The Enigma of Ancient Elam - Part II: The Middle Elamite and Neo-Elamite Periods (1500-550 BC)

In Part I of the Enigma of Ancient Elam, we learned about how the Elamites burst onto the ancient Near Eastern scene to become one of the greatest powers of western Asia during the early Bronze Age. In Part II, we’ll witness a new golden Age of Elamite civilization - the so-called Middle Elamite Period - followed by the Neo-Elamite period and Elam's entanglements with Babylonia and Assyria. We'll also see what the fall of Elam in the 6th century BC and what happened to the country and its people afterward. If you ever wanted to learn about ancient Elam, you'll want to watch this video.
Contents:
00:00 Introduction
00:40 The Middle Elamite Period
02:12 The Kidinuid Dynasty
05:55 The Igihalkid Dynasty
08:58 King Untash-Napirisha and Chogha Zanbil
12:38 Conflicts with Kassite Babylonia
16:25 Shutruk Nahhunte and the Shutrukid Dynasty
25:30 The Neo-Elamite Period
31:30 Shutruk Nahhunte II and Sargon II
34:23 Elam vs. Sennacherib
41:50 Economic Isolation of Elam
43:14 The Wrath of Sennacherib
48:19 Elam and Esarhaddon
48:56 Elam Antagonizes Ashurbanipal
52:32 Te-Umman and the Battle of Til-Tuba (Battle of the Ulai River)
55:34 Ashurbanipal and the Annialation of Elam
01:04:09 Elam after Ashurbanipal
01:08:54 Thank You and Patrons
Related Videos:
The Enigma of Ancient Elam - Part I: The Proto-Elamite and Old Elamite Periods (3500-1500 BC)
• The Enigma of Ancient ...
The Complete and Concise History of the Sumerians and Early Bronze Age Mesopotamia (7000-2000 BC)
• The Complete and Conci...
Babylon: The City at the Center of the World - The Concise History of Babylonia (2000-539 BC)
• Babylon: The City at t...
Sources and Suggested Reading:
The Archaeology of Elam, 2nd Edition - D.T. Potts
The Elamite World - Ed. by Javier Álvarez-Mon, Gian Pietro Basello and Yasmina Wicks
The Art of Elam - Javier Álvarez-Mon
The Archaeology of Iran from the Palaeolithic to the Achaemenid Empire - Roger Matthews and Hassan Fazeli Nashli
Elam and Persia - Ed. by Javier Álvarez-Mon and Mark B. Garrison
A History of Babylon, 2200 BC - AD 75 - Paul-Alain Beaulieu
King Hammurabi of Babylon - Marc Van De Mieroop
Hammurabi of Babylon - Dominique Charpin
Civilizations of the Ancient Near East Vol. III - Ed. by Jack Sasson
The Royal Inscriptions of Sennacherib, King of Assyria (704-681 BC), Part 2 - Kirk Grayson and Jamie Novotny
Historical Prism Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal - Arthur Carl Piepkorn
Machinimas created using Total War: Rome 2 Age of Bronze mod
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Music:
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#ancienthistory #bronzeage #history

[@kkupsky6321]

Many people don’t realise cy was there. Not just the place. This man travels through time and does a sweet boogie back to let us know. Cy is fourth dimension. Awesome guy. I mean. When he’s here. In our time.

[@marsar1775]

im imagining cy dancing to a disco soundtrack to time travel now

[@satohime]

this is true, cy is short for Cyrus The Great, this guy is the real Cyrus The Great and has lived for 4000 years

[@themysteryofgodliness6574]

These History lessons are worth so much more than gold during the Apocalypse. Thx🔥

[@metalman7791]

I've only missed 2 and I get so excited when I get them right lol

[@HistorywithCy]

My pleasure, glad you're enjoying these and thanks for watching!

[@yorkziea1041]

At this point I can't even feel sorry for Elam. They do the same thing over again: betray Assyria, side with Babylon, muster an army, lose, get king killed, repeat. At some point you'd think they'd learn...

[@rovanderby759]

I've never come across such a comprehensive documentary about Elam before, this culture certainly deserves more attention than it ususally gets

[@iexist3919]

I was about to go to sleep, then I see this uploaded. I’m very excited for it. Thank you for your great videos!

[@HistorywithCy]

Haha sorry I literally finish most of these late at night, publish and then go to bed. I'll try to put them out earlier the day in future. Thanks for tuning in to watch, no matter the time!

[@gamerk1625]

Best ancient Mesopotamian history Channel!

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks, appreciate the kind words... more on the way, stay tuned and thanks for watching!

[@shaunigothictv1003]

@@HistorywithCy What skin color were the Assyrians?

