Tunip

Last updated
Tunip
Syria adm location map.svg
Archaeological site icon (red).svg
Shown within Syria
Location Syria
Region Hama Governorate
Coordinates 35°17′13″N36°23′52″E / 35.2869°N 36.3978°E / 35.2869; 36.3978
Areac. 77 ha
History
PeriodsLate Bronze Age
Amarna letter EA 161, Aziru to Pharaoh, title: An Absence Explained. Amarna Akkadian letter.png
Amarna letter EA 161, Aziru to Pharaoh, title: An Absence Explained.

Tunip (probably modern Tell 'Acharneh) was a city-state along the Orontes River in western Syria in the Late Bronze Age. It was large enough to be an urban center, but too small to be a dominant regional power. It was under the influence of various factions like the Mitanni, Egyptians, and Hittites.

Contents

Location

The exact location of Tunip remains uncertain. There is increasing evidence for identifying the ancient city with the archaeological site of Tell 'Acharneh.

This important city was sought either in northern Phoenicia (Helck 1973) or in the Middle Orontes. Two prominent sites have been suggested in the latter region: Tell Hama in the modern city of Hama (Astour 1977) and Tell Asharneh in the southern Ghab Valley northwest of Hama (Klengel 1995 [1] ). [2]

Tell Asharneh (or Tell 'Acharneh) on the banks of the Orontes River in Syria has been widely seen as the likely location of Tunip. The site covers an area of 77-hectare (190-acre) and is near Tell Salhab. The authors of the above study support the identification of Tunip as Tell Asharneh based on petrographic analysis.

A team of Canadian archaeologists have been conducting excavations at the site of Tell 'Acharneh, under the direction of Michel Fortin of Laval University in Quebec City. [3]

Early Bronze

The only mentions of Tunip in the Early Bronze Age come from the Ebla Palace G archives (c.2400 BC - c.2300 BC) when the city fell under the hegemony of Ebla. [4] During this period, a colony of at least 530 men from Mari resided here. Their group was led by Puzur-Aštar and consisted of 30 merchants and their workers. They were likely involved in the timber trade, harvesting timber from the nearby mountainous regions to export back to Mari. [5] It has also been suggested by Bonechi that attestations in the Ebla texts of men from Byblos at Tunip may connect it to trade routes going to Egypt. [6]

Late Bronze

The appellation 'Tunip' is mainly from Egyptian records, from the time of Thutmose III to Ramesses II. The name Tunip also appears in names like that of a king named Tunip-Tessup.

It is especially mentioned in the Amarna letters (c. 1350 BC), the time of Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. Matters concern turmoil and local rulers like Aziru, residing in Amurru (Simur/Tell Kezel, Akkar Plain) and in conflict with the king of Hatti. He is often claiming to reside in Tunip, until it is safe to leave, or to try to defend other cities/city-states of his region. The local region in Syria, Nuhašše is also in conflict, and is mentioned in 7 of Aziru's 13 EA letters, (EA for 'el Amarna').

Amarna Archive

The Amarna Archive refers to cuneiform tablets found at Amarna, Egypt, dating to the late reign of Akhenaten and early reign of Tutankhamun. There is a high and low chronology for these kings, which may affect the synchronization of events in the northern Levant. In general, the region was under control of Tushratta of Mitanni who around 1350 BC was attacked by Suppiluliuma I of Hatti, causing major turmoil in the entire Levant. Egypt was formally an ally of Mitanni at the time. A faction of the citizens of Tunip belonged to the Pro-Egyptian faction, writing to the Pharaoh for support.

Five letters reference 'Tunip' in the Amarna letters corpus, 3 from Aziru's sub-corpus.

  1. EA 57Title: "Of kings and Tunip"-damaged letter
  2. EA 59Title: "From the citizens of Tunip"-
  3. EA 161 "An absence explained"-Aziru letter no. 6 of 13
  4. EA 165"Tunip threatened"-Aziru letter no. 9 of 13
  5. EA 167"The constant Hittite menace"-Aziru letter no. 11 of 13

Amarna Letter EA 59 - From the citizens of Tunip

Amarna Letter EA 59 (lines 1-46, complete) show the citizens of Tunip appeal for help from the Pharaoh.

To the king of Egypt, our lord: Message of the citizens of Tunip, your servant. For you may all go well. And we fall at the feet of my lord.

