Sippar

Sippar, ancient city of Babylonia, located southwest of present Baghdad, central Iraq. Sippar was subject to the 1st dynasty of Babylon, but little is known about the city before 1174 bc, when it was sacked by the Elamite king Kutir-Nahhunte. It recovered and was later captured by the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser I. Under the 8th dynasty of Babylon, however, King Nabu-apla-iddina (c. 880) rebuilt Sippar’s great Temple of Shamash and recorded that while digging in the ruins he found the ancient image of the god, and he depicted himself and Shamash on a stone memorial tablet. This same tablet was later found by King Nabopolassar when he restored the temple in the late 7th century bc. The tablet is now in the British Museum.