-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 LZIrjyRtkIv7Wi2UfsQIeyUoG1UqN7jK8MOj9y+EOkUoi5K6W6kF/lwFgxzBlasD
 BlbLgUJWZxq0pFvfrLBwpw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-011777.txt : 20030627
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-011777.hdr.sgml : 20030627
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030627085949
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-011777
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030626
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030627

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SUSQUEHANNA BANCSHARES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000700863
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021]
		IRS NUMBER:				232201716
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			PA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		26 N CEDAR ST
		CITY:			LITITZ
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			17543
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7176264721

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 2:		26 NORTH CEDAR ST
		CITY:			LITITZ
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			17543

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GIBBEL HENRY H
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001183023

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-10674
		FILM NUMBER:		03759585

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		LITITZ MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
		STREET 2:		2 N BROAD ST
		CITY:			LITITZ
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			17543-1005
		BUSINESS PHONE:		717 626 4751

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		LITITZ MUTUAL INSURANCE CO
		STREET 2:		2 N BROAD STREET
		CITY:			LITITZ
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			17543-1005
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd11676.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-06-26</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000700863</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SUSQUEHANNA BANCSHARES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SUSQ</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001183023</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GIBBEL HENRY H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector>
<isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle></officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. common stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-06-26</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>2134</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>13.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>177812</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. common stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-06-26</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>116</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>13.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>14000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value>held by spouse</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. common stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-06-26</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>1400</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>176412</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. common stock</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>13.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-06-26</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>2250</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>1999-05-31</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2006-05-31</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>2250</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>15750</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">750 shares vested on 05/31/1999; 750 shares vested on 05/31/2000; and 750 shares vested on 05/31/2001</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Linda C. Crockett, Attorney-in-Fact for Henry H. Gibbel</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-06-27</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----