Upu or Apu, also rendered as Aba/Apa/Apina/Ubi/Upi, was the region surrounding

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

of the 1350 BC

Amarna letters The Amarna letters (; sometimes referred to as the Amarna correspondence or Amarna tablets, and cited with the abbreviation EA, for "El Amarna") are an archive, written on clay tablets, primarily consisting of diplomatic correspondence between ...

. Damascus was named ''Dimašqu'' / ''Dimasqu'' / etc. (for example, "Dimaški"-(see: Niya (kingdom)), in the letter correspondence. The region is only referenced in three letters, EA 53, 189, and 197 ( EA is for 'el

Amarna Amarna (; ar, العمارنة, al-ʿamārnah) is an extensive Egyptian archaeological site containing the remains of what was the capital city of the late Eighteenth Dynasty. The city was established in 1346 BC, built at the direction of the Ph ...

'). Etakkama of ''Qidšu'' ( Kadesh) in the

Beqaa Beqaa ( ar, بقاع, link=no, ''Biqā‘'') can refer to two places in Lebanon: * Beqaa Governorate, one of six major subdivisions of Lebanon * Beqaa Valley, a valley in eastern Lebanon and its most important farming region See also

*Kasbeel ...

(named the '' Amqu'') is in partial control, between allegiance to Pharaoh, and conjoining forces with the king of

Hatti Hatti may refer to *Hatti (; Assyrian ) in Bronze Age Anatolia: **the area of Hattusa, roughly delimited by the Halys bend **the Hattians of the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC **the Hittites of ''ca'' 1400–1200 BC **the areas to the west of the Euphr ...

. An example of the intrigue is from the last third of EA 53, (entitled: ''"Of the villain Aitukama"''): :My lord, if he (i.e. pharaoh) makes this land a matter of concern to my lord, then may my lord send archers that they may come here. (Only) messengers of my lord have arrived here. :My lord, if Arsawuya of Ruhizzi and Teuwatti of Lapana remain in ''Upu'', and Tašša (Tahash) remains in the Am my lord should also know about them that ''Upu'' will not belong to my lord. Daily they write to Aitukama ( Etakkama) and say as follows: "Come, tak ''Upu'' in its entirety." :My lord, just as Dimaški (Damascus) in ''Upu'' (falls) at your feet, so ''may''

Qatna Qatna (modern: ar, تل المشرفة, Tell al-Mishrifeh) (also Tell Misrife or Tell Mishrifeh) was an ancient city located in Homs Governorate, Syria. Its remains constitute a tell situated about northeast of Homs near the village of al ...

(fall) at your feet. My lord, one asks for life before my messenger. I do not fear t al in the presence of the archers of my lord, ''since'' the archers belong to my lord. If he sends (them) to me, they will en erQatna. -EA 53, (''only'' lines 52-70(End)). The intrigue of the three Amarna letters appears to involve areas to the north and northwest of Damascus, into Lebanon and the Beqaa (named Amqu). And, for example Tašša, appears to be "Tahash," Tahaš, named after the biblical 'Tahash' personage; see:

Patriarchs (Bible) The patriarchs ( he, אבות ''Avot'', singular he, אב '' Av'') of the Bible, when narrowly defined, are Abraham, his son Isaac, and Isaac's son Jacob, also named Israel, the ancestor of the Israelites. These three figures are referred ...

References

Moran, William L. William Lambert Moran (August 11, 1921 – December 19, 2000) was an American Assyriologist. He was born in Chicago, United States. In 1939, Moran joined the Jesuit order. He then attended Loyola University in Chicago, where he received hi ...

(ed. and trans.) ''The Amarna Letters''. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992. Aramean cities Amarna letters locations Ancient Damascus {{AncientEgypt-stub