My lord, thus says Tunip, your servant: Tunipwho ruled it in the past? Did not Manakhpirya-(i.e. "Men-Kheper--iya"): am-ma-ti-wu-uš (your ancestor) rule it?
The gods and the ...: na-ab-ri-il-la-an (=?) of the king of Egypt, our lord, dwell in Tunip, and he should inquire of his ancients: am-ma-ti (ancient) when we did not belong to our lord, the king of Egypt-(named "Mizri"-see: Mizraim).
And now, for 20years, we have gone on writing to the king, our lord, but our messengers have stayed on with the king, our lord. And now, our lord, we ask for the son of 'Aki- Teššup' from the king, our lord. May our lord give him.
My lord, if the king of Egypt has given the son of Aki-Teššup, why does the king, our lord, call him back from the journey?
And now Aziru is going to hear that in Hittite territory a hostile fate has overtaken your servant, a ruler (and) your gardener.
Should his (the king's) troops and his chariots be delayed, Aziru will do to us just as he did to Nii.
If we ourselves are negligent and the king of Egypt does nothing about these things that Aziru is doing, then he will surely direct his hand against our lord.
When Aziru entered Sumur-(Zemar), he did to them as he pleased, in the house of the king, our lord. But our lord did nothing about the(s)e things.
And now Tunip, your city, weeps, and its tears flow,and there is no grasping of our hand.
We have gone on writing to the king, our lord, the king of Egypt, for 20years, and not a single word of our lord has reached us."

Amarna Letter EA 161 - An absence explained, Aziru no. 6 of 13

Amarna Letter EA 161 (lines 1-56, complete) shows how Aziru claims he was made a 'mayor' of his region (or city), in Amurru.

To the Great King, my lord, my god, [my Sun]: Message of Aziru , your servant. I fall at the feet of my lord, [m]y god, my Sun, 7 times and 7 times.

My lord, I am your servant, and on my arrival in the presence of the king, my lord, I spoke of all my affairs in the presence of the king, my lord. My lord, do not listen to the treacherous men that denounce me in the presence of the king, my lord. I am your servant forever.
The king, my lord, has spoken about Han'i. My lord, I was residing in Tunip, and so I did not know that he had arrived. As soon as I heard, I went up after him, but I did not overtake him. May Han'i arrive safe and sound so that the king, my lord, can ask him how I provided for him. My brothers and Bet-ili were at his service; they gave oxen, sheep, and goats, and birds, his food and strong drink.
I gave horses and asses, [f]or his journey. May the king, my lord, hear my words. [W]hen I come to the king, my lord, Han'i will go before me; like a mother and like a father he will provide for me. And no(w) my lord says, "You hid yourself from Han'i." May your gods and the Sun be witness: (I swear):"I was residing in Tunip."
The king, my lord, has spoken about the building of Sumur-(Zemar). The kings of Nuhašše have been at war with me and have taken my cities at the instruction of Hatip. So I have not built it. Now, in all haste, I am going to build it.
And may my lord know that Hatip has taken half of the things that the king, my lord, gave (gave me). All the gold and silver that the king, my lord, gave me, Hatip has taken. May my lord know (this).
Moreover, the king, my lord, also said, "Why did you provide for the messenger of the king of Hatti, but did not provide for my messenger?" But this is the land of my lord, and the king, my lord, made meone of the mayors!
Let my lord's messenger come to me so I can give all that I promised in the presence of the king, my lord. I will give food supplies, ships, oil, logs, of boxwood , and (other) woods.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letters</span> Egyptian archive of correspondence on clay tablets

The Amarna letters are an archive, written on clay tablets, primarily consisting of diplomatic correspondence between the Egyptian administration and its representatives in Canaan and Amurru, or neighboring kingdom leaders, during the New Kingdom, spanning a period of no more than thirty years in the middle 14th century BC. The letters were found in Upper Egypt at el-Amarna, the modern name for the ancient Egyptian capital of Akhetaten, founded by pharaoh Akhenaten during the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rib-Hadda</span> King of Byblos in the 14th century BCE

Rib-Hadda was king of Byblos during the mid fourteenth century BCE. He is the author of some sixty of the Amarna letters all to Akhenaten. His name is Akkadian in form and may invoke the Northwest Semitic god Hadad, though his letters invoke only Ba'alat Gubla, the "Lady of Byblos".

Ammittamru I was a king of the ancient Syrian city of Ugarit who ruled c. 1350 BC.

Akizzi was the King of Qatna around 1350-1345 BC. He was a successor of Idanda. While Idanda is known from an archive in Qatna, no archive has been found with letters beloning to Akizzi.

DU–Teššup was the son of Aziru, of the 1350–1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence, and also the father of Aziru's successor, in Amurru. DU-Teššup's name refers to the Hurrian god of sky and storm, Teshub.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuhašše</span> Historical region

Nuhašše, was a region in northwestern Syria that flourished in the 2nd millennium BC. It was east of the Orontes River bordering Aleppo (northwest) and Qatna (south). It was a petty kingdom or federacy of principalities probably under a high king. Tell Khan Sheykhun has tenatively been identifed as kurnu-ḫa-šeki.

Tutu was one of pharaoh's officials during the Amarna letters period 1350–1335 BC. He is only found in the body of letters from Aziru, and his son, DU-Teššup. Four of the Amarna letters—EA 158, 164, 167 and 169—are addressed to the Pharaoh, by way of Tutu. DU-Teššup's single letter is written to pharaoh because his father Aziru is being detained in Egypt, and Aziru is needed to attend to affairs at home. Unless he were to remarry he may never return home again.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ayyab</span> Ancient ruler of Aštartu

Ayyab was a ruler of Aštartu south of Damascus. According to the Amarna letters, cities/city-states and their kings in the region — just like countries to the north, such as Hatti of the Hittites, fell prey to a wave of attacks by ʿApiru raiders. The Amarna correspondence corpus covers a period from 1350–1335 BC.

