at na ) ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁discussed ▁their ▁al liance , ▁the ▁attacks ▁of ▁their ▁enemies , ▁and ▁the ▁successful ▁marriage ▁between ▁their ▁children . ▁In ▁it ▁Sh am sh i - Ad ad ▁I ▁wrote : ▁ ▁Re ign ▁ ▁Sh am sh i - Ad ad ▁I ▁was ▁a ▁great ▁organ izer ▁and ▁he ▁kept ▁firm ▁controls ▁on ▁all ▁matters ▁of ▁state , ▁from ▁high ▁policy ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁appoint ing ▁of ▁officials ▁and ▁the ▁dispatch ing ▁of ▁prov isions . ▁Sp ies ▁and ▁propag anda ▁were ▁often ▁used ▁to ▁win ▁over ▁rival ▁cities . ▁He ▁allowed ▁conquer ed ▁territ ories ▁to ▁maintain ▁some ▁of ▁their ▁earlier ▁practices . ▁In ▁N ine ve h ▁he ▁used ▁state ▁resources ▁to ▁re build ▁the ▁Is ht ar ▁temple . ▁The ▁local ▁r ul ers ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁Q att ara ▁maintained ▁authority ▁( but ▁became ▁v ass als ) ▁when ▁they ▁were ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Upper ▁Mes op ot am ia . ▁User ▁of ▁these ▁Ass y rian ▁E pon ym ▁d ating ▁system ▁was ▁enfor ced ▁throughout ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Upper ▁Mes op ot am ia ▁in ▁cities ▁such ▁as : ▁Mari , ▁T utt ul , ▁Ter qa , ▁and ▁the ▁capital ▁city ▁Š ub at - En l il . ▁ ▁Fall ▁▁ ▁Sh am sh i - Ad ad ▁I ▁continued ▁to ▁strength en ▁his ▁kingdom ▁throughout ▁his ▁life , ▁but ▁as ▁he ▁got ▁older , ▁the ▁state ▁became ▁more ▁vulner able ▁and ▁the ▁neighbor ing