182b: Destruction in Amurru

Amurru (Part 4): Reconquista. The land of Amurru, and its leaders, have been a noteworthy part of the story in recent decades. Since the reigns of Amunhotep III and Akhenaten, the lords of Amurru have caused great trouble in Egypt’s northern empire. They have raided, plundered, and even murdered their way to regional prominence. Now, a couple decades after their betrayals, King Sety I is bringing vengeance…

Note: This episode includes new content and old material from episodes 123, 124, 142c. See timecodes for relevant chapters.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction.

02:25 The Land of Amurru.

12:25 How Science Uncovered Amurrite Expansion.

24:04 The Amurru – Hittite Alliances.

35:44 The Battle of Amurru.

46:28 Can We Trust Sety's Story?

51:15 Conclusion.

53:50 Episode 123, Amurrites and Where to Find Them.

2:07:17 Episode 124, The Crimes of Aziru.

3:07:45 Episode 142c, Aziru’s Betrayal.

Episode Details:

Date: c. 1300 BCE.

Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com.

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Music: Michael Levy - Composer for Lyre (ancientlyre.com).

Interludes: Keith Zizza and Luke Chaos.

Logo image: Warriors of Kadesh, near Amurru, falling before Sety I's assault. Battle reliefs at Karnak, via the University of Chicago (below).

Goren, Finkelstein, and Na’aman: The Expansion of the Kingdom of Amurru According to the Petrographic Investigation of the Amarna Tablets | Yuval Goren and Nadav Na'aman - Academia.edu.

Sety’s Battle Reliefs, including the possible scenes of Amurru, at the University of Chicago: Reliefs and Inscriptions at Karnak, Volume IV: The Battle Reliefs of King Sety I | Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (uchicago.edu).

Peter Brand, Ramesses II: Egypt's Ultimate Pharaoh, out now from Lockwood Press.

Support The History of Egypt Podcast by shopping at RA EGYPTIAN, the clean skincare line inspired by ancient Egyptian ingredients! Visit www.ra-egyptian.com and use code EGYPT at checkout for 30% off your order!

Select Bibliography:

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G. Beckman, Hittite Diplomatic Texts (1996).

P. J. Brand, The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis (2000).

T. Bryce, The Kingdom of the Hittites (2005).

T. Bryce and J. Birkett-Rees, Atlas of the Ancient Near East from Prehistoric Times to the Roman Imperial Period (2016).

T. R. Bryce, Ancient Syria: A Three Thousand Year History (2014).

T. R. Bryce, Warriors of Anatolia: A Concise History of the Hittites (2019).

V. Davies, ‘The Treatment of Foreigners in Seti’s Battle Reliefs’, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 98 (2012), 73–85.

A. Dodson, Sethy I King of Egypt: His Life and Afterlife (2019).

H. El-Saady, ‘The Wars of Sety I at Karnak: A New Chronological Structure’, Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur 19 (1992), 285–94.

R. O. Faulkner, ‘The Wars of Sethos I’, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 33 (1947), 34–9.

Y. Goren et al., ‘The Expansion of the Kingdom of Amurru According to the Petrographic Investigation of the Amarna Tablets’, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research (2003), 1–11.

M. Healy, Qadesh 1300 BC: Clash of the Warrior Kings (1993).

K. A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions Translated and Annotated: Notes and Comments, I (1993).

K. A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions Translated and Annotated: Translations, I (2017).

S. Langdon and A. H. Gardiner, ‘The Treaty of Alliance between Ḫattušili, King of the Hittites, and the Pharaoh Ramesses II of Egypt’, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 6 (1920), 179–205.

D. D. Luckenbill, ‘Hittite Treaties and Letters’, The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures 37 (1921), 161–211.

E. F. Morris, The Architecture of Imperialism: Military Bases and the Evolution of Foreign Policy in Egypt’s New Kingdom (2005).

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