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Near East Kingdoms
Ancient Syria
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Emar (Astata)
An early Syrian city state founded in the mid-third millennium BC, Emar was
situated at modern Tell Meskéné, a crucial crossroads on the southern
(western) bank of the great bend in the Euphrates. Still less well-known
that its contemporaries, the archaeological site in modern
Syria includes hundreds of
cuneiform documents, major architectural remains, private homes, personal
archives, and a wealth of material culture. It was an important Bronze Age
trading centre due to its position midway between cities such as
Mari
and those of western
Syria. By the fifteenth
century BC it was part of the kingdom of Astata, but the state's level of
independence is debatable, as by then the region was under the control of
Mitanni.
Following that, it became a vassal state under the
Hittites. |
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c.1776 - 1600 BC |
Following the break-up of the kingdom of
Upper Mesopotamia, the state of Yamkhad becomes the dominant force in north-western
Syria, controlling Emar.
Emar seems to have close relations with the city of the god Dagan at
Tuttul, with the latter perhaps
serving as Emar's own religious centre. |
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c.1650 - 1620 BC |
Idrimi,
son of the king of Alep, is forced to
flee his homeland for Emar, from where he organises the storming of
Alakhtum by sea with his band of
habiru followers.
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Although Emar's rulers for the seventeenth century BC are
unknown, could they have aided Idrimi in his conquest of
Alakhtum from this city?
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1478 BC |
Egypt begins to move into
Syria, on
Mitanni's southern border, reaching
the Euphrates, building ships, and ravaging the banks all the way from
Carchemish to Emar, towns that belong
to Mitanni. |
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c.1340 BC |
Suppiluliuma, the new
Hittite ruler, takes control of northern
Syria.
Emar remains a Hittite subject state under the control of
Carchemish but with
its own royal house, and customs and practices, albeit with a limited role
and power. No evidence can be found for a ruling house being in place before
the Hittite conquest, suggesting that it was only established under the
Hittites. In fact, it seems more than likely that Emar had no tradition of
kingship before the coming of the Hittites, despite already having been an
urbanised centre for over a millennium. |
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Iasi-Dagan |
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Ba'al-kabar |
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Zu-Ashtarti |
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Abbanu |
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Pilsu-Dagan |
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Elli |
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c.1200 BC |
While the majority of Emar's texts seem to have been produced during the
1230s BC under the regional authority of Ini-Teshub I of
Carchemish, the
last texts refer to his successor, Talmi-Teshub. |
c.1185 BC |
The state is the easternmost to be sacked and destroyed by the
Sea Peoples.
This take place during a period of
troubles which are characterised by attacks by seaborne raiders, following the collapse of
the
Hittite empire and the general instability which hits the region. The
site remains desolate even as late as the
Roman
occupation of the region, as it forms part of an unstable border area.
Instead it is resettled nearby as the town of Barbalissos, which remains
under Byzantine control and exists until at least the sixth century AD,
although it too is now in ruins. |
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