Abi-Milku
Encyclopedia
Abi-Milku was the only mayor/ruler of Tyre, Lebanon (called Surru in the letters), during the period of the Amarna letters
correspondence
(1350-1335 BC).
He is the author of ten letters (to the pharaoh
), EA 146-155 (EA for 'el Amarna
').
He is not referenced by name, in any other letters of the 382–letter corpus
.
, (son or Abdi-Ashirta
), the constant lookout, and reporting by Zimredda is addressed at the very end of this letter.
The letter: (no lineation, on tablet, for paragraphs)
The photo of the external links shows the condition of EA 147, (minus a corner).
See: Amarna letters–phrases and quotations
. Letter 147 uses: instead of "7 times and 7 times", the scribe
goes far deeper: he uses: '1/2 7 times' . A partial reference to the prostration formula
is used in the letter middle, when he uses "stomach and back".
Zimredda of Sidon is the topic of 5 of Abi-Milku's 10 letters.
has gone over to the enemy, the Habiru
who are taking over Canaan.
.
Amarna letters
The Amarna letters are an archive of correspondence on clay tablets, mostly diplomatic, between the Egyptian administration and its representatives in Canaan and Amurru during the New Kingdom...
correspondence
Text corpus
In linguistics, a corpus or text corpus is a large and structured set of texts...
(1350-1335 BC).
He is the author of ten letters (to the pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
), EA 146-155 (EA for 'el Amarna
Amarna
Amarna is an extensive Egyptian archaeological site that represents the remains of the capital city newly–established and built by the Pharaoh Akhenaten of the late Eighteenth Dynasty , and abandoned shortly afterwards...
').
He is not referenced by name, in any other letters of the 382–letter corpus
Text corpus
In linguistics, a corpus or text corpus is a large and structured set of texts...
.
Abi-Milku's letters
The titles of Abi-Milku's letters are as follows:- EA 146—title: "Abi-Milku of Tyre-(Surru)"
- EA 147—title: "A hymnHymnA hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
to the PharaohPharaohPharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
" - EA 148—title: "The need for mainland Tyre"
- EA 149—title: "Neither waterWaterWater is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
nor woodWoodWood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
"; See: Egyptian commissioner HaapiHaapiHaapi, also Haip and Ha'ip was a commissioner of the 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters correspondence. The name "Hapi" in Egyptian is the name for the Nile god Hapi....
. - EA 150—title: "Needed: just one soldier"
- EA 151—title: "A report on CanaanCanaanCanaan is a historical region roughly corresponding to modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and the western parts of Jordan...
"-(See external links: (letter; and Sea PeoplesSea PeoplesThe Sea Peoples were a confederacy of seafaring raiders of the second millennium BC who sailed into the eastern Mediterranean, caused political unrest, and attempted to enter or control Egyptian territory during the late 19th dynasty and especially during year 8 of Ramesses III of the 20th Dynasty...
)) - EA 152—title: "A demand for recognition"
- EA 153—title: "ShipShipSince the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s on hold" - EA 154—title: "Orders carried out"; See: Zimredda (Sidon mayor)Zimredda (Sidon mayor)Zimredda , also Zimr-Edda or Zimr-Eddi was the mayor of Siduna, in the mid 14th century BC. His name means, "Protection/Protector" Hadad, " protector Hadad", "The protector is Hadad", "Protector-Hadad", etc. He is mentioned in several of the Amarna letters, in the late Rib-Hadda series, and later...
. - EA 155—title: "Servant of MayatiMeritatenMeritaten also spelled Merytaten or Meryetaten was an ancient Egyptian queen of the eighteenth dynasty, who held the position of Great Royal Wife to Pharaoh Smenkhkare, who may have been a brother or son of Akhenaten...
". "Mayati" is a hypocoristicon/pet name for MeritatenMeritatenMeritaten also spelled Merytaten or Meryetaten was an ancient Egyptian queen of the eighteenth dynasty, who held the position of Great Royal Wife to Pharaoh Smenkhkare, who may have been a brother or son of Akhenaten...
, AkhenatenAkhenatenAkhenaten also spelled Echnaton,Ikhnaton,and Khuenaten;meaning "living spirit of Aten") known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV , was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
daughter.
EA 147, "A hymn to the Pharaoh"
The topic of this Hymn to the Pharaoh is not Zimredda; however, only the war of AziruAziru
Aziru was the Canaanite ruler of Amurru, modern Lebanon, in the fourteenth century BC. He was the son of Abdi-Ashirta, the previous Egyptian vassal of Amurru and a direct contemporary of Akhenaten.The dealings of Aziru are well-known from the Amarna letters...
, (son or Abdi-Ashirta
Abdi-Ashirta
Abdi-Ashirta was the ruler of Amurru, a new kingdom in southern Syria subject to nominal Egyptian control, that was in conflict with King Rib-Hadda of Byblos....
