Information about the Hittites

A Letter Between Hatti and Ahhiyawa A Letter Between Ḫatti and Aḫḫiyawa
CTH 183

Online: Photos of tablet available at: http://www.hethport.uni-wuerzburg.de/hetkonk/hetkonk_abfrage.php?c=183
Print: Sommer, Ferdinand, Die Aḫḫijavā-Urkunden (1932) 268-274

Introduction

This badly damaged tablet was originally identified as a letter from a Hittite king to a king of Aḫḫiyawa.¹ Recently, it has been suggested by O.R. Gurney,² and supported by Frank Starke, that it is actually a letter from a king of Aḫḫiyawa to a Hittite king,³ which would make this a particularly unique and valuable document in European history. The current translator remains neutral until Starke's arguments can be reviewed. It is written in the New Hittite ductus, and thus belongs to the age of the Late Empire (a.k.a. New Kingdom).

It has been further suggested by Starke that this letter mentions Kadmos in obv. 8', the name of the legendary founder of Thebes who sowed dragon's teeth. However, the evidence does not lend itself to supporting this theory: (1) It requires amending the text, although it is only the addition of a single wedge. (2) The word in question, as preserved, is quite clearly not preceded by the "man" determinative, although Melchert does not find this to be an adequate objection.⁴ Nor does a suggested alternative of [n]u-zạ seem satisfactory based on the photograph of the tablet.

The best preserved section of this letter (§3) seems to involve the history of claims over the land of Aššuwa, sparked by the recipient's seizure of ships belonging to the author. It may then go on to describe how, long ago, the king of Aššuwa owed allegiance to the king of Aḫḫiyawa, and how the Hittite king Tudḫaliya II conquered Aššuwa. If the author is the king of Aḫḫiyawa, then the letter must go on to explain how the loyalty of that land was returned to his kingdom, and the seizure of ships was thus unjustified. If the Hittite king is the author, then he must go on to defend the possession of Aššuwa, and protest the seizure of ships by the king of Aḫḫiyawa. It is worth pointing out that, since the references to Aššuwa appear to be historical, this cannot be used to justify the existence of that kingdom at the time this letter was written.

Translation

Obv.

§1

1' [. . .Lor]d^? of the land of Aḫḫiyawa [. .]

§2

2'     [. . .] (in)to^?. [. . .]
3'     [. . .] hostile in the midst [. . .]
4'     [. .] occurred/became. The deceased (pl. adj.) [. .]

§3

5'     Last^? year you, my brother, wrote to me, [. .]
6'     "What ships of yours [. .]
7'     "the Storm God gave to me in servitude."⁵ The king of the land of Aš[šuwa^? . .]
8'     [Mr.^? X⁶]-a^?kagamuna, [his] forefather [. .]
9'     was previously bound/betrothed. Mr. Tudḫ[aliya . .]
10'   He subjected him to servitude. And [. . .]
11'   I wrote on behalf of [. . .]
12'   and^? of^? the king of the land of Aḫḫiy[awa . .]
13'   Formerly [. . .]
14'   the king of the land of Aššuwa [. . .]
15'   The king [. . .]
16'   in the land of the city of [. . .]
17'   against [. . .]
18'   (broken)

(Text breaks)

Rev.

§4'

1';     [. . .]
2';     [. . .]
3';     [. . .] then [. . .]
4';     [. .] My^? servant [. . .]
5';     [. .] in^? [. . .]
6';     [. .] back [. . .]
7';     [. .] The border for him [. . .]
8';     [. .] evil [. . .]
9';     [. .] my [. . .]
10';   [. .] from the land of Mi-⁷[. . .]
11';   [. .] people [. . .]
12';   [. .] in my ground [. . .]

