diff --git a/src/chronology/domain/Date.test.ts b/src/chronology/domain/Date.test.ts
index 856297863..2fdacb430 100644
--- a/src/chronology/domain/Date.test.ts
+++ b/src/chronology/domain/Date.test.ts
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ describe('MesopotamianDate', () => {
       expect(date.ur3Calendar).toBeUndefined()
     })
   })
-
   describe('converts to string', () => {
     it('returns the correct string representation (standard)', () => {
       const date = new MesopotamianDate({
@@ -347,3 +346,21 @@ describe('MesopotamianDate', () => {
     expect(date.toModernDate()).toBe('')
   })
 })
+
+describe('handles king date with non-numeric characters', () => {
+  it('parses and processes king date correctly', () => {
+    const kingWithDirtyDate = {
+      ...king,
+      date: 'c. 818–c. 813',
+    }
+
+    const date = new MesopotamianDate({
+      year: { value: '5' },
+      month: { value: '3' },
+      day: { value: '10' },
+      king: kingWithDirtyDate,
+    })
+
+    expect(date.toModernDate()).toBe('ca. 814 BCE PJC')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/chronology/domain/DateBase.ts b/src/chronology/domain/DateBase.ts
index 7630f4004..025f10aca 100644
--- a/src/chronology/domain/DateBase.ts
+++ b/src/chronology/domain/DateBase.ts
@@ -241,13 +241,22 @@ export class MesopotamianDateBase {
     year,
     calendar = 'Julian',
   }: Pick<DateProps, 'year' | 'calendar'>): string {
-    const firstReignYear = this.king?.date?.split('-')[0]
+    const parseKingDate = (date: string): string => {
+      return date.replace(/[^\d-–]/g, '')
+    }
+
+    const firstReignYear = this.king?.date
+      ? parseKingDate(this.king.date).split(/[-–]/)[0]
+      : undefined
+
     return firstReignYear !== undefined && year > 0
       ? `ca. ${
           parseInt(firstReignYear) - year + 1
         } BCE ${calendarToAbbreviation(calendar)}`
       : this.king?.date && !['', '?'].includes(this.king?.date)
-      ? `ca. ${this.king?.date} BCE ${calendarToAbbreviation(calendar)}`
+      ? `ca. ${parseKingDate(this.king?.date)} BCE ${calendarToAbbreviation(
+          calendar
+        )}`
       : ''
   }