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The Kingdom of Arpad (Bit Agusi) and 'All Aram': International Relations in Northern Syria in the Ninth and Eighth Centuries B

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The Kingdom of Arpad (Bit Agusi) and 'All Aram': International Relations in Northern Syria in the Ninth and Eighth Centuries B 66doi: 10.2143/ANES.44.0.2022826 DAN'EL KAHN ANES 44 (2007) 66–89 The Kingdom of Arpad (Bit Agusi) and ‘All Aram': International Relations in Northern Syria in the Ninth and Eighth Centuries BCE Dan'el KAHN Department of Jewish History University of Haifa Haifa 31905 ISRAEL E-mail: [email protected] Abstract* The role of Bit Agusi1 in the politics of ninth–eighth centuries BCE in Northern Syria is surveyed. Seven stages in the existence of the Kingdom of Bit Agusi are identified. In stage 1 (858–ca. 842 BCE) Bit Agusi apparently had no political alliances with its neighbors. In stage 2 (841– 823 BCE) Bit Agusi was subjugated to Assyria. In stage 3 Bit Agusi led the opposition against the Assyrian hegemony and became independent from ca. 823 at the earliest. Stage 4 is characterized by the supremacy of Aram-Damascus between 823 at the earliest and 805 at the lat- est. In Stage 5 (ca.800–754 BCE) the rise of the Kingdom of Hamath-and- Lu‘ash in the south until 754 BCE and of Urartu in the North are surveyed. In stage 6 (754–744 BCE) Bit Agusi rose to prominence and probably controlled Hamath. In stage 7 (743–740 BCE) Assyria subdued Bit Agusi, and reduced it into an Assyrian province. * I thank Dr. N. Wazana from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Prof. B. Oded from the University of Haifa for helpful comments on earlier drafts. All mistakes are my re- sponsibility. 1 The term Bit Agusi designates the Kingdom in Northern Syria, which was founded by the eponymous father Agusi (Gush in Aramaic). In the early ninth century BCE its capital probably was Arne. The terms Bit Agusi and the Kingdom of Arpad become interchangeable after the capital of Bit Agusi moved from Arne to Arpad. THE KINGDOM OF ARPAD (BIT AGUSI) AND ‘ALL ARAM' 67 Introduction The purpose of this paper is to survey the role of (Bit Agusi) Arpad in the politics of ninth–eighth centuries BCE in Northern Syria. Several stages in the development of the Kingdom of Arpad are identified. In stage 1 Bit Agusi is a relatively independent state. Arame, its second king submitted to Assyria freely in 858 BCE and did not participate in subversive alliances. In stage 2 Bit Agusi was subjugated to Assyria as was the rest of northern Syria and southern Anatolia. In stage 3 Bit Agusi led the opposition to the Assyrian weakened hegemony and became independent from ca. 823 at the earliest. Stage 4 is characterized by the supremacy of Hazael, King of Aram- Damascus from 823 at the earliest and 805 at the latest. In Stage 5 (ca. 800– 754 BCE) the rise of the Kingdom of Hamath-and-Lu‘ash in the south and of Urartu in the North influenced the status of Bit Agusi and the Assyrian ability to be involved in the Levant. After a few Assyrian campaigns against Hazrak (capital of Lu‘ash) its hegemony was broken. The Kingdom of Arpad (Bit Agusi) could rise and thrive (stage 6: 754–744 BCE). Now Arpad could incorporate or be in close confederation with Hamath, creat- ing a new entity, which was designated “all Aram”. This can be inferred from the Sefîre treaty concluded between Bar-Ga’yah, King of KTK, and Mati‘-ilu, son of ‘Attarsumki, King of Arpad. In the final stage (stage 7) of the history of Arpad, Tiglath-Pileser III campaigned four years against Arpad, the capital of Bit Agusi, (743–740 BCE) until it was conquered and was reduced into a province of the Assyrian empire. 1. ‘Oh Sole Mio!’ – Bit Agusi's Independent Policy (858 – ca. 842 BCE) Shalmaneser III, King of Assyria (858–824 BCE), like his father Ashur- nasirpal II, conducted military campaigns to the west.2 During his first campaign in 858, Shalmaneser crossed the Euphrates and encountered fierce opposition by Sam'al, Patinu, Bit Adini and Carchemish and later on by Que, Khilaku and Yasbuqu. Kummukh and Gurgum submitted freely and AD-rame/Arame, King of Bit Agusi submitted after the defeat of the allied forces.3 The following year (857) Bit Agusi adopted a policy of ‘sitting on the fence’, but finally paid tribute, as did Umqi (Patinu), Gurgum and 2 For the texts of the campaigns of Shalmaneser III to the West, see: Grayson 1996, pp. 7– 151; Yamada 2000, pp. 420–421. 