[@aurelian2668]

​@@shaunigothictv1003 probably copper-light brown to brown skin

[@shaunigothictv1003]

@@aurelian2668 OK. The reason i asked is because according to Evangelical Christians the Assyrians were olive skinned CAUCASOIDS just like everyone else in the Middle East. So basically they were NOT people of color according to Evangelical Christians. They also say that the ancient Egyptians were olive skinned CAUCASOIDS too. My belief is that the entire Middle East was populated by Homosapiens that were people of color. I view your analysis as the most likely and probable scenario. So basically you are saying that they were brown skinned CAUCASOIDS - not olive skinned. That makes much more sense than what the Evangelical Christians say.

[@aurelian2668]

@@shaunigothictv1003 I mean olive skinned just means tanned to light brown color. So I guess its fine?

[@kellyezebra]

Cy, I rarely comment but today I just have to tell you that A) I have learned so much from you, as evidenced by the fact that I haven’t gotten even one of your quizzes wrong, even if I thought I didn’t know the answer, and B) I slammed on that new History with Cy video the second I saw it and when I saw it was an hour long i felt like I won a jackpot! I love learning with you! also c) whenever you’re reading quotes about great ancient gods and kings I always think, ‘this guy got me halfway converted to ancient Mesopotamian religion’ or today, Elamite

[@lilSenDog]

Have you looked into more history of Anatolia it’s just as colorful and full of surprises. I’m sure you saw his videos on Hittites and I think he did a video on Wilusa.

[@RelivingHistory1]

Channels like you inspired me to start my own history channel. Thank you so much man! I do different types but these are so well made and so informative. Amazing!

[@HistorywithCy]

Nice, good luck with you channel... I've subscribed!

[@RelivingHistory1]

@@HistorywithCy I'm very honored! Thanks CY

[@ShaneSherlyxy]

Tree of Applicumutomb

[@ShaneSherlyxy]

Stybyedghk you're a Wasten

[@ShaneSherlyxy]

🚬🙏 need maybe someday I can be on your team and be as proud of you and all you've done use their mouth he doesn't add to the bullshyt guess what it don't matter I've already uncovered it your all defeated you just believe in tracks you'll never be able to clean up I am the Divinity of man my little wiener that's what you're worried about this talkingshit cuz you're not the man that I am you'll never be a man but I hear a voice but it's not coming from a man is oedipussy for or I don't know something like that the count to drink menstration you got your bloody p**** first get approve your man will come and get something I'm right here it's all right here come & get it come on get your portion Porsche Iain I'm not worried about it man I'm just waiting for whenever you're done playing the game you're in the game still on cuz you haven't put a CD in my hand confirmation you want to try to steal it from me this dealings over you ain't stealing nothing from me you can't touch me I'm already the Divinity of the man you wish you could never be you'll never be you'll never be a part of nothingyou never were and this has never happened and I can prove it I'm going to show you before you go by are alright provide you with more ease so you can run some b******* all forever and ever he has fun until I call b******* this game's rigged a cheat cheat cheat live by kurupt kurupt this is a channel where you get Vic to your hook up every man hopes up and figure out who's got some man come I can make a milkshake out of in the women think I'm here to get the bloody p**** licked it's all about that everything this law what is unlawful what's the legal the law of the land the long arm of the law did you get your system the whole complete the whole setup the whole it's me against all creation and I want already yours hanging around waiting for can't can't touch the thing that you can't see you can't get near the thing that you're not you have everything except I'm connected to something Divine I have Divine knowledge I am the Divinity of man it's done it's written I am State and I killed Satan with an A or maybe that's my woman this inside me whatever devilishly deliciousanything that comes out of your mouth is it fact we know I know that is full of s*** as fake as f*** the f*** that you are the become stained that you came from wherever the f*** wherever the f*** wherever you're at that's all got to go and it's gone already we just don't know it yet what did I say did I say every time what I say she keep the beat going on keep the be going to give you more time to have a trail to to run to walk on the you don't have a right to even be here you're already done you don't exist cuz I said I said did I did I just say that you understand what does not make any sense at all cuz all you understand is this b******* facade he's like you know family feud feud anything this existing it is b*******could anybody that believes any of it they're either not aware of what's going on or they're on my side that's the only reason why I didn't believe it they just haven't been a weight woken yet because it's too much I got it you stay asleep it don't matter all I need is me I don't need a p**** cuz there's no E IN PUSSY PUSSEEZ

[@IranTalk]

Another wonderful video, Cy! Please keep up the great content creation, as I have certainly looking forward to more from you.

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks, appreciate the kind words and more on the way, stay tuned and thanks for watching!

