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Home , Chariot, Kadesh (Syria), Muwatalli II, Suppiluliuma I

2/5/2012

Lecture 6 and

HIST 332 Spring 2012

The Development of the

• pulled by wild asses () • wooded rimmed with copper • top speed = 5 miles/hour • yoked to a central shaft (turning difficult) • no bit for onagers • usually armed with javelins and axes

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Egyptian Chariot

• lighter for Egyptian sand and faster • D shape of lighter wood • central yoke and axle – moved to the rear • belly-bar and leg straps – greater tensile strength • only 2 people: driver and archer • special quiver for archer

Hittite Chariot

• Heavier than other chariots • single text noting 80 chariots in a single battle – Middle Kingdom • training manual for charioteers found • Most important arm of by Early Empire under Suppiluliumas (~1375)

Chariot Comparison

Egyptian Hittite • light D shape of wood • Heavy construction • arm of decision • arm of decision chariot • shock troops for infantry • closed on enemy infantry • • two-man crew three-man crew – driver – driver carried a shield – shield bearer – archer w/ – spearman used 6 foot spear • quivers w/3 ft. long hurling as a lance and heavily javelins armored • used as mounted heavy • used as firing platform infantry

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1270 BCE

Battle of Kadesh (1274) Egyptian Side Hittite Side Ramses II Hatusili (Muwatalli II)

• 4 Divisions (5,000 each) • Amassed a vast army in – Amun (Ramesses) – Re • 3500 chariotry – Ptah • 37,000 infantry – Set • Hittite regulars • vassal states • mercenaries

Egyptian Name Location Ḥt Ḥatti (central ) Nhrn Nahrin = ‘Irṭw (western Anatolia) Pds Pitassa (central Anatolia) Drdny Dardania (Trojans,[northwest Anatolia) Ms Masa (Mysia, northwest Anatolia) Krkš Karkisa (Anatolia) Krkmš in Syria Qdš Kadesh (in Syria) 'krṭ (in north Syria) Kškš Kaska (northern Anatolia) Lk Lukka lands (Lycia and Caria, southwest Anatolia) Qḍwdn (Cilicia) Ḥalba (, in Syria. Led by its king, Talmi-Sarruma, Ḥlb grandson of .)

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Battle of Kadesh: Military Field Intel As Amun Division is setting up camp: • 2 Bedouins were caught by Egyptian forces and swore their loyalty to Ramesses. – They claimed the Hittite army was still North of Aleppo – They were however spies sent by Muwatalli to deceive the • Two real scouts were caught – Under torture they revealed the true location of the

CP 5.12 Then, as his majesty sat upon a throne of gold, there arrived a scout who was in the following of his majesty, and he brought two scouts of the vanquished chief of Kheta. They were conducted into the presence, and his majesty said to them: "What are ye?" They said: "As for us, the vanquished chief of the Kheta has caused that we should come to spy out where his majesty is." Said his majesty to them: "He! Where is he, the vanquished chief of Kheta? Behold, I have heard, saying: 'He is in the land of Halap’ (Aleppo),'"

Said they: "See, the vanquished chief of Kheta is stationed, together with many countries, which he has brought with him by force, being every country which is in the districts of the land of Kheta, the land of Naharin, and all Kode. They are equipped with infantry and chariotry, bearing their ; more numerous are they than the sand of the shore. See, they are standing, drawn up for battle, behind Kadesh the Deceitful."

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Phase I Hittites hide and wait • The Hittite army hide behind the of Kadesh, but Ramses believed false rumors that his enemy was still near Halap.

• After beating what he thought was the truth out of two captured Hittites, he held a council of war and the vizier in a chariot and a rider on horseback were dispatched south to hasten the progress of the Re and Ptah divisions.

Phase II Surprise Chariot Smash • While the Amun division was setting up camp, 2500 Hittite chariots attacked the marching Re division in two waves. • The other two Egyptian divisions were still on the far side of the river Orontes (Arnath) near the town of Sabtuna.

Phase III Tightening the noose

• Hittite chariot shatter Re division and tighten their circle on Ramesses • Ramesses “stands his ground and mounts a brave counter attack” • Ptah and Set dash across river to save

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Phase VI Hittites get greedy • Total rout of Egyptian forces seemed inevitable • The Hittites disperse the Amun division and began pillaging camp • Muwatalli sent an additional 1000 chariots led by the kings of Aleppo and Carchemish, two of his own brothers and many allied princes • keeps most of his infantry to himself on the far side of the river.

