Shulgi of Ur (r. 2029-1982 BCE) to distinguish his reign by officiating at the religious festivals in the cities of Nippur and Ur on the same day.

The piece was either commissioned or written by Shulgi who is depicted throughout as “a mighty man,” swift as an owl or falcon, determined as a mule, fierce as a lion, husband of the goddess Inanna, who has done what no king before him had ever even attempted. He makes clear his run was made “so that my name should be established for distant days and never fall into oblivion” (line 36) and he accomplished this not only by the act itself but also through a public relations campaign announcing it of which A Praise Poem of Shulgi was a central aspect.

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