Home Region: Iran (Southwest Asia)

Elam III

612 BCE 539 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 ir_neo_elam_3 / IrNElm3

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

911 BCE 612 BCE Neo-Assyrian Empire (iq_neo_assyrian_emp) [None]

Succeeding Entity:

No Polity found. Add one here.

General Description

Our Neo-Elamite III period begins in 647 BCE, the date of the invasion of Elam and sack of the ancient city of Susa by the Neo-Assyrian king Ashurbanipal, ^[1] and ends in 539 BCE. This date marks the capture of Babylon by the first king of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, Cyrus the Great, who must have been ruling in Susa by 540 BCE. ^[2] By this time, the Elamite civilization had occupied the highlands of the south-western Iranian plateau and the fertile lowlands of the Susiana plain for over two millennia.
Population and political organization
The traditional interpretation of this period has been that Elam effectively ceased to exist as an independent state after Ashurbanipal’s invasion, becoming a province of Neo-Assyria until Assyria’s own fortunes declined several decades later. ^[3] However, some scholars believe that Ashurbanipal’s destruction of Elam may not have been as complete as he claimed. ^[4] The archaeologist Pierre de Miroschedji has argued that by 625 BCE, Elam’s government was restored and that the royal chancellery was active at Susa. ^[5] The extent of Babylonian and Persian influence on Elamite politics in the century before c. 540 BCE is also a matter of ongoing debate. ^[6] ^[7]
Secure population estimates for the area under Elamite control in this period are lacking.

[1]: (Álvarez-Mon, Garrison and Stronach 2011, 10) Álvarez-Mon, Javier, Mark B. Garrison, and David Stronach. 2011. "Introduction." In Elam and Persia, edited by Javier Álvarez-Mon and Mark B. Garrison, 1-32. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/WF4UWMWH.

[2]: (Potts 2004, 307) Potts, D. T. 2004. The Archaeology of Elam: Formation and Transformation of an Ancient Iranian State. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/WDUEEBGQ.

[3]: (Potts 2004, 288) Potts, D. T. 2004. The Archaeology of Elam: Formation and Transformation of an Ancient Iranian State. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/WDUEEBGQ.

[4]: Wouter Henkelman 2016, personal communication.

[5]: (de Miroschedji 1982, 62 in Potts 2004, 301) Potts, D. T. 2004. The Archaeology of Elam: Formation and Transformation of an Ancient Iranian State. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/WDUEEBGQ.

[6]: (Potts 2012, 46) Potts, Daniel T. 2012. "The Elamites." In The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History, edited by Touraj Daryaee, 37-56. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/BEAERFCW.

[7]: (Amiet, Chevalier and Carter 1992, 13) Amiet, Pierre, Nicole Chevalier, and Elizabeth Carter. 1992. "Susa in the Ancient Near East." In The Royal City of Susa: Ancient Near Eastern Treasures in the Louvre, edited by Prudence O. Harper, Joan Aruz, and Françoise Tallon, 1-24. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/9KQATXPQ.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Polity Succession

2 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Priesthood

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

Law

1 Formal Legal Code

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Practical Literature

1 Lists Tables and Classification

Information / Money

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events

3 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3) was in:
(612 BCE 540 BCE)	Susiana

Home NGA: Susiana

General Variables

Identity and Location Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	39 S	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Original Name	Elam	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Alternative Name	Elam - Neo-Elamite III	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[612 BCE ➜ 539 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Succeeding Entity	Achaemenid Empire	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Preceding Entity 911 BCE 612 BCE	Neo-Assyrian Empire (iq_neo_assyrian_emp) [None]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Degree of Centralization	confederated state	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Language Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	isolate	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Language	Elamite	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Religion Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Polity Population	- Undecided	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Administrative Level	- Undecided	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Professions Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Priesthood	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Law Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Formal Legal Code	Uncoded Undecided	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Irrigation System	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Bridge	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Information / Writing System Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Script	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Practical Literature	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Information / Money Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Precious Metal	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Article	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Information / Postal System Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Courier	Uncoded Undecided	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Moat	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Military use of Metals Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Iron	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Copper	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Bronze	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Projectiles Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Sling	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Self Bow	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Javelin	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Composite Bow	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Handheld weapons Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Sword	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Spear	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Battle Axe	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Elephant	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Donkey	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Camel	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Armor Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Shield	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Limb Protection	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Helmet	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Naval technology Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present Inferred	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent	612 BCE 539 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Elam III (ir_neo_elam_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More