The first ruler of Ur III, Shulgi, conducted a number of military campaigns in the northeast region of the empire around Šimānum.
[5][6][7] There is some debate on the status of Pušam and Arib-atal, ranging from ensi (governor) under Ur to vassal to ruler of an independent though strongly allied state.
[8] In the second year of his reign, Ur III ruler Shu-Sin (c. 2037–2028 BC) launched an attack on polities to the north, including Simanum, Habura, and Mardaman.
He settled the enemy people, his booty, (namely) Simânum, for the god Enlil and the goddess Ninlil, on the frontier of Nippur, (and) built for them [a town].
[13] Success was reported to the capitol and a reward "for the messenger Lugal-sisa who brought the good news of the defeat of Simanum".
In any event, correspondence between Ur and Šimānum continue until the early part of the reign of Ibbi-Sin (c. 2028–2004 BC).
[18] Texts from Drehem, near Nippur, record a number of cases of "individuals of " being used as guarded workers, some of them acquired for a price.
..."[21][22] The poorly attributed Šināmum (now thought to be at Üçtepe Höyük), active during the Old Babylonian period, has been pointed to as possibly being Šimānum i.e. "Although it seems probable that Ur III Shimanum, Old Assyrian Shimala, Old Babylonian Shinamum and Neo-Assyrian Sinabu are one and the same place" though this has now lost favor.
If my lord would order it, my messengers should keep on going to these people, so that with 20 manas of silver I could bribe them and make them the enemy of the ruler of Elaḫut in a very short time.
"[36] The linkage with Mardaman (presumed to be Maridaman) is based on its listing with Habura in a later Shu-Sin military campaign primarily against Simaski.
"(As for) the [pe]ople of Ha[bura] and [Maridaman, Sü-Sín, [ki]ng of the black-headed people, raised servitude for them (and) co[vered] (them with it) as with a garment.
"[11] A location for Mardaman north of the modern city of Mardin in the Cizre region of Anatolia early on proposed based on the similarity in names but has since been discounted.
[39] Assuming the correspondence to Asimānum is correct, the location is thought to be near to the cities of Sisil and Talmuš, also unlocated (Gir-e Pān is proposed for Talmus).
[44] A recent proposal, based on the location and the similarity of names Šibaniba and Šimānum, is the site of Tell Billa[26]