lecture 14 kingdom of mitanni (b)

HISTORY 26

Lecture Fourteen:

The Kingdom of Mitanni(c. 1500 - 1350 BC)

HISTORY 26

Lecture Fourteen:

The Kingdom of Mitanni(c. 1500 - 1350 BC)

Hammurabi’s BabylonHammurabi’s Babylon

The Old Hittite Kingdom(c. 1650 - 1500 BC)

The Old Hittite Kingdom(c. 1650 - 1500 BC)

The Near East, c. 1500 BCThe Near East, c. 1500 BC

Mitanni, Land of the Hurrians

(c. 1500 - 1350 BC)


(c. 1500 - 1350 BC)



• Hurrian: Neither Indo-European nor Semitic

• The Hittite Old Kingdom• Capital: Hattusa• Hattusili and Mursili

• The Kingdom of Yamkhad• Capital: Aleppo

• King Parrattarna of Mitanni• Boundaries: Kizzuwatna (west), Nuzi (east),

and Terqa (south)

• Hurrian: Neither Indo-European nor Semitic

• The Hittite Old Kingdom• Capital: Hattusa• Hattusili and Mursili

• The Kingdom of Yamkhad• Capital: Aleppo

• King Parrattarna of Mitanni• Boundaries: Kizzuwatna (west), Nuzi (east),

and Terqa (south)


(c. 1500 - 1350 BC)


(c. 1500 - 1350 BC)

Idrimi, King of AlalakhIdrimi, King of Alalakh

• Flees from Aleppo to Emar

• Joins local nomads (the Sutaeans)

• Seizes Alalakh• Becomes a vassal

of Parrattarna

• Flees from Aleppo to Emar

• Joins local nomads (the Sutaeans)

• Seizes Alalakh• Becomes a vassal

of Parrattarna



• A major rival of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty• Conflict via proxy states in Palestine and Syria

• King Saustatar of Mitanni• Allied to Amenhotep II of Egypt (1426 - 1400 BC)• Retained control from Alalakh in the west to Nuzi in

the east• Seized control of Assur

• Military aristocracy comprised of charioteers called mariyanni (singular, mariyannu)• The beginning of a new form of social stratification

• A major rival of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty• Conflict via proxy states in Palestine and Syria

• King Saustatar of Mitanni• Allied to Amenhotep II of Egypt (1426 - 1400 BC)• Retained control from Alalakh in the west to Nuzi in

the east• Seized control of Assur

• Military aristocracy comprised of charioteers called mariyanni (singular, mariyannu)• The beginning of a new form of social stratification

The Decline of MitanniThe Decline of Mitanni

• Amenhotep III of Egypt (1390 - 1353 BC) and king Tushratta of Mitanni

• The rival kingship of Artatama, backed by the Hittite New Kingdom• Shuttarna III (Artatama’s son) betrays the

Hittites and allies himself with Assyria• The Hittites back Kili-Teshub, son of

Tushratta

• Mitanni becomes a pawn in the growing rivalry of the Hittites and Assyrians

• Amenhotep III of Egypt (1390 - 1353 BC) and king Tushratta of Mitanni

• The rival kingship of Artatama, backed by the Hittite New Kingdom• Shuttarna III (Artatama’s son) betrays the

Hittites and allies himself with Assyria• The Hittites back Kili-Teshub, son of

Tushratta

• Mitanni becomes a pawn in the growing rivalry of the Hittites and Assyrians

The Near East, c. 1500 BCThe Near East, c. 1500 BC

lecture 14 kingdom of mitanni (b)

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