[@kosmas173]

Omg 1 hour of history with cy?! Just what I needed today!

[@HistorywithCy]

Hope you enjoy it and thanks for watching!

[@Cjaz84]

Yass. I love when you or fall of civilizations put out a new video. ❤

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks, I'm honored to be included in the same sentence as Fall of Civilizations... Paul Cooper is the man!

[@PoliticalFuturism]

Another fascinating and in-depth look at a wonderful ancient culture! Elam has always been a personal favourite for me.

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed this! Hope to have some more on Elam in the near future...stay tuned and thanks for watching!

[@DarrenGedye]

I find the animated maps and genealogies very helpful! Some other channels just have the narrator firing off names of people and places and I quickly lose track. May the algorithm treat you kindly!

[@raminsadeghi7358]

Nice one again Thank you for keeping your word

[@OakCityGamers]

Your voice is very calming. Love the vids. Thank you😊

[@patrickotis3884]

Thanks for once again covering a little known area of history.

[@jimmyfarari3823]

Another exciting and informative video sir you are a G.O.A.T

[@aaln17]

I am so glad to see this Cy, thanks for your effort.

[@HistorywithCy]

My pleasure, thanks for watching!

[@charlesskogen9130]

Cy, the quality of your videos is incredible. You've put so many hours into creating these brilliant, informative, and interesting videos, and you're not after the short-term ad revenue. You just want to make the best video you can to honor our history and help others learn. Thank you!

[@sarahrosen4985]

King Humban-ninnena with the paralytic stroke: for those not up on their Babylonian months, he had a stroke in Nissan, the same month as Jewish Passover, or March/April and died in Adar, the month before Nissan. So, he held out 11 months after his stroke.

[@rogersterk3968]

The month “Adar” is a Kurdish word for the March month, this has nothing to do with Semitic languages. The exact name is Avdar/ av-water, dar= tree, to give/ to sacrifice, pour/ stream. Avdar/ Adar = is the beginning of the spring, which’s the time of the Mother Nature when it starts to be green and that means the start of new time and lives. As Kurds have a saying for the month Adar/March: “Mother Nature is pregnant and it’s starting to give birth. Although the name of month after March is Avrêl/ “April”. As you see even the this name starts with the Av=water. Av=water, Rêl=streaming/ moving, flowing and we very well know that April is the month of rain/water. The author of this video narrated about Kurdish history without naming Kurds. 😀 But what was funny is that he said that “Persians were the dwellers of Zagros Mountains”. Even today the dwellers of Zagros and Taurus mountains and surrounding areas are ONLY Kurds just like they were thousands of years ago. By the way the name of so called “Persians” is Parsak and this is a kurdish word, which means beggar. When we look at the time of Medes/ Median=Kurdish empire and their servants then we know why Kurds named them as Parsaks. 🙂

[@ruthnovena40]

You were right about the ending.fascinating.

[@debcamp2359]

Awesome!

[@ancientsitesgirl]

another awesome video! waiting for the 19th Dynasty of Egypt....😋

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks! D19 is on the way, stay tuned!

[@FPSGamer48]

Love these long videos! Thanks for your efforts, they are absolutely appreciated!

[@kkupsky6321]

This video is one of the greats. Many people don’t realise cy is an acronym for “cites you wish you could see.” Or “citation yo”.

[@kkupsky6321]

For the algorithm

[@kevinfoster1138]

I really enjoy your channel Cy, I hope the information is correct because I believe you.

[@madderhat5852]

Found on tablets from the area " If you kings don't settle down, I'll pull this chariot over and you can walk home"

[@oldsnake1551]

Babe wake up new ancient elamite documentary dropped.

[@HistorywithCy]

Hope you enjoy it and thanks for watching!

[@noahlogue]

Thank God for this right now

[@HistorywithCy]

My pleasure, you're welcome!

[@TrustworthyFella]

you are a very skilled rapper!

[@unkownhistory7660]

Imagine if this is the only video about them surviving the apocalypse then future researchers will have a fairly complete idea of our own idea of elamite political history and that Is incredible and I also intend to start a channel with the same premise

[@alexanderSydneyOz]

At 57:45... these old inscriptions sometimes are a bit over-dramatic, but in this instance it is hard to not 100% agree with Ashurbanipal.... More generally, to Cy: your ancient history summaries are far and away the best I've watched. Knowing so little of the subject matter, I am in no position to attest to accuracy, but everything about the presentation, the detail, the thoroughness, radiates genuineness and legitimacy. Combined with the simple but very effective graphics, I feel like I have been very well informed indeed, of centuries of complex interactions. Thanks so much.