), the constant lookout, and reporting by Zimredda is addressed at the very end of this letter.
The letter: (no lineation, on tablet, for paragraphs)
- (1-15) "To the king, my lord, my god, my Sun: Message of Abi-Milku, your servant. I fall at the feetProstration formulaIn the 1350 BC correspondence of 382–letters, called the Amarna letters, the Prostration formula is usually the opening subservient remarks to the addressee, the Egyptian pharaoh. The formula is based on Prostration, namely reverence and submissiveness...
of the king, my lord. My lord is the SunRaRa is the ancient Egyptian sun god. By the Fifth Dynasty he had become a major deity in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the mid-day sun...
who comes forth over all lands day–by–day, according to the way (of being) of the Sun, his gracious father, who gives life by his sweet breath and returns with his north windWindWind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
; who establishes the entire land in peace, by the power of his arm: ha-ap-ši; who gives forth his cry in the sky like BaalBaalBaʿal is a Northwest Semitic title and honorific meaning "master" or "lord" that is used for various gods who were patrons of cities in the Levant and Asia Minor, cognate to Akkadian Bēlu...
, and all the land is frightened at his cry. - (16-60) The servant herewith writes to his lord that he heard the gracious messengerCourierA courier is a person or a company who delivers messages, packages, and mail. Couriers are distinguished from ordinary mail services by features such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and individualization of express services, and swift delivery times, which are optional for...
of the king who came to his servant, and the sweet breath that came forth from the mouth of the king, my lord to his servant—his breath came back!- Before the arrival of the messenger of the king, my lord, breath had not come back; my nose was blocked. Now that the breath of the king has come forth to me, I am very happy and: a-ru-u (he is satisfied), day–by–day. Because I am happy, does the earthEarthEarth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
not pr[osp]er? When I heard the gracious me[ss]enger from my lord, all the land was in fear of my lord—when I heard the sweet breath and the gracious messenger who came to me. When the king, my lord, said: ku-na "(Prepare) before the arrival of a large army," then the servant said to his lord: ia-a-ia-ia ("Yes, yes, yes!") On my frontProstration formulaIn the 1350 BC correspondence of 382–letters, called the Amarna letters, the Prostration formula is usually the opening subservient remarks to the addressee, the Egyptian pharaoh. The formula is based on Prostration, namely reverence and submissiveness...
and on: sú-ri-ia (my back) I carry the word of the king, my lord. Whoever gives heed to the king, his lord, and serves him in his place, the Sun com(e)s forth over him, and the sweet breath comes back from the mouth of his lord. If he does not heed the word of the king, his lord, his cityCityA city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
is destroyed, his houseHouseA house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
is destroyed, never (again) does his nameNameA name is a word or term used for identification. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. A personal name identifies a specific unique and identifiable individual person, and may or may not include a middle name...
exist in all the land. (But) look at the servant who gives heed to ((to)) his lord. His city prospers, his house prospers, his name exists forever. You are the Sun who comes forth over me, and a brazen wall set up for him, and because of the powerful arm: nu-uh-ti (I am at rest): ba-tì-i-ti ( I am confident). I indeed said to the Sun, the father of the king, my lord, "When shall I see the face of the king, my lord?" - (61-71) I am indeed guarding Tyre-(Surru), the principal city, for the king, my lord, until the powerful arm of the king comes forth over me, to give me waterWaterWater is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
to drink and woodWoodWood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
to warm myself. Moreover, ZimreddaZimredda (Sidon mayor)Zimredda , also Zimr-Edda or Zimr-Eddi was the mayor of Siduna, in the mid 14th century BC. His name means, "Protection/Protector" Hadad, " protector Hadad", "The protector is Hadad", "Protector-Hadad", etc. He is mentioned in several of the Amarna letters, in the late Rib-Hadda series, and later...
, the king of SidunaSidonSidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
, writes daily to the rebel AziruAziruAziru was the Canaanite ruler of Amurru, modern Lebanon, in the fourteenth century BC. He was the son of Abdi-Ashirta, the previous Egyptian vassal of Amurru and a direct contemporary of Akhenaten.The dealings of Aziru are well-known from the Amarna letters...
, the son of 'Abdi-AšratuAbdi-AshirtaAbdi-Ashirta was the ruler of Amurru, a new kingdom in southern Syria subject to nominal Egyptian control, that was in conflict with King Rib-Hadda of Byblos....
, about every word he has heard from EgyptAncient EgyptAncient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
-(MizriMizraimMizraim is the Hebrew name for the land of Egypt, with the dual suffix -āyim, perhaps referring to the "two Egypts": Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt....
). I herewith write to my lord, and it is good that he knows." -EA 147, lines 1-71 (complete)
The photo of the external links shows the condition of EA 147, (minus a corner).
