Suhum (Sūḫu, or Suhi[1]) was an ancient geographic region around the middle course of the Euphrates River, in modern Al Anbar Governorate, Iraq.[2]
History
editIts known history covers the period from the Middle Bronze Age (c. 2000-1700/1600 BCE) to the Iron Age (c. 1200–700 BCE).[3]
Middle Bronze
editDuring the Bronze Age, Suhum was divided into an Upper Suhum, with its capital in Hanat, and a Lower Suhum with its capital in Jabliji. Several ancient letters place the Sutean people as having lived in the region of Suhum.[4] A fragmentary text from the Old Babylonian period lists 40 workers from Suhum assigned to reaping at Sippar.[5]
Iron Age
editIn this period Sūru was a fortified city of Suhum. A known governor of Suhum at that time was Kudurru. For a time Suhum paid tribute to Neo-Assyrian ruler Ashurnasirpal II (883–859 BC).[6][7] In 616 BCE, Suhum subordinated themselves to the king of Babylon, Nabopolassar (ruled 626-605 BC).[8] Three years later, in 613 BC, Suhum rebelled against him, which led Nabopolassar to send an expedition against Suhum.
References
edit- ^ Russell, H. F. (1985). "The Historical Geography of the Euphrates and Habur According to the Middle- and Neo-Assyrian Sources". Iraq. 47: 57–74. doi:10.2307/4200232. JSTOR 4200232.
- ^ Edmonds, Alexander Johannes, "New Light on the Land of Sūḫu: A Review Article and new Political History", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie, vol. 114, no. 1, pp. 58-83, 2024
- ^ Bartelmus, Alexa (2016). "A Short Introduction on the Sūḫu Texts". oracc.museum.upenn.edu. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
- ^ Heimpel, Wolfgang (2003). Letters to the King of Mari: A New Translation, with Historical Introduction, Notes, and Commentary. Eisenbrauns. ISBN 9781575060804. p.26
- ^ Harris, Rivkah, "On Foreigners in Old Babylonian Sippar", Revue d’Assyriologie et d’archéologie Orientale, vol. 70, no. 2, pp. 145–52, 1976
- ^ Portuese, Ludovico, "Merciful messages in the reliefs of Ashurnasirpal II: the land of Suḫu", Egitto e vicino oriente: rivista annuale della sezione di Egittologia e Scienze Storiche del Vicino Oriente, Dipartimento di Civiltà e Forme del Sapere dell'Università degli studi di Pisa: XXXIX, pp. 179-199, 2016
- ^ Edmonds, Alexander Johannes, "New Light on the Land of Sūḫu: A Review Article and new Political History", Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie, vol. 114, no. 1, pp. 58-83, 2024
- ^ Beaulieu, Paul-Alain, "The City of Ur and the Neo-Babylonian Empire", Ur in the Twenty-First Century CE: Proceedings of the 62nd Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale at Philadelphia, July 11–15, 2016, edited by Grant Frame, Joshua Jeffers and Holly Pittman, University Park, USA: Penn State University Press, pp. 153-170, 2021
Further reading
edit- Charpin, D., "Sapîratum, ville du Suhûm", MARI 8, pp. 341-366, 1997
- Clancier P., "À l’ombre des grandes puissances de Mésopotamie : une histoire du Sūhu à l’époque néo-assyrienne", Culture and history of the ancient Near East 114, Leyde, Boston, 2020
- Clancier, Philippe, "Une histoire du Sūhu de la fin du IXe siècle au milieu du VIIIe", À l’ombre des grandes puissances de Mésopotamie. Brill, pp. 368-482, 2020
- Cohen, Yoram, "A Letter from the Governor of Emar to the Governor of Suḫu", JA 303, pp. 175–180, 2015
- Durand, Jean-Marie and Marti, Lionel, "Chroniques du moyen-euphrate 5. Une attaque de Qaṭna par le Sûhum et la question du 'Pays de Mari'", RA 99, pp. 123–132, 2005
- Dion, Paul-Eugène, "Les Araméens du Moyen-Euphrate au VIIIe siècle à la lumière des inscriptions des maîtres de Suhu et Mari", Congress Volume Paris 1992, Brill, pp. 53–73, 1995
- Joannes, F., Kepinski, C., Lecomte, O., "Presence babylonienne dans le pays de Suhu au xv11e siecle av. J.-C.: l'exemple de Khirbet ed Diniye (Irak)", RA 77, 1983, pp. 119-142, 1983
- Lacambre, Denis, "La region du Suhum a l’epoque des archives de Mari (XIXe-XVIIIe siecles av. J.-C.)", Studia Euphratica. Le moyen Euphrate iraquien révélé par les fouilles préventives de Haditha 3, pp. 129-156, 2006