[@HistorywithCy]

Hi, thanks so much for the feedback and for watching, really appreciate and glad you're enjoying these videos. If you need more info, I've listed the sources used in the video description and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks again!

[@RealUvane]

Please do one on the the germanic Gutians.

[@LeftyScaevola]

Still do not know much about the Persian take over of Eastern Elam, apparently no documetation to be had, but my inventory of Elamite knowledge has be multiplied 4x by these two videos.

[@artkoenig9434]

It appears that we now have a conquest vocabulary for the kings of Elam which compares well with that of the Akkadians and the Assyrians. Bella, horrida bella.

[@bistokidsfan]

Oh, now I’ll never get to sleep! Yay, more Elamites 👍🏻😉

[@HistorywithCy]

Sorry to put it out so late but thanks for watching!

[@User14949]

I learned much of oure KURDISH HISTORY thanks you.

[@KurdishPlus]

Cy Where are you from? great job thanks

[@yaqubebased1961]

He's a Parsi from India

[@wilcowen]

​@@yaqubebased1961no he's American

[@KurdishPlus]

@@yaqubebased1961 wow Persian in India. Salman khan Saied Parsi people are great in tv show god bless you Cy

[@ostrobothnian9995]

Could you do a video on Elymais and Khuzi language

[@HistorywithCy]

Elymais I will eventually do around/before I cover Parthians, languages I'm not so sure on. Thanks the the suggestion!

[@henkstersmacro-world]

👍👍👍

[@MacScarfield]

Remember the text of Shutruk-Nahhunte from the movie «The Emperor’s Club»: «How will History remember you?»

[@HistorywithCy]

Yeah, I just recently saw the clip on KZbin... interesting they used that quote! Thanks for watching!

[@MacScarfield]

@@HistorywithCy Without trying to sound disrespectful to the Elamite, it was most likely used since it is such a huge boast of conquest from someone mostly forgotten (by the modern masses of the 60s at least, when much of the story is set), showing how fleeting Conquest and Greatness can be (akin to the much more known 19th Century poem “Ozimandias” by Shelley), compared how those who spread ideas and philosophy of Ancient Athens and Rome are still remembered and have shaped Western Thought for millennia.

[@davidchurch3472]

When Sennacherib tried to invade Elam, from it's south coast, and the Elamites instead marched west to babylon, the Assyrian army of many thousands was cut off, sat on the coast of the gulf south of Susa, unable to get back to Assyria? What happened to that army?

[@thomasmalacky7864]

Hello Cy your work is amazing! Truly transports me to another time! Will you ever cover the Uruk Expansion and collapse from tbe Kura Axes!? That would be amazing to see. Thanks.

[@__Man_]

​@HistorywithCy I have an unrelated question. I am pretty sure that you are Zoroastrian. In your religion, is Angra Mainyu an actual entity, or is he merely a force? And is Angra Mainyu uncreated?

[@user-cg2tw8pw7j]

It is not known because the Aryan immigrants such as the Medibins and the Persians destroyed this civilization and killed the indigenous population

[@kaarlimakela3413]

Hi, Cy! 😊

[@HistorywithCy]

Hello there!

[@DieLuftwaffel]

"They let their dung go into their chariots" 😂 That line is just awesome. So afraid that they crapped themselves in their now porta-potties!

[@HistorywithCy]

Yeah, I laughed when I first read that line too. Thanks for watching, really appreciate it!

[@DieLuftwaffel]

@@HistorywithCy Absolutely! I really enjoy your videos! The Bronze Age is extremely interesting; a world I would love to see if that were possible!

[@HistorywithCy]

@@DieLuftwaffel you've come to the right place! About 80% of the videos on this channel deal with the Bronze Age... enjoy and thanks for watching!

[@nimmira]

44:23 seventeenth day of Ab = 17/8, my birthday (always knew there must be a disaster happening on this day 🤦🏻‍♂

[@morthim]

'137 meter tall statue of her' 11:17 im amazed ive not heard of this statue. this is comparable tho the collossus of rhodes. and for it to still exist and not be mentioned anywhere- im kinda shocked.

[@HistorywithCy]

Hi. Actually I said 130 cm statue...not 137 meter...I think I said cm a bit fast but if you hear it again it's 130 cm tall statue. Thanks for watching and stay tuned for more!

[@davidchurch3472]

The Idinuid kings have names half of them similar to Egyptian names?

