Talk:Ashur-uballit I

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King "Aššur-uballit I"'s name
Of note, the beginning of King Aššur-uballit I's name is the name for "Assyria". Though Wikipedia has shortened his name to begin with 'Ashur', and as the article states, this is the beginning of the nascent, emerging Assyrian empire, this is an important time for the region. Mitanni falls, and is coalesced into other kingdoms. The Hittites end up being a player, then retreating partially from disease because of the Battle of Kadesh, etc.

At any rate, the William L. Moran Amarna letters work, states his name means: "Aššur has given life", (Index, p. 380 (sub Index: Index of Proper Names)).

Using the wonderful 35 page dictionary/glossary from Parpola's Epic of Gilgamesh, with a great, abbreviated, yet full dictionary of the Akkadian words, the core words still used today, in Arabic, Hebrew, etc. ---here is what I think the words are that make up his name.


 * First, take note that in his first letter EA 15, (his reply to pharaoh is letter EA 16), he uses some great writing conventions: A single vertical stroke signify's "1", an individual. He begins his name with "Stroke", ...next the Akkadian, (cuneiform script) word: "god", the "an", (confer with An, (= to An (mythology), sky-god, god of heaven)), then he finishes his name: "1"-'An(mythology)'-A-šur-(the rest is not easy to discern)

The original analysts say it says "1", 'god-(mythology)'-..A-šur-"ti-la-?"; looking at a photo of the clay tablet, I cannot say, what characters follow; (the end of his name starts a lacuna (manuscript) of "King-Land-"Assyria", (with the last of the 'Assyria' visible. (There are few lacunas in this letter EA 15-(5 minor, 1 major).)

"Aššur has given life": Anyhow, using, with the dictionary of the Epic of Gilgamesh, one can get a-šur, abālu, lītu:


 * the words: Assur bring, carry victory, triumph&mdash;"Assur, has brought, Victory

((SIDE Note))...The original letter from Aššur-uballit I is short, 1-paragraph, about 8 sentences, and compact or concise. After the Pharaohs reply, Letter reply back to pharaoh, Letter EA 16, is 3 1/2 times longer, but is completely different: It is a dialogue reply, contains 12 Mini-paragraphs, covers 6-9 topics, and stresses the extreme distance to Egypt from Assyria and the dangers for Messengers, and the goods they are carrying. (Gold, (the plentiful gold of Egypt, like sand), is one of the EA 16 subjects, supposedly for the deceased fathers mausoleum-(a common statement).) Here is Moran's version of Letter EA 15:


 * (1-6)Say to the king of E[gypt]-(see Mizraim): Thus Aššur-ubal[lit, the king of As]syria. For you, your household, for your [ coun ] try, for your chariots, and your troops, may all go well. (7-15) I send my messenger to you to visit you and to visit your country. Up to now, my predecessors have not written; today I write to you. [I] send you a beautiful chariot, 2 horses, [and] 1 date–stone of genuine lapis lazuli, as your greeting-gifts. (16-22) Do [no]t delay the messenger whom I send to you for a visit. He should visit and then leave for here. He should see what you are like and what your country is like, and then leave for here. -(complete, lines 1-22, with some lacunas)


 * Moran, William L. The Amarna Letters. John Hopkins University Press, 1987, 1992. (softcover, ISBN 0-8018-6715-0)

Shuttarna II?
The second sentence might be wrong; could someone verify it, please? The Mitanni king whom Ashur-uballit defeated was likely not Shuttarna II but a later king. SamEV (talk) 22:55, 23 November 2009 (UTC)