Balmunamhe

Balmunamhe was a rich merchant, landowner, and slave holder from Larsa, during the reign of Rim-Sin. His long and diverse business activities are known from a large number of documents. He traded in all kinds of commodities, including those of buying, selling, and leasing of slaves.

He is known to hold the estate which could only be owned by a man of consequence, of ample means. He owned a manor, named by him, with a surrounding area which later developed in a village. One of his main sources of revenue was the lending of money, for which the borrower pledged slaves or himself to Balmunamhe. He also bought slaves, sometimes the seller himself, who thus discharged his debt. He saw to it that his slave-keeping was remunerative by hiring them out and having them serve an apprenticeship.

Balmunamhe also released slaves during periods of low agricultural activities – on leave sort to speak – with guarantees that they would return to work when needed. In one example he released a slave into his parents’ custody, and if he runs away the parents’ house and orchard i.e. their whole estate is forfeited to Balmunamhe. Presumably, the slave in this case was originally sold to Balmunamhe by his parents by reason of debt.

He was also recorded in activities such as hiring out of ships. There are also a number of documents recording purchases and sometimes exchange of houses and grounds.