Zimreddi of Sidon

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Zimreddi (also Zimridda ; my protector is Hadad ( Western Semitic )) was the mayor of Sidon 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.

Zimreddi is the only mayor from Sidon known from the letters. The letters cover a period of about 20 years and he may therefore have been in office the entire time. Zimreddi is known from two of his own letters (EA 144, EA 145). In the first letter (EA 144), which is addressed to the Egyptian king, but which is not mentioned by name, Zimreddi confirms that a servant sent from Egypt is healthy. He also reports the arrival of archers sent by the Egyptian king, apparently to assist Zimreddi and his city in a war. In the letter, Zimreddi reports that the war against him is very serious. The second letter is not well received and was not addressed to the Egyptian king but to someone else. He begins with Zimreddi confirming that he is fine, which is again rather unusual. A serious war is also reported here.

Zimreddi is mentioned several times in the letters of RibAddi , the ruler of Byblos . There one learns that Zimreddi had allied himself with Abdi-Aširta (a prince of Amurru ) and fell away from Rib-Addi. Abdi-Aširta appears to have pursued an aggressive policy and, together with his sons, attacked several neighbors. We also learn that Zimreddi had turned against Abi-Milki , the ruler of Tire .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ William L. Moran: The Amarna Letters. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore / London 1992, ISBN 0-8018-4251-4 , pp. 230-231.
  2. ^ WL Moran: The Amarna Letters. Baltimore / London 1992, p. 231.
  3. ^ WL Moran: The Amarna Letters. Baltimore / London 1992, p. 153 (Letter EA 83).
  4. ^ WL Moran: The Amarna Letters. Baltimore / London 1992, p. 177 (Letter EA 104).
  5. ^ WL Moran: The Amarna Letters. Baltimore / London 1992, p. 232 (letter EA 146), p. 238 (letter EA 151), p. 239 (letter EA 152), p. 240-41 (letter EA 154).
personal data
SURNAME Zimreddi
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Zimredda
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ancient city prince of Sidon
DATE OF BIRTH 14th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 14th century BC Chr.