§5'

13';   [. .] I [. .] him [. . .]
14';   [. .] my brother, may you keep seeing! Further [. . .]
15';   [. .] my brother, the servant [. . .]
16';   (broken)

(Text breaks)

					Why?
	A Letter Between Hatti and Ahhiyawa A Letter Between Ḫatti and Aḫḫiyawa CTH 183 Online: Photos of tablet available at: http://www.hethport.uni-wuerzburg.de/hetkonk/hetkonk_abfrage.php?c=183 Print: Sommer, Ferdinand, Die Aḫḫijavā-Urkunden (1932) 268-274 Introduction This badly damaged tablet was originally identified as a letter from a Hittite king to a king of Aḫḫiyawa.¹ Recently, it has been suggested by O.R. Gurney,² and supported by Frank Starke, that it is actually a letter from a king of Aḫḫiyawa to a Hittite king,³ which would make this a particularly unique and valuable document in European history. The current translator remains neutral until Starke's arguments can be reviewed. It is written in the New Hittite ductus, and thus belongs to the age of the Late Empire (a.k.a. New Kingdom). It has been further suggested by Starke that this letter mentions Kadmos in obv. 8', the name of the legendary founder of Thebes who sowed dragon's teeth. However, the evidence does not lend itself to supporting this theory: (1) It requires amending the text, although it is only the addition of a single wedge. (2) The word in question, as preserved, is quite clearly not preceded by the "man" determinative, although Melchert does not find this to be an adequate objection.⁴ Nor does a suggested alternative of [n]u-zạ seem satisfactory based on the photograph of the tablet. The best preserved section of this letter (§3) seems to involve the history of claims over the land of Aššuwa, sparked by the recipient's seizure of ships belonging to the author. It may then go on to describe how, long ago, the king of Aššuwa owed allegiance to the king of Aḫḫiyawa, and how the Hittite king Tudḫaliya II conquered Aššuwa. If the author is the king of Aḫḫiyawa, then the letter must go on to explain how the loyalty of that land was returned to his kingdom, and the seizure of ships was thus unjustified. If the Hittite king is the author, then he must go on to defend the possession of Aššuwa, and protest the seizure of ships by the king of Aḫḫiyawa. It is worth pointing out that, since the references to Aššuwa appear to be historical, this cannot be used to justify the existence of that kingdom at the time this letter was written. Translation Obv. §1 1' [. . .Lor]d^? of the land of Aḫḫiyawa [. .] §2 2' [. . .] (in)to^?. [. . .] 3' [. . .] hostile in the midst [. . .] 4' [. .] occurred/became. The deceased (pl. adj.) [. .] §3 5' Last^? year you, my brother, wrote to me, [. .] 6' "What ships of yours [. .] 7' "the Storm God gave to me in servitude."⁵ The king of the land of Aš[šuwa^? . .] 8' [Mr.^? X⁶]-a^?kagamuna, [his] forefather [. .] 9' was previously bound/betrothed. Mr. Tudḫ[aliya . .] 10' He subjected him to servitude. And [. . .] 11' I wrote on behalf of [. . .] 12' and^? of^? the king of the land of Aḫḫiy[awa . .] 13' Formerly [. . .] 14' the king of the land of Aššuwa [. . .] 15' The king [. . .] 16' in the land of the city of [. . .] 17' against [. . .] 18' (broken) (Text breaks) Rev. §4' 1'; [. . .] 2'; [. . .] 3'; [. . .] then [. . .] 4'; [. .] My^? servant [. . .] 5'; [. .] in^? [. . .] 6'; [. .] back [. . .] 7'; [. .] The border for him [. . .] 8'; [. .] evil [. . .] 9'; [. .] my [. . .] 10'; [. .] from the land of Mi-⁷[. . .] 11'; [. .] people [. . .] 12'; [. .] in my ground [. . .] §5' 13'; [. .] I [. .] him [. . .] 14'; [. .] my brother, may you keep seeing! Further [. . .] 15'; [. .] my brother, the servant [. . .] 16'; (broken) (Text breaks)