See: Amarna letters–phrases and quotations
Amarna letters–phrases and quotations
Amarna letters–phrases and quotations is an article for the 1350 BC Amarna letters, the correspondence to the pharaohs of Egypt.Of the 382 Amarna letters, many are direct in describing the conditions of the author in their local regions...
. Letter 147 uses: instead of "7 times and 7 times", the scribe
Scribe
A scribe is a person who writes books or documents by hand as a profession and helps the city keep track of its records. The profession, previously found in all literate cultures in some form, lost most of its importance and status with the advent of printing...
goes far deeper: he uses: '1/2 7 times' . A partial reference to the prostration formula
Prostration formula
In the 1350 BC correspondence of 382–letters, called the Amarna letters, the Prostration formula is usually the opening subservient remarks to the addressee, the Egyptian pharaoh. The formula is based on Prostration, namely reverence and submissiveness...
is used in the letter middle, when he uses "stomach and back".
Zimredda of Sidon is the topic of 5 of Abi-Milku's 10 letters.
EA 148, "The need for mainland Tyre"
Abimilku of Tyre has sent his tribute to Pharaoh who appointed him, and he requests of Pharaoh ten foot soldiers for protection, since his own men have been taken by the king of Sidon. He also mentions that the king of HazorHazor
Hazor is the name of several places in the biblical and modern Israel:Biblical locations:* Tel Hazor, site of an ancient fortified city in the Upper Galilee, among the most important Caananite towns, and the largest ancient ruin in modern Israel and UNESCO World Heritage Site.* Hazor, A town in...
has gone over to the enemy, the Habiru
Habiru
Habiru or Apiru or ˁpr.w was the name given by various Sumerian, Egyptian, Akkadian, Hittite, Mitanni, and Ugaritic sources to a group of people living as nomadic invaders in areas of the Fertile Crescent from Northeastern Mesopotamia and Iran to the borders of Egypt in Canaan...
who are taking over Canaan.
EA 154, "Orders carried out"
Five of Abi-Milku's letters concern his neighbor, and conflict enemy Zimredda of Sidon-(Siduna). See: Zimredda (Sidon mayor)Zimredda (Sidon mayor)
Zimredda , also Zimr-Edda or Zimr-Eddi was the mayor of Siduna, in the mid 14th century BC. His name means, "Protection/Protector" Hadad, " protector Hadad", "The protector is Hadad", "Protector-Hadad", etc. He is mentioned in several of the Amarna letters, in the late Rib-Hadda series, and later...
.
EA 153, "Ships on hold"
See picture: EA 153 (Obverse)
- (1-5)"[To] the king, my lord: [Mes]sage of Abi-Milku, your servant. I fall at your feetProstration formulaIn the 1350 BC correspondence of 382–letters, called the Amarna letters, the Prostration formula is usually the opening subservient remarks to the addressee, the Egyptian pharaoh. The formula is based on Prostration, namely reverence and submissiveness...
7 times and 7 times. I have carried out what the king my lord, ordered. - (6-8)The entire land is afraid of, -(before the) troops of the king, my lord.
- (9-11)I have had my men hold shipShipSince the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s, at the disposition of, -(before the) troops of the king, my lord. - (12-20)Whoever has disobeyed has no family, has nothing alive. Since I gua[rd the ci]ty of the king, [my] lo[rd], m[y] s[afety] is the king's responsibility. [May he take congnizance] of his servant who is on his side." -EA 153, 1-20 (complete, (and damaged)) ("[To], and [mes]sage" on broken-upper missing corner)
Amarna letters (photos)
King of Babylon:
Tushratta Tushratta Tushratta was a king of Mitanni at the end of the reign of Amenhotep III and throughout the reign of Akhenaten -- approximately the late 14th century BC. He was the son of Shuttarna II... :
Rib-Hadda letters:
Abi-Milku:
|
Abdi-Tirši:
Biridiya Biridiya Biridiya was the ruler of Megiddo in the 14th century BC. Biridiya authored five of the Amarna letters correspondence. He is also mentioned in the corpus from the city of 'Kumidu', the Kamid al lawz.-See also:... :
Labaya:
Others:
|
Letters
- Letter: EA 147
- EA 147-(Obverse); Article
- Letter: EA 153
- #1: EA 153-(Obverse); Article
- #2: EA 153-(Obverse)-2nd; Article
Articles
- Write-up of Letter EA 151, concerning Zimredda of Sidon-(Sea peoplesSea PeoplesThe Sea Peoples were a confederacy of seafaring raiders of the second millennium BC who sailed into the eastern Mediterranean, caused political unrest, and attempted to enter or control Egyptian territory during the late 19th dynasty and especially during year 8 of Ramesses III of the 20th Dynasty...
, Abi-Milku letter)