Isin, ancient Mesopotamian city, probably the origin of a large mound near Ad-Dīwānīyah, in southern Iraq.
An independent dynasty was established at Isin about 2017 bc by Ishbi-Erra, “the man of Mari.” He founded a line of Amorite rulers of whom the first five claimed authority over the city of Ur to the south. The fifth of the rulers of Isin, Lipit-Ishtar (reigned 1934–24 bc), is famous as having published a series of laws in the Sumerian language anticipating the code of Hammurabi by more than a century. About 1794 Isin lost its independence, first to the neighbouring city of Larsa and later to Babylon. The city revived between about 1156 and 1025 under its 2nd dynasty, a number of whose kings exercised authority over Babylonia (southern Iraq).