3 Grayson 1996, pp. 16–17; Contra Yamada 2000, pp. 98 and 118 I find no evidence of active involvement of Arame of Bit-Agusi in the Anti-Assyrian Coalition at the battle of Alimush in 858 BCE. 68 DAN'EL KAHN Sam'al, after the defeat of Bit Adini and Carchemish.4 Bit Agusi did not pay a yearly tribute as the other kingdoms did. In 856 the kings of the Sea- coast and the Euphrates paid tribute to Shalmaneser III. The kingdom of Bit Agusi possibly also paid.5 In 853 Shalmaneser received tribute from Bit Agusi together with the Neo-Hittite states. Shalmaneser proceeded to Aleppo (which probably did not belong to Bit Agusi).6 It submitted with- out a fight. Shalmaneser then encountered the Syrian coalition headed by Adad‘idri, King of Damascus, and Irhuleni, King of Hamath, and his ad- vance into Syria was halted. In 849 and 8487 Shalmaneser met opposition in Carchemish and Bit Agusi, which had submitted previously and had to conquer them again. No north-Syrian Neo-Hittite coalition confronted Shalmaneser. During Shalmaneser's campaign of 845 against the South-Syr- ian coalition no mention is made of opposition by Bit Agusi. In 842 Bit Agusi probably paid tribute with the other kings of the land of Hatti.8 From the preceding brief description of events it becomes clear that dur- ing Shalmaneser's early campaigns to the West Arpad did not act in concert with any of its neighbors, nor are there any signs of participation in alli- ances. 2. ‘Lower Your Head’ – Subjugation to Assyria (841–823 BCE) In 841 the South-Syrian coalition, headed by Adad‘idri of Damascus col- lapsed when Hazael, usurped the throne of Damascus, Jehu eliminated the house of Ahab and Irhuleni, King of Hamath, went over to the Assyrian side. Shalmaneser besieged Damascus without conquering it. He went to the Damascene Hauran Mountains, where he created more havoc and fi- nally crossed over to the Mediterranean. He received the tribute from Tyre, Sidon and Jehu of Samaria.9 Further attempts were made by Shalmaneser to subdue Hazael of Damascus in 838 and possibly also in 837 (?),10 but to no avail. Bit Agusi did not hinder the Assyrian forces and probably was subjugated to Assyria since 848 (?). In 833 the fortified city Muru in Bit Agusi was taken by Shalamaneser and enlarged, possibly, with the consent of Arame, King of Bit Agusi.11 4 Grayson 1996, pp. 17–19; Yamada 2000, pp. 117–119. 5 Grayson 1996, p. 19; Yamada 2000, p. 128. 6 Grayson 1996, p. 23; Dion 1997, 121. 7 Grayson 1996, pp. 37–38; Lipinski 2000, p. 212. Shalmaneser's claims of conquest and victory in two consecutive years using almost the same phraseology do not have to be taken literally. See Yamada 2000, pp. 166–169, 172–174. 8 Grayson 1996, p. 54; Yamada 2000, p. 185. 9 Grayson 1996, p. 60. 10 Galil 2000, pp. 35–36; Millard 1994, p. 57. 11 Grayson 1996, p. 68; Yamada 2000, p. 219. THE KINGDOM OF ARPAD (BIT AGUSI) AND ‘ALL ARAM' 69 According to the Eponym Chronicle12 during the later years of Shalma- neser and the early years of Shamshi-Adad V, Assyria endured civil war. Under the reign of Shamshi-Adad V (823–811 BCE), Assyria did not con- duct any campaign to the West. This power–vacuum in the West was quickly filled by Bit Agusi as will be seen below. 3. Bit Agusi as ‘Head of the Gang’ (After 823 BCE) The next stage in Arpad's politics was to free itself from foreign yoke and to lead alliances against a common cause. The following text on a stela frag- ment of Adad-Nirari III (810–783 BCE), the provenance of which is un- known, describes the events of 805 BCE and is reconstructed as follows:13 … [(sing.) who] bore the yoke of lordship … who [had rebelled and re- volted] in the time of Samsi-[Adad, my father, and caused] the rulers of the Eup[hrates to rebel with him,] he heard [of my approaching.] Attarsumki (= King of Bit Agusi) trusted [to his own strength and came forward to battle. I defeated him and] took his camp [… I took] the treasure of his pa[lace … Attarsumki,] son of Arame, [… His booty]14 beyond account [I received …]. From this fragment it becomes clear, that Adad-Nirari III, in his earliest and most extended version of his campaign against Northern Syria, states that Attarsumki, son of Arame threw off the yoke of Assyria and instigated the rulers of the (areas adjoining the) Euphrates to rebel against Assyria in the days of Shamshi-Adad V (823–811). It is not clear if Attarsumki lead a coalition. However, according to the Pazarcik Stela, Attarsumki “together with eight kings who were with him” fought against Adad-Nirari and Samuramat (i.e. early in the reign) at Paqarhubunu.15 In a stela fragment from Sheikh Hammad too “Attarsumki, [son of Adramu(…) together with] the kings of the land of Hatti, who had rebelled and [withheld tribute (…)], the awful brilliance of Assur, [my] lord, [overwhelmed them and they sub- mitted to me]”.16 In all these texts only Attarsumki's name is mentioned and not those of the other kings.
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