Essay 2: Small Kings
This collection consists of four letters addressed to the king of Egypt by the rulers of small city-states in the Levant. The letters are part of the cache of clay tablets found at the site of ancient Akhetaten (modern el Amarna), the capital of the Egyptian kingdom during the reign of Akhenaten. At the time, the Near East was fully integrated into an international system that included the entire region. A number of large territorial states interacted with one another as equals and rivals. Unlike other regions, the Levant did not go through a process of political unification, and remained divided into a coterie of small city-states. These owed allegiance to their more powerful neighbours and were often used as proxies in their competition.
Lodging a complaint with Pharaoh
To the king, my Lord and my God and Sun, thus speaks Biridiya, the loyal servant of the king: At the feet of the king, my Lord and my God and Sun, seven times and seven times I prostrate myself.
May the king know that since the archers hav...
Defending one’s good name
To the king, my lord and my sun: Message of Lab'ayu, your servant and the dust under your feet. At the feet of the king, my lord and my sun, sevenfold seven times I fall.
I have heard the words that the king wrote to me. And who am I, that...
An accusation against the ruler of Jerusalem
To the king, my Lord, my God and Sun, thus speaks Shuwardata, your servant, the dust under your feet. At the feet of my Lord, the king, my God and Sun, I have prostrated myself seven times seven times.
The king, my Lord, sent me to d...
The ruler of Jerusalem defends himself
To the king, my Lord, thus speaks Abdu-Heba, your servant. At the feet of the king, my Lord, seven times and seven times I prostrate myself. What have I done to the king, my Lord? They blame me before the king, my Lord, saying: “Abdu-Heba ha...