Amarna letter EA 75

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EA 161, Obverse
(slightly out-of-focus) Amarna Akkadian letter.png
EA 161, Obverse
(slightly out-of-focus)

Amarna letter EA 75, titled: "Political Chaos", [1] is a short to moderate length letter from Rib-Hadda, who wrote the largest number of Amarna letters in a sub-corpus, from the city-state of Byblos; Byblos contained an Ancient Egyptian colony, and was aligned with a few neighboring townsites.

Contents

EA 75 is damaged with a few lines missing on the Bottom, Obverse, and parts of line endings, and beginnings, but the topic of the letter is extensive explaining the conflict with 'Apiru/Habiru and also major Great King states of the region (Hatti(Hattusa) and Mitanni).

After a short Introduction to the Pharaoh, the dire straits of the city-state are related. Possessions are sold in Yarimuta to stay alive, and the Habiru warfare has reduced the town's people to conduct daily life: "...My field is "a wife without a husband", lacking in cultivation." [2]

The Amarna letters, about 300, numbered up to EA 382, are a mid 14th century BC, about 1360 BC and 30–35 years later, correspondence. The initial corpus of letters were found at Akhenaten's city Akhetaten, in the floor of the Bureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh; others were later found, adding to the body of letters.

Note: there are two missing lines at the letter's Bottom, Obverse. Also at the letter's end, but final sentences are made at the tablet's left edge, partially damaged. (see here: )

Letter EA 75 (also see here-(Obverse & Reverse, etc.): ), is numbered C 4757 (12191), from the Cairo Museum.


Cuneiform and Akkadian

The cuneiform [3] of EA 75, and the Akkadian [4] text.

Obverse (see here: )

Paragraph Ia

(Line 1)[ Diš ]-Ri-iB-aD-Da [ iq-bi ]...(.. (m)(Male) Rib-Hadda .. Speaking ! )
(2)[ a ]-na EN-šu lugal -/- ["kur-kur lugal gal" ].( to Lord-his .. King (of) Lands ! )
(3) d nin ša iri [ GUB-La ].....( --///-- Mistress "which of" City-state Byblos (Gubla) --//-- )
(4) ti-din kal-ga a-[-na lugal EN-ia ].( ... "Proclaim"(Know) Strength(Power) For(To) Lord-mine !,... )
(5) a-na GÌRI-MEŠ -//- EN-ia d utu-ia .(.. at Feet(S) -//- Lord-mine God Sun-mine,.. )
(6)7(diš)-šu 7diš-a-an am--ut {{ [?? lu-ú  ??] }}.( 7 (times and) 7 times,.. -/- "I bow" ! ("I address you"?) )

Paragraph Ib

(7)[ i-]-de lugal EN-li -//- i-nu-[ ma .. ]/( .. Know,.. King Lord-(li) --//-- Now(Now, at this time)... )
(8) šal-ma-at iri GUB-LA géme-ka ...(.. "is Peaceful" City Gubla .. "Handmaid"-yours )
(9) ìš-tu da-ri-it u4-kàm-meš ...( .. From Forever - "Time" ! )

Paragraph Ic

(10) ša-ni-tam ga-kal nu-kúr ša erìn -GAZ-MEŠ ..( However, (the) "warfare" "which of" ARMY'Apiru (Habiru) ... )

Akkadian

Obverse (see here: )

Paragraph Ia

(Line 1)[ Diš ]-Rib-Hadda [ qa ]
(2)[ a ]-na Bēlu-šu lugal [kur-kur(mâtâti) lugal gal ]
(3) d nin ša iri [ GUB-LA ]
(4) i [5] kal-ga(=dannu) a [na lugal EN-ia ]
(5) a na GÌRI-MEŠ(šêpê) -//- Beli-ia d utu-ia
(6)7(diš)-šu 7diš-a-an ma tu [?? lu-ú  ??]

Paragraph Ib

(7)[ i ]- [6] lugal EN-li -//- i [ ma .. ]
(8) šalā m u iri GUB La géme-ka
(9) ìš tu d ā r u4-kàm-meš

Paragraph Ic

(10) ša ni tam ga-kal nu kurtu ša erìn-GAZ-MEŠ


The Habiru/'Apiru

AreasOfHabiruActivityInAmarnaLettersLBIIA.svg

The mention of the Habiru shows the conflict of the time, as the takeover of city-states or regions by the Habiru. The map shows various cities and regions, and their respective dealings with the Habiru. (There are only 3 letters from Labaya of Šakmu/Shechem.) The next closest mention of the Habiru is from the Jerusalem letters of Abdi-Heba, directly south at Jerusalem, letters EA 286, 287, 288, 289, and EA 290.

