Tribute from Ugarit to Hatti late 14th century

1
Tribute from Ugarit to Hatti late 14th
century Your tribute to my sun, the Great King,
your lord, is 20 shekels of gold, a golden
beaker, 4 linen robes, a great linen dress, 500
shekels blue purple wool, 500 shekels red purple
wool for my sun, the Great King, his lord A
golden beaker of 30 shekel weight, a linen robe,
100 shekel blue purple wool, 100 shekel red
purple wool for the queen A gold beaker of 30
shekel weight, a linen robe, 100 shekel blue
purple wool, 100 shekel red purple wool for the
crown prince A silver beaker of 30 shekel
weight, a linen robe, 100 shekel blue purple
wool, 100 shekel red purple wool for the chief
scribe..
2
Carchemish to Ugarit
Everything that the daughter of Benteshina,
king of Amurru, obtained in Ugarit silver,
gold, copper, bronze objects, presents received
from visitors, gifts or bakshish, slaves,
slave-women, garments of wool or linen all of
it belongs to Ammishtamru, king of Ugarit. In
future the daughter of Benteshina, king of
Amurru, may not lay claim to these things against
Ammishtamru. But if she does try to make a claim,
this tablet shall contradict her.
3

• The king of Amurru replies to Ugarit Thus
  spoke Shaushgamuwa, son of Benteshina See the
  daughter of the Great Lady, your wife, who
  committed against you a great sin how long must
  I continue to guard this criminal? So now, take
  the daughter of the Great Lady and do with her as
  you think fit if you want, kill her, or if you
  want, throw her in the sea but do with the
  daughter of the Great Lady as you want.

4
Letter from a Prince of Byblos to Akhenaten (14th
cent) See, there is no mayors residence that
can compare with that at Tyre. It is like the
residence at Ugarit. Extraordinarily large are
the riches there.
5
Spoils from the battle at Megiddo (Karnak) Now
the princes of this foreign country came on their
bellies to kiss the ground and to beg breath for
their nostrilsand they broughtone fine bronze
coat of mail belonging to the prince of Megiddo.
Leather coats of mail belonging to his miserable
army 200. Bows 502. Poles of wood worked with
silver from the tent of the enemy 7bowls of
costly stone and gold and various vessels.gold
in discs skillfully crafted.a silver statue with
a head of goldcarrying chairs of ivory, ebony
and sandalwood worked with gold.one bed of
sandalwood worked with gold and costly stones..a
statue of ebony worked with gold with a head of
lapis lazuli..bronze vessels and much clothing
6
Byblos to Amarna

• May the Mistress of Gubla grant power to my
  lord. At the feet of my lord, I fall down seven
  times and seven times. Let the king, my lord,
  know that Gubla, your handmaid from ancient
  times, is well.
• However, the war of the 'Apiru against me is
  severe. (Our) sons (and) daughters are gone, (as
  well as) the furnishings of the houses, because
  they have been sold in Yarimuta to keep us alive.
  My field is "a wife without a husband," lacking
  in cultivation. I have repeatedly written to the
  palace regarding the distress afflicting me, . .
  but no one has paid attention to the words that
  keep arriving. Let the king heed the words of his
  servant.....

7
Byblos to Amarna

• I set out for Hammuniri of Beirut and in the
  meantime a brother of mine, younger than me,
  conspired against me at Gubla to deliver the city
  to the sons of Abdi-Ashirta. When my brother saw
  that my messenger had returned empty(handed) and
  that there were no occupation troops with him, he
  despised me and thus he committed a crime, and he
  expelled me from the city. May the king, my Lord,
  not hold back (before) the actions of this dog.
      Now I cannot enter the land of Egypt I am
  old and I (suffer of) a serious disease in my own
  flesh. May the king, my Lord, know, that the gods
  of Gubla are angered and the disease has become
  chronic, although I have confessed my sin to the
  gods. Therefore I have not appeared before the
  king, my Lord. Now then, I have sent my son,
  servant of the king, my Lord, to the king, my
  Lord. May the king, my Lord, listen to the words
  of his servant and may the king, my Lord, give
  troops of archers to conquer the city of Gubla in
  order that enemy troops not enter her

8
Amarna and the governor of Megiddo

• To Pharaoh My Lord, My Sun!
• Your servant renews his oath of loyalty to
  Pharaoh by bowing to his feet seven times seven
  times. Pharaoh should know that since he recalled
  his archers to Egypt, Labayu, Governor of
  Shechem, has not stopped raiding my territory. We
  cannot shear our sheep, nor even leave the city
  for fear of Labayus soldiers. Because you have
  not replaced the archers, Labayu is now strong
  enough to attack the city of Megiddo itself. If
  Pharaoh does not see fit to reinforce the city,
  Labayu will capture it. The people of Megiddo are
  already suffering from hunger and disease. I beg
  Pharaoh to send one hundred soldiers to protect
  Megiddo from Labayu or he will certainly capture
  the city.