Kadesh: Phase V • The Pharaoh, fighting among his body guard with his back to the river, looked lost. • A force referred to as Ne’arin arrived, surprising the pilfering Hittites, and drove them out of the camp. 1. Footsoldiers dropped off at the port city on the Med. coast 2. Recruits coming from Amurru • Ptah Division arrives • Ramesses reorganized his forces and the Hittites escape being surrounded by the Egyptians by retreating towards Kadesh.

Stalemate at Kadesh Ramesses finally retreats • Ramesses receives a message from Muwatalli and decides to retreat • According to the Egyptians, the "wretched, vanquished chief of Hatti" pleaded with the Pharaoh “The land of Kemi, the land of Hatti, are at your service. They are under your feet. Re, your exalted father, gave them to you so you would rule us. Is it good, that you should kill your servants?”

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Egyptian Account of the Battle

• Ramesses claims to have won • Muwatalli represents it as a victory for Hittites • Reality: stalemate, but Hittites forced to pull back

“Battle of Kadesh South wall of the Hypostyle Hall Karnak Temple

Kadesh “Poem” dialogue between royal shield bearer and Ramses II “We stand alone in the midst of battle, abandoned by soldiers and chariotry.”...His Majesty said to his shield-bearer: “Stand firm, steady your heart shield-bearer! I will chase them as a falcon pounces, I will slaughter, butcher, fling to the ground. Why do you fear these weaklings whose multitudes I disregard?” His Majesty then rushed forward. At a gallop he charged the midst of the foe. For his sixth time he charged them. I was after them like Baal in his moment of power, I slew them without pause.

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The Poem of Pentaur

“No officer was with me, no charioteer, no soldier of the army, no shield-bearer ... not one of my princes, of my chief men and my great, was with me, not a captain, not a ; For my and chariots had left me to my fate, Not one was there to take his part in fight.” ...... Here I stand, all alone; There is no one at my side, My warriors and chariots afeared, Have deserted me, none heard My voice, when to the cravens I, their king, for succor, cried. But I find that Ammon's grace Is better far to me Than a million fighting men and ten thousand chariots be.

Egyptian “Dispatch” of Kadesh

“ (From the "Bulletin") "Year 5, 3rd month of the third season, day 9, under the majesty of (Ramesses II)...The lord proceeded northward, and his majesty arrived at a vicinity south of the town of Shabtuna.

The peace treaty was recorded in two versions • Egyptian hieroglyphs • Akkadian, using script; − fortunately, both versions survive.

Such dual-language recording is common to many subsequent treaties. This treaty differs from others, however, in that the two language versions are differently worded.

Although the majority of the text is identical, the Hittite version claims that the Egyptians came suing for peace, while the Egyptian version claims the reverse.

The treaty was given to the Egyptians in the form of a silver plaque, and this "pocket-book" version was taken back to and carved into the Temple of Karnak.

Treaty of Kadesh, Istanbul Archaeology Museum

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5. But now Reamasesa-mai-Amana, the great king, the king of the country of Egypt, has established this bond by treaty on a silver tablet with Hattusili, the great king, the king of the country of Hatti, his brother, starting from this day, to settle forever among them a good peace and a good fraternity.

6. He is a brother to me and he is at peace with me; and I am a brother to him and I am forever at peace with him.

7. Look, we are united and a bond of fraternity already exists among us and of peace, and it is better than the bond of fraternity and of peace that existed between the country of Egypt and the country of Hatti.

Hittite king is depicted as god (wearing a pointed hat) and (as he is wearing a short skirt and weapons)

The relief is part of the Hieroglyph Chamber in Hattusha, Turkey.

Relief of Suppiluliuma II,

Late Empire (1267-1209) • Hittite kings seek divine protection

Tudhaliya IV’s seal IV at found at Ugarit Yazalikiya

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Hittite Empire evaporates

After the son of Tudhaliya IV ascends to the throne, the king lists stop

– mention of a rebellion in CHT – war with Ahhiyawan and city of “Milawanda”

Numerous theories as to why Hittites disappear from historical and archaeological record What happened to the Hittites ????

Invasions/Migrations 1200-1000 BCE Ammorites Collapse of the

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