Spellings for Habiru in the Amarna letters

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 86</span> Clay tablet

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 144</span>

Amarna letter EA 144, titled: "Zimreddi of Sidon," is a square-shaped, mostly flat clay tablet letter written on both sides and the bottom edge. It is from a vassal state in Canaan, and is written by the 'mayor' of Sidon, the author of Amarna letter EA 144, and Amarna letter EA 145. Zimreddi is also referred to in a few other Amarna letters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 271</span>

Amarna letter EA 271, titled: "The Power of the 'Apiru," is a moderately short, tallish, rectangular clay tablet letter, approximately 3 in wide x 4 in tall, from Milkilu the mayor/ruler of Gazru (Gezer), of the mid 14th century BC Amarna letters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 270</span>

Amarna letter EA 270, titled: "Extortion," is an ovate-shaped, medium-sized, tall letter, approximately 3 in wide x 4 in tall, from Milkilu the mayor/ruler of Gazru (Gezer), of the mid 14th century BC Amarna letters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 287</span>

Amarna letter EA 287, titled: "A Very Serious Crime," is a tall, finely-inscribed clay tablet letter, approximately 8 in tall, from Abdi-Heba the mayor/ruler of Jerusalem, of the mid 14th century BC Amarna letters. The scribe of his six letters to Egypt were penned by the "Jerusalem scribe"; EA 287 is a moderately long, and involved letter. The Amarna letters, about 300, numbered up to EA 382, are a mid 14th century BC, about 1350 BC and 20–25 years later, correspondence. The initial corpus of letters were found at Akhenaten's city Akhetaten, in the floor of the Bureau of Correspondence of Pharaoh; others were later found, adding to the body of letters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 362</span>

Amarna letter EA 362, titled: "A Commissioner Murdered," is a finely-inscribed clay tablet letter from Rib-Haddi, the mayor/'man' of the city of Byblos,. Byblos, being a large coastal seaport Mediterranean city, was a city that was aligned with Egypt (Miṣri), and housed an Egyptian community. Rib-Haddi, as the city-state leader wrote the largest number of letters to the Pharaoh, in a sub-corpus of the 1350 BC Amarna letters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 245</span>

Amarna letter EA 245, titled: "Assignment of Guilt," is a medium length clay tablet Amarna letter from Biridiya the governor-'mayor' of Magidda. It is letter number four of five from Biridiya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 100</span>

Amarna letter EA 100, titled: "The City of Irqata to the King" is a short-, to moderate-length clay tablet Amarna letter from the city-state of Irqata,, written to the Pharaoh of Egypt. Only one other city sent a clay tablet Amarna letter to the Pharaoh, namely Tunip, letter EA 59, titled: "From the Citizens of Tunip".

Amarna letter EA 366 is from the king of Gath (Šuwardata) to the king of Egypt. The letter reports of the king having smote down the uprising of the Habiru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 323</span>

Amarna letter EA 323, titled: A Royal Order for Glass, is a smaller, square, mostly flat clay tablet letter written on both sides, but only half of the reverse; it is also written on the bottom, and is a letter from 'governor' Yidya, and is a short letter like many of his other Amarna letters, numbered EA 320 to EA 326.

Amarna letter EA 254, titled: "Neither Rebel nor Delinquent (2)", is a moderate length, tall, and mostly flat rectangular clay tablet Amarna letter,. The letter is from Labaya of city-state Šakmu . It is an undamaged letter, in pristine condition, with cuneiform script on almost all surfaces: Obverse, Bottom, Reverse, and Left Side. Letter EA 254 is numbered VAT 335, from the Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 288</span>


Amarna letter EA 288, titled Benign Neglect, is a tall, finely-inscribed clay tablet letter, approximately 7.5 in tall x 4.5 in wide, broken into two pieces, from Abdi-Heba the mayor/ruler of Jerusalem, of the mid 14th century BC Amarna letters. The scribe of his six letters to Egypt were penned by the "Jerusalem scribe"; EA 288 is a moderately long, and involved letter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 290</span>

Amarna letter EA 290, titled: "Three Against One", is one of the two shorter letters, of six, from Abdi-Heba the governing man of Jerusalem. In the Jerusalem letters, Jerusalem is "Uru-Salem" ("City-Peace").

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 34</span>

Amarna letter EA 34, titled: "The Pharaoh's Reproach Answered", is a moderately tall clay tablet Amarna letter from the King of Alashiya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 299</span>

Amarna letter EA 299, titled: "A Plea for Help", is a fairly short clay tablet Amarna letter from "governor" Yapahu of city-state Gazru. The clay tablet surface has been partially eroded, but the cuneiform is still mostly legible.

References

  1. Moran, William L. 1987, 1992. The Amarna Letters. EA 75, "Political Chaos", pp. 145-146.
  2. EA 75, Hanson home page
  3. CDLI page
  4. EA 75, Hanson home page
  5. Parpola, 1971. The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh , Glossary, pp. 119-145, idû, p. 127.
  6. Parpola, 1971, idû, many meanings: to know; to make known; recognize; to inform, proclaim; Frequently used to address Pharaoh, (or Administrator)

Hanson Letter 75