9
Response from Labayu of Shechem

• To Pharaoh, my Lord, my Sun! Your servant, who
  is less than the dust under your feet, renews his
  oath of loyalty to Pharaoh by bowing seven times
  seven times. I have received Pharaohs letter.
  Your fears are unfounded. I am far too
  insignificant to be a threat to my Pharaohs
  lands. I am and always have been a faithful
  servant of Pharaoh. The proof that I am neither a
  criminal nor a rebel can be seen in my regular
  payment of tribute and my willingness to obey all
  of the commands of your provincial governor.
  Despite the fact that wicked lies have been
  spoken against me, my lord Pharaoh has not taken
  the time to look personally into my case. The
  only crime that can be charged against me is that
  I invaded Gezer. This is based, however, on the
  Pharaohs confiscation of my own lands. Milkilu
  has committed even worse offences than I have and
  no move has been made to take his possessions. On
  another occasion, Pharaoh wrote me concerning my
  son. I had no idea that he was consorting with
  the Apiru! I have since handed him over to
  Addaya. Even if my lord wrote concerning my wife,
  I would not withhold her. I would not even refuse
  to obey Pharaohs command to thrust a bronze
  dagger into my heart!

10
Stele of Seti 1

• Year 1, 3rd month of the third season, day 10.
  Long live the Horus Mighty Bull Appearing in
  Thebes, Making the Two Lands to live, Mighty of
  arm, the Horus of Gold, Mighty of Bows in all
  lands, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the
  Two Lands, Men Maat Re, son of Re, Lord of
  Diadems, beloved of Re-Horakty..
• He causes to retreat all the princes of Syria,
  whose boastfulness was so great. On this day one
  spoke to his majesty as follows The miserable
  enemy who is in the town of Hamath (nr. Qatna) is
  gathering many people while he is seizing the
  town of Beth Shan (s. of Galilee). Then there
  will be an alliance with the people of Pahel.
  Thereupon his majesty sent the first army of Amun
  to Hamath and the first army of Re to Beth Shan
  and the first Army of Seth to Yanoam. In the
  space of a day they were overthrown to the glory
  of his majesty, the King of Upper and Lower
  Egypt, Men Maat Re, Son of Re, Seti Merneptah,
  given life forever.

11
Report of an Egyptian official from the frontier
with the Levant (late D.19) I have carried out
every commission laid on me. I have not been
lax. We have finished letting the Bedouin tribes
of Edom pass the Fortress of Merneptah which is
in Tjeku to the Pools of Per-Atum, to keep them
alive and to keep their cattle alive, through the
great ka of Pharaoh life, prosperity, health!-
the good sun of every land.. I have had a copy of
the report brought to the place where my lord is,
as well as the other names of days when the
Fortress of Merneptah may be passed.
12
Stele of Merneptah, Doc.7.2 (c.1212-1202)
Now that Libya has come to ruin, Hatti is
pacified. The Canaan has been plundered into
every sort of grief. Ashkelon has been
overcome Gezer has been captured Yanoam is made
non-existent Israel is laid waste his seed is
not Kahura has become a widow because of Egypt
13
Famine in Egypt (2nd cent. B.C.E.) Year 18 of the
Horus Djoser, and under the controller, mayor,
royal acquaintance and overseer of the Nubians,
Madir. To let you know. I was in distress, and
those who were in the palace were afflicted in
their hearts with a great evil, since the Nile
had not in my time flooded for a space of seven
years. Grain was scant, fruits were dried up, and
everything which they eat was short. Every man
robbed his companion. The infant was crying..the
youth was waiting, the hearts of the old men were
in sorrow, the courtiers were in need, the
temples shut up, the sanctuaries held nothing but
air. Everything was found empty.