Arsavuja

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Arsawuja (language of the name is unknown) was a city prince of Ruhizza (ancient city in today's Syria , east of Kadesh ) in the Amarna period around 1350 BC. He is known from various Amarna letters . The so-called Amarna letters are the international correspondence of the rulers in the Middle East, which was addressed to the Egyptian royal court. The letters are written on clay tablets in cuneiform in Akkadian . Akkadian was the international language of the time. The letters were found by chance at the end of the 19th century in Amarna , which was the capital of Egypt at the time in question , and were given their name because of the place where they were found.

The letters show that the cities of the Levant were very divided at this time. Various local princes, often vassals of the Egyptians, fought each other. Since the letters are not dated, it is difficult to reconstruct a chronological sequence of events. Arsavuja appears in the letters on the one hand as a warlord who acted against Egyptian interests, on the other hand he is loyal to the Egyptian rulers.

Arsavuja is mentioned in a letter from Akizzi , who was king of Qatna . The letter is addressed to Akhenaten and reports that Arsavuja had allied himself with Aitakama , king of Kadesh and Teuwatti of Lapana and had conquered the land of Upu , which no longer belonged to the Egyptian king.

In the letter from Biryawaza, Prince of Ashtartu , the latter reports that Arsavuja has taken the city of Shaddu . Biryawaza asks the Egyptian king to take action against Arsawuja.

Arsavuja is also known from his own letters. In a letter that is in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo today, he reports that he is making all arrangements for the arrival of archers, as ordered by the Egyptian king. He also confirms that he will go to war with the riflemen if necessary. In the letter he pretends to be extremely loyal to the Egyptian king, whose name is not mentioned in the letter. A second letter from Arsawuja, which is now in the Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin , has not been well preserved, so that the actual message has been lost.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ WL Moran: The Amarna Letters. Baltimore / London 1992, pp. 125–126 (now British Museum inventory number 29820).
  2. ^ WL Moran: The Amarna Letters. P. 275 (now British Museum inventory number 29826).
  3. ^ WL Moran: The Amarna Letters. Baltimore / London 1992, p. 211.
  4. ^ WL Moran: The Amarna Letters. P. 271.
personal data
SURNAME Arsavuja
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ancient city prince of Ruhizza
DATE OF BIRTH 14th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 14th century BC Chr.