e of the royal governors, but to send some troops to
himself for the defence of Gebal. In a second letter he reiterates his
charges against Aziru, who had now "smitten" Adon, the king of Arka, and
possessed himself of Zemar and the other towns of Phoenicia, so that
Gebal "alone" is on the side of the king, who "looks on" without doing
anything. Moreover a fresh enemy had arisen in the person of Eta-gama of
Kadesh, who had joined himself with the king of the Hittites and the
king of Naharaim.
Letters to Khu-n-Aten from Akizzi the governor of Qatna, which, as we
learn from the inscriptions of Assur-natsir-pal, was situated on the
Khabur, represent Aziru in the same light. First of all, the Egyptian
government is informed that the king of the Hittites, together with
Aidhu-gama (or Eta-gama) of Kadesh has been invading the Egyptian
territory, burning its cities, and carrying away from Qatna the image of
the Sun-god. Khu-n-aten, it is urged, could not allow the latter crime
to go unpunished. The Sun-god had created him and his father, and had
caused them to be called after his own name. He was the supreme object
of the Pharaoh's worship, the deity for whose sake Khu-n-Aten had
deserted Thebes.
The Hittite king had been joined in his invasion of Syria by the
governors of some otherwise unknown northern cities, but the kings of
Nukhasse, Ni, Zinzar (the Sonzar of the Egyptian texts), and Kinanat
(the Kanneh of Ezek. xxvii. 23) remained faithful to the Egyptian
monarch. The rebel governors, however, were in the land of Ube,--the Aup
of the hieroglyphics,--which they were urging Aidhu-gama to invade.
Another letter brings Aziru upon the scene. He is accused of having
invaded the land of Nukhasse, and made prisoners of the people of Qatna.
The Pharaoh is prayed to rescue or ransom them, and to send chariots and
soldiers to the help of his Mesopotamian subjects. If they come all the
lands round about will acknowledge him as lord, and he will be lord also
of Nukhasse; if they do not come, the men of Qatna will be forced to
obey Aziru.
It is probable that the misdeeds of Aziru which are here referred to
were committed at the time he was in Tunip, professedly protecting it
against Hittite attack. It would seem from what Akizzi says, that
instead of faithfully performing his mission, he had aimed at
establishing his own power in Northern Syria. While nominally an officer
of the Pharaoh, he was really seeking to found an Amorit
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