Abdi-Ashirta and the Rise of Amurru.

In the later years of Amunhotep III (father of Akhenaten) and the early years of Akhenaten himself, events in the north began to trouble the royal court. The Egyptian empire, long established in Canaan and Syria, was under threat. Great powers were rising, and regional vassals were starting to fight among themselves. Into this milieu, a man named Abdi-Ashirta began to make waves…

Music by Derek and Brandon Fiechter.

Intro music by Keith Zizza.

Map and Images

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01. 123 Map (NASA + Moran 1993)

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An example of the Amarna Letters (Wikimedia).
123. Wikipedia Abdi-Ashirta_written_in_cuneiform
The name of Abdi-Ashirta (“Ashirta’s Servant”) in cuneiform Akkadian (Wikimedia).
PalaceInlays-DepictingPhilistineAndAmorite-MuseumOfFineArtsBoston wikipedia
Decorative tiles from the Malqata Palace of Amunhotep III: an Amurrite/Amorite at right (Wikimedia).
syrians rekhmire 1 met
Syrians (Amorites?) leading an elephant, a bear and carrying ivory and copper ingots, from the tomb of Rekhmire at Thebes (Metropolitan Museum of Art).

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Bibliography

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