Pu-Baʿlu

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Pu-Baʿlu (also Pu-Baḫla ; The word of Baʿlu ( Western Semitic )) was the mayor of Jursa (ancient city that has not yet been located with certainty, probably near Gaza , perhaps Tell Jemmeh ) 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. In the letters, the Levant is portrayed as a region torn by small feuds. The various city princes ask the Egyptian king for assistance. Since the letters are not dated, it is difficult to put the events in a coherent sequence.

Pu-Baʿlu was the sender of various letters to the Egyptian king. The letter EA 314 (modern numbering, EA stands for El-Amarna) is short and begins with the address to the Egyptian ruler, in which Pu-Baʿlu shows himself extremely submissive: I throw myself at the feet of the king, my lord, mine God, my sun . Pu-Baʿlu was obviously a vassal, equal rulers referred to each other as a brother . Pu-Baʿlu then reports that he is taking care of the king's place, which obviously means Yursa, who Pu-Baʿlu administered for the king. The rest of the letter is not well preserved, but it seems to be about glass that the Egyptian king ordered and that Pu-Baʿlu confirmed to have been sent.

In a second letter (EA 315), Pu-Baʿlu confirms that he will carry out the king's orders, which he learned from a messenger. The letter says nothing about the nature of the orders. In a third letter (EA 316) he reports that there was nothing in his house when he entered so that he could not send out a caravan. However, he would now prepare a caravan to send them to the Egyptian king. It remains unclear what Pu-Baʿlu means when he says that there was nothing in his house when he entered. Perhaps, however, when you enter , you mean the beginning of your office.

Pu-Baʿlu is finally mentioned in a letter (EA 104) from the Prince of Byblos , Rib-Addi . He reports that Pu-Baʿlu, son of Abdi-Aschirta, took the city of Ullassa . It is likely another person with the same name.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The letter is now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo , inventory number 4778 (12219).
  2. ^ William L. Moran: The Amarna Letters. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore / London 1992, ISBN 0-8018-4251-4 , p. 347.
  3. ^ WL Moran: The Amarna Letters . Baltimore / London 1992, pp. 347-348; the letter is in the British Museum today , inventory number 29839.
  4. ^ WL Moran: The Amarna Letters . Baltimore / London 1992, pp. 347-348; the letter is in the British Museum today, inventory number 29838.
  5. ^ WL Moran: The Amarna Letters . Baltimore / London 1992, p. 177; The letter is now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo , inventory number 4751.
personal data
SURNAME Pu-Baʿlu
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Pu-Baḫla
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ancient city prince of Yursa
DATE OF BIRTH 14th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 14th century BC Chr.