The Ancient World

Synopsis: Joseph and Hyrcanus of the Tobiad clan served as tax farmers in Coele Syria for nearly half a century, weathering the transition from Ptolemaic and Seleucid control along with the constant maelstrom of Jerusalem politics.

“Hyrcanus determined not to return to Jerusalem any more, but seated himself beyond Jordan, and was at perpetual war with the Arabians, and slew many of them, and took many of them captives. He also erected a strong castle, and built it entirely of white stone to the very roof, and had animals of a prodigious magnitude engraven upon it…And he ruled over those parts for seven years, even all the time that Seleucus was king of Syria. But when he was dead, his brother Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, took the kingdom.” – Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XII, Chapter 4

Map of the Decapolis region:

https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map04.png

So, first the bad news: Episode C12 wraps the second “season” of “The Ancient World – Carchemish.” The show’ll be on hiatus for the next few months as I turn my attention to a few other projects. Then I’ll be back with another new season this summer. The good news is that next season will not only cover the emergence of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but – as a consequence – will also have the benefit of the detailed records the Assyrians made of all their “interactions” with the kingdoms and peoples of early Iron Age Syria. So stay tuned for that, stay subscribed, and I’ll see you all in a few months!

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Synopsis: The growing power of the Israelites and Arameans is reflected in the construction of new temples to Yahweh in Jerusalem and Hadad-Rammon in Damascus. A resurgent Egypt – under increasing influence of the Libyan Meshwesh – begins to eye its former Levantine holdings.

“And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah. And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah; and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus. And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did; and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.” – 1 Kings 11:23-24

Map of the Late Bronze Age eastern Mediterranean:

https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/LBA_Hittite_Map.jpg

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Synopsis: In the latter half of the 11th century BC, southern Syria witnessed the increasing prominence of semi-nomadic Semitic peoples – including the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites and Israelites.

“Kings came, they fought,

the kings of Canaan fought.

At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo,

they took no plunder of silver.

From the heavens the stars fought,

from their courses they fought against Sisera.

The river Kishon swept them away,

the age-old river, the river Kishon.” – The Song of Deborah

Map of the Late Bronze Age eastern Mediterranean:https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/LBA_Hittite_Map.jpg

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Synopsis: The fracturing and diminishment of Egyptian power in the early Iron Age is captured in “The Report of Wenamun.”

I found (King Zakar-baal of Byblos) seated in his upper chamber with his back against a window, and the waves of the great sea of Phoenicia broke behind his head. I said to him: “Blessings of Amun!” He said to me: “How long is it to this day since you came from the place where Amun is?” I said to him: “Five whole months till now.” He said to me: “If you are right, where is the dispatch of Amun that was in your hand? Where is the letter of the High Priest of Amun that was in your hand?” I said to him: “I gave them to Smendes and Tentamun.” Then he became very angry and said to me: “Now then, dispatches, letters you have none. Where is the ship of pinewood that Smendes gave you? Where is its Phoenician crew? Did he not entrust you to this foreign ship’s captain in order to have him kill you and have them throw you into the sea? From whom would one then seek the god? And you, from whom would one seek you? – The Report of Wenamun

Map of the Late Bronze Age eastern Mediterranean:https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/LBA_Hittite_Map.jpg

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Synopsis: In the mid-11th century BC, the Hittite kingdoms of northern Syria are joined by others– in the Philistine pentapolis, the Amuq plain and the region of Classical Cilicia – with ties to the former Mycenaean Greeks.  The Phoenician cities of the Levantine coast begin to step from the shadow of post-Collapse Egypt.

“I am really Azatiwada,

Man of my Sun, the servant of Thunder God,

Rendered superior by Awariku, and the ruler of Adanawa,

Thunder God rendered me Mother and Father of Adanawa city, and

I am the one, who developed Adanawa city,

And I expanded Adanawa country, both westward and eastward,

And during my reign, I made Adanawa city taste prosperity, satiety and comfort, and I filled the grain warehouses,

I added horse to horse, shield to shield, army to army, everything for Thunder God and the deities…”

The Karatepe Bilingual

Map of the Late Bronze Age eastern Mediterranean:

https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/LBA_Hittite_Map.jpg

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Synopsis: The Great Kings of Carchemish continue ruling over a Hittite rump state in northern Syria as they support the region’s recovery.  After an attack by the Assyrian king Ashur-bel-kala, the Carchemish dynasty is supplanted by the house of Suhi.

“In that year, in the month Kislev,…from the River Khabur of the land Kharku to the city of Carchemish of the land Hatti he plundered.  He crossed the Euphrates after them in rafts made of inflated goatskins.”  – The Broken Obelisk (of Ashur-bel-kala)

Map of the Late Bronze Age eastern Mediterranean:

https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/LBA_Hittite_Map.jpg

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Synopsis: Even as Anatolia, Syria and Egypt confronted the Bronze Age Collapse, the eastern kingdoms of Assyria, Babylonia and Elam continued their ancient cycle of dynastic conflict.

“Why I – who am a king, son of a king, seed of a king, scion of a king, who am king for the lands, for the land of Babylonia and the land of Elam, descendant of the eldest daughter of the mighty King Kurigalzu – why do I not sit on the throne of the land of Babylonia?  I sent you a sincere proposal; you, however, have granted me no reply.  You may climb up to heaven, but I’ll pull you down by your hem; you may go down to hell, but I’ll pull you up by your hair!  I shall destroy your cities, demolish your fortresses, stop up your irrigation ditches, cut down your orchards, pull out the rings of the sluices at the mouths of your irrigation canals.”  – Letter to the Kassite court by the Elamite king Kutir-Nahhunte.

Map of the Late Bronze Age eastern Mediterranean:

https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/LBA_Hittite_Map.jpg

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Synopsis: In the wake of the Sea Peoples, the Hittite Great King Kuzi-Teshub focuses on rebuilding and strengthening his kingdom.  A powerful new threat soon emerges in the form of King Tiglath-Pileser I of Assyria.

“In the service of my Lord Ashur, my chariots and warriors I assembled; I set out on my march. In front of my strong men I went to the country of the Aramaeans, the enemies of my Lord Ashur. From before Tsukha, as far as the city of (Carchemish) belonging to the country of (Hatti), I smote with one blow. Their fighting men I slew; their movables, their wealth, and their valuables in countless numbers I carried off.” – Inscription of Tiglath-Pileser I

Map of the Late Bronze Age eastern Mediterranean:

https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/LBA_Hittite_Map.jpg

The Hittite Royal Family:

https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/LBA_Hittite_Family_Tree.jpg

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