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

Rib-Hadda 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".

Amarna letter EA 252 14th century BCE clay tablet letter from Labaya to an Egyptian Pharaoh

Amarna letter EA 252, titled: Sparing One's Enemies, is a square, mostly flat clay tablet letter written on both sides, and the bottom edge. Each text line was written with a horizontal line scribed below the text line, as well as a vertical left margin-line, scribe line on the obverse of the tablet. The letter contains 14 (15) lines on the obverse, continuing on the bottom tablet edge to conclude at line 31 on the reverse, leaving a small space before the final tablet edge. At least 4 lines from the obverse intrude into the text of the reverse, actually dividing the reverse into a top half and bottom half, and even creating a natural spacing segue to the reverse's text, and the story.

Amarna letter EA 364

Amarna letter EA 364, titled Justified War, is a clay tablet letter from Ayyab, ruler of Aštartu, to Pharaoh Akhenaten.

Amarna letter EA 86 Clay tablet

Amarna letter EA 86, titled: Complaint to an Official, is a somewhat moderate length clay tablet letter from Rib-Hadda of city-state Byblos to Amanappa, an official at the court of the Pharaoh.

Amarna letter EA 271

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.

Amarna letter EA 270

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.

Amarna letter EA 287

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.

Amarna letter EA 362

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.

Amarna letter EA 286

Amarna letter EA 286, titled: "A Throne Granted, Not Inherited," is a tall, finely-inscribed clay tablet letter, approximately 8 in tall, and 3.5 in wide, 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 286 is a moderately long, and involved letter.

Amarna letter EA 245


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.

Amarna letter EA 325

Amarna letter EA 325, titled: "Preparations Completed (2)," is a shorter-length clay tablet Amarna letter from Yidya the governor-'mayor' of Ašqaluna-(Ashkelon). It is a letter addressing the Pharaoh in high terms, as well as stating the 'governor of Ašqaluna' is making preparations for the arrival of the Pharaoh's archer-army, the archers. EA 325 is a vassal-state letter, and has some similar appearances, for example appearing like letters EA 270 and EA 271.

Amarna letter EA 26

Amarna letter EA 26, titled To the Queen Mother: Some Missing Gold Statues, is a shorter-length clay tablet Amarna letter from Tushratta of Mittani. Unlike the next letter EA 27 from Tushratta, which is more than twice as tall, and about twice as wide-(XXVII paragraphs), EA 26 is topical and synoptic about recent events about the desire for 'gold statues'. The letter is addressed to the Pharaoh's wife, Teye, and its dimensions are approximately: 6.0 inches (15 cm) tall, 3.5 inches (9 cm) wide, and 1.0 inch (3 cm) thick.

Amarna letter EA 100

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 to the king of Egypt. The letter reports of the king having smote down the uprising of the Habiru.

Amarna letter EA 323

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

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.

Amarna letter EA 288


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.

Amarna letter EA 290

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").

Amarna letter EA 34 Sasha Banks WWE

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

Amarna letter EA 299

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