℗ THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM/ART RESOURCE, NY

EPONYM LIST. In addition to dating based on the reign of a king, Mesopotamians would also associate a single year with a particular official (similar to the later Roman consul system that dated years depending on which consuls were in office). Lists of the officials’ names would be created—called eponym lists. These lists can help establish a sequence of events and can be linked to other lists, kings, and events, helping to reconcile king lists, astronomical events, and large events, such as the building of a temple. Although not a reliable source on their own, these eponym lists help roughly estimate the dates of kings in Mesopotamia.