Abdi-Ashirta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abdi-Ashirta (c. 1300s BC) was the ruler of Amurru, a new kingdom in southern Syria subject to nominal Egyptian control that was in conflict with King Rib-Hadda of Byblos.

Rib-Hadda complained bitterly to Akhenaten--in the Amarna letters--of Abdi-Ashirta's attempts to carve out a larger kingdom for himself at the former's expense.^[1] Abdi-Ashirta's death is mentioned in EA 101 by Rib-Hadda in a letter to Akhenaten.^[2] Unfortunately for Rib-Hadda, Abdi-Ashirta was succeeded by his equally capable son--Aziru--who would later capture, exile and likely kill Rib-Hadda in the process. Aziru later defected to the Hittite side which caused Egypt to lose control over her northern border province of Amurru which Aziru controlled.

[edit] References

1. ^ William L. Moran, The Amarna Letters, Johns Hopkins University, 1992. p.xxiii
2. ^ Moran, op. cit., p.174