Biridašwa was a mayor of Aštartu, (Tell-Ashtara), south of Damascus,, during the time of the Amarna letters correspondence, about 1350–1335 BC. A second mayor of Aštartu, Ayyab, existed in this short 15–20 year time period.

Etakkama, as a common name, but also, Aitukama, Atak(k)ama, Etak(k)ama, and Itak(k)ama is the name for the 'mayor' (king) of Qidšu, (Kadesh) of the 1350–1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence.. Etakkama is referenced in 11 of the 382 EA letters,, and especially, a series of 4 identical letters concerning: Amqu, the region of the Beqaa in Lebanon. Those 4 letters concern the intrigues of city/city-state takeovers, along with troops from Hatti, and the claim of: Etakkama's troops from 'Kinsa' -(Qidšu-Kissa)-Kadesh) and are titled: "A joint report on Amqu (1-4)".

Niya was a kingdom in Syria near the Orontes River in northern Syria next to Nuhasse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pawura</span>

Pawura, and also: Pauru, Piwure, Puuru/Puwuru was an Egyptian official of the 1350–1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence. As mentioned in letter no. 171, he was also an Egyptian "archer–commander". In letter no. 289 he is called an "irpi–official". In Egyptian his name means 'the Great One', (Pa-wr/Pa-ur)(letter EA 287:45-"1.-Pa-Ú-Ru")

Abimilki around 1347 BC held the rank of Prince of Tyre, during the period of the Amarna letters correspondence. He is the author of ten letters to the Egyptian pharaoh, EA 146–155. In letter EA 147, Pharaoh Akhenaten confirmed him as ruler of Tyre upon the death of his father, and in EA 149, referred to him with the rank of rabisu (general).

The Amqu is a region during the Late Bronze Age, equivalent to the Beqaa Valley region in eastern Lebanon, named in the 1350–1335 BC Amarna letters corpus.

Ili-Rapih was the follow-on mayor in Gubla-(modern Byblos), and the brother of Rib-Hadda, the former mayor of Gubla, ; Ili-Rapih is in the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence, and wrote 2 follow-on letters to the Pharaoh after the death of Rib-Haddi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 161</span> Antiques

Amarna letter EA 161, titled An Absence Explained, is a tall clay tablet letter of 8 paragraphs, with single paragraphing lines. The surface is somewhat degraded, but most cuneiform signs that remain, allow for a relative complete translation context for the letter, and the eight paragraphs. The clay tablet is no. BM 29818 at the British Museum; the number is visible at the top of the tablet, above Para I-(in black ink, the top half of the number visible).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 59</span>

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 156</span>

Amarna letter EA 156, titled: "Aziru of Amurru", is a very short letter from Aziru, the leader of the region of Amurru. EA 156 is the first letter in a series of 16 letters regarding Aziru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 158</span>

Amarna letter EA 158, titled: "Father and Son", is a moderate length letter from Aziru, the leader of the region of Amurru. The letter is written to the Egyptian official, Tutu/ (Dudu). EA 158 is the third letter in a series of 16 letters regarding Aziru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarna letter EA 170</span>

Amarna letter EA 170, titled: "To Aziru in Egypt", is a moderate length letter, from Aziru, the leader of the region of Amurru. EA 170 is the fifteenth letter in a series of 16 letters regarding Aziru.

References

  1. Klengel, H. 1995 Tunip und andere Probleme der historischen Geographie Mittelsyriens. Pp. 125-134 in Immigration and Emigration within the Ancient Near East, edited by K. van Lerberghe and A. Schoors. Leuven: Peeters.
  2. Mineralogical and Chemical Study of the Amarna Tablets Tel Aviv University
  3. Canadian Archaeological Mission to Tell 'Acharneh
  4. Bonechi, Marco (2016). "Thorny Geopolitical Problems in the Palace G Archives. The Ebla Southern Horizon, Part One: the Middle Orontes Basin". Parayre, D. (Ed.), le fleuve rebelle. Géographie historique du moyen Oronte d'Ebla a l'époque médiévale (Syria Supplement 4) (IV): 42, 49. doi:10.4000/syria.4985.
  5. Winters, Ryan (2019). "Negotiating Exchange: Ebla and the International System of the Early Bronze Age" (PDF). PhD Diss.: 357, 362–363.
  6. Bonechi, Marco (2016). "Thorny Geopolitical Problems in the Palace G Archives. The Ebla Southern Horizon, Part One: the Middle Orontes Basin". Parayre, D. (Ed.), le fleuve rebelle. Géographie historique du moyen Oronte d'Ebla a l'époque médiévale (Syria Supplement 4) (IV): 29–87. doi:10.4000/syria.4985.

https://www.crane.utoronto.ca/tell-acharneh.html