[@DeffinP]

I feel reminded of the emperor’s club

[@JoeSmith-sl9bq]

Would the people of Iran be mostly herders or grain cultivators? There are still many nomadic herders in weatern and northern Iran so I wonder if that was how most Iranians lived in these days. Although there is likely no answer to this, I wonder also if these herders owned their livestock or if it was the King/Dukes property and they merely managed it, what was their place in society, were they able to migrate between Iranian realms, were they the backbone of Iranian armies etc. Ussually herders are the tough, warrior people of a power, like the Almogavars of Aragon/Spain, Cossacks of Russia, Turk mercenaries through the later Muslim world, Hajduks of Ottoman held Balkans etc.

[@user-cg2tw8pw7j]

No, these were the indigenous people, but they were all killed by Aryan immigrants such as the Medes, Persians, and Kurds.

[@sonarbangla8711]

East of Sumer ( Su Meru-Vedic) there were many other cities other than Susa, like a chain of pearls, right up to Mohenjo daro. These cities had Sumer as their mentor. Almost all of the cultural motives found in Mohenjo daro have an unmistaken Sumerian root (Parpola). Yet Vedic religion was the same as preached by Krishna (Sanatan religion, far superior theology than the Sumeria/Babylonian religion).

[@jennypoussin3866]

Thanks for taking us back to ancient times Cy! I dig the Inscriptions of Untash-Napirisha and Napir-Asu. Its like when you warn someone NOT to touch your stuff ... OR ELSE! ☠💀🫠

[@casek6930]

Elam and Iran. It is hard for me to believe that these two words have two very different etymologies, but apparently, they do. The difference between the "L" and "R" is like the smallest possible phonetic difference. I mean, the Japanese don't even distinguish between them. Is it really pure phonetic coincidence?

[@HonestidadeDesativada]

In Genesis 14, we got the king of Elam allied with some other kings, against some Canaanite kings, among them, we got some curious names: Amraphel (Hamurabi), king of Shin'ar (Sumer), there are other mentions of kings by names, that's very interesting that they might be names we know obscured by speech.

[@rheinhardtgrafvonthiesenha8185]

Sometimes when Cy is doing a voice over reading from an ancient manuscript I feel like it’s Sargon himself talking. Beyond the pale bro😊

[@RelivingHistory1]

11:18 i thought you said 137 meters tall instead of 130cm tall ahahaha

[@geraldmeehan8942]

Elamitex

[@beepboop204]

🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@WanaxTV]

Critical mistake by Te-Umman!

[@HistorywithCy]

Most definitely! Te-Umman let his arrogance get the better of him. More on the way, thanks for watching and the support!

[@fardinkakavand3409]

Hope one day archaeologists dig out Jiroft civilisation, which is one of the oldest civilisation of Iran dating back 7000 B.C

[@shaunigothictv1003]

Elam is Iran, Pakistan, Indiia, Afghanistan.

[@user-cg2tw8pw7j]

But you killed all the people of Elam

[@shaunigothictv1003]

@@user-cg2tw8pw7j No the people of Elam are still there. But many were killed in the past by Whites.

[@user-zf3eb3cc1l]

iran history 🇮🇷❤❤❤

[@ShaneSherlyxy]

Loca and you know what I know grease lightning burning up the quarter mile Wausau where's the So what's the screen Cream for RCN greased lightning. Boys round here they like it a little more new entry cuz the girls around here look at me I'm saying that GG

[@ShaneSherlyxy]

Olivia Newton-John on Addie's what I said I say nothing about GG although it goes without saying so hey

[@DullyDust]

What is the general consensus on how much the regular layman knew about all these things at the time? Was it public knowledge or more secret? Edit: at would they have known while it happened or more word of mouth later on? Edit 2: it would be super interesting to know how saturated the region was with various people and professions at the time

[@papazataklaattiranimam]

Lurs of today

[@mikeyohanna1197]

Just like the Bible says look at the elamites statue... Elamites is a black culture all of ancient persia

[@user-cg2tw8pw7j]

You know that the Indians are your brothers, it is true, and the people of North Africa are your brothers, but the people of North Africa are white-skinned, and this is strange, because they all come from the same father.

[@LudwigVaanArthans]

We wuz elamz and shiedd

[@OrthodoxReview]

46:00 trans. They shit themselves 😂

[@mehmetdereroberer5553]

ELAM IS KURDISH ❤❤❤

[@TheRedneckPreppy]

I cannot die without having tied up my enemy at the city gates "like a pig."

[@johnnymematik8649]

Susa is the best name.

[@ShaneSherlyxy]

EADZT'A'LCE🔥LESAGGASAGRETNEJEWCPUSA

[@unkownhistory7660]

Imagine if this is the only video about them surviving the apocalypse then future researchers will have a fairly complete idea of our own idea of elamite political history and that Is incredible and I also intend to start a channel with the same premise