Abimilki ( ''Amorite'': , '' ^LÚa-bi-mil-ki'', ) around 1347 BC held the rank of Prince of Tyre (called "Surru" in the letters), during the period of the Amarna letters correspondence (1360–1332 BC). He is the author of ten letters to the Egyptian

pharaoh Pharaoh (, ; Egyptian language, Egyptian: ''wikt:pr ꜥꜣ, pr ꜥꜣ''; Meroitic language, Meroitic: 𐦲𐦤𐦧, ; Biblical Hebrew: ''Parʿō'') was the title of the monarch of ancient Egypt from the First Dynasty of Egypt, First Dynasty ( ...

, EA 146–155 ( EA for 'el

Amarna Amarna (; ) is an extensive ancient Egyptian archaeological site containing the ruins of Akhetaten, the capital city during the late Eighteenth Dynasty. The city was established in 1346 BC, built at the direction of the Pharaoh Akhenaten, and a ...

'). In letter EA 147, Pharaoh

Akhenaten Akhenaten (pronounced ), also spelled Akhenaton or Echnaton ( ''ʾŪḫə-nə-yātəy'', , meaning 'Effective for the Aten'), was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh reigning or 1351–1334 BC, the tenth ruler of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, Eig ...

confirmed him as ruler of Tyre upon the death of his father, and in EA 149, referred to him with the rank of ''rabisu'' (general). Abimilki is not referenced by name in any other letters of the 382-letter corpus. His name has been linked with the biblical

Abimelech Abimelech (also spelled Abimelek or Avimelech; ) was the generic name given to all Philistine kings in the Hebrew Bible from the time of Abraham through King David. In the Book of Judges, Abimelech, son of Gideon, of the Tribe of Manasseh, is ...

. His name means "My father (is) king."

Historical background

Following the request of Akhenaten to disseminate his political updates in Kinaha, some other city states rebelled against this decision. The background was the vacancy in the position of ''rabisu'' in the garrison of Tyre, which Akhenaten staffed with non-Egyptians for organizational reasons. Eventually, as in letter EA 149, Akhenaten conferred the status of ''rabisu'' of Tyre upon Abimilki. Zimredda of Sidon, and Aziru of Amurru, previously allied with Abimilki, responded by conquering Sumuru and occupying the territories around Tyre. Abimilki advised Akhenaten of the dangerous situation in several letters. In letter EA 151 (see her

, Abimilki mentions the Danunans: "Behold, dangerous enemies are besieging Tyre. The king of Danuna is meanwhile dead; his brother now reigns. He behaves peacefully toward me." Later in the letter, Abimilki warns of the rebels: "Behold, the fort of Tyre is running out of fresh water and wood. I will send you Ilu-milku as a messenger. At present there are no Hittite troops, but Aitakama of Kadesh is together with Aziru in battle against Biryawaza of Damascus. Meanwhile, Zimredda has been reinforced with troops and ships from Aziru; he has besieged me, and it is very dangerous.

Abimilki's letters

The titles of Abimilki's letters are as follows: :EA 146: "Abimilki of Tyre" :EA 147: "A Hymn to the

Pharaoh Pharaoh (, ; Egyptian language, Egyptian: ''wikt:pr ꜥꜣ, pr ꜥꜣ''; Meroitic language, Meroitic: 𐦲𐦤𐦧, ; Biblical Hebrew: ''Parʿō'') was the title of the monarch of ancient Egypt from the First Dynasty of Egypt, First Dynasty ( ...

" :EA 148: "The Need of Mainland Tyre" : EA 149: "Neither Water nor Wood" (See ''

Haapi Haapi, also Haip and Ha'ip was a commissioner mentioned in the 1350 BC, 1350–1335 BC Amarna letters Text corpus, correspondence. The name "Hapi" in Egyptian language, Egyptian is the name for the Nile River, Nile god ''Hapi (Nile god), Hapi''. H ...

'') :EA 150: "Needed: Just One Soldier" :EA 151: "A Report on

Canaan CanaanThe current scholarly edition of the Septuagint, Greek Old Testament spells the word without any accents, cf. Septuaginta : id est Vetus Testamentum graece iuxta LXX interprets. 2. ed. / recogn. et emendavit Robert Hanhart. Stuttgart : D ...

" (See external links:letter and ''

Sea Peoples The Sea Peoples were a group of tribes hypothesized to have attacked Ancient Egypt, Egypt and other Eastern Mediterranean regions around 1200 BC during the Late Bronze Age. The hypothesis was proposed by the 19th-century Egyptology, Egyptologis ...

'') :EA 152: "A Demand for Recognition" : EA 153: "Ships on Hold" :EA 154: "Orders Carried Out" (See '' Zimredda (Sidon mayor)'') :EA 155: "Servant of Mayati" ("Mayati" is a hypocoristicon for Meritaten,

's daughter)

Example letters of Abimilki

EA 147, "A Hymn to the Pharaoh"

The topic of "A Hymn to the Pharaoh" is not Zimredda; however, the war of Aziru son or Abdi-Ashirta, the constant lookout, and reporting by Zimredda is addressed at the very end of this letter. The photo of the external links shows the condition of EA 147, (minus a corner). See: phrases and quotations. Instead of "seven times and seb times", in 147 the

scribe A scribe is a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of Printing press, automatic printing. The work of scribes can involve copying manuscripts and other texts as well as ...

goes far deeper, using "one half of seven times". A partial reference to the prostration formula may be used in the letter middle, when he uses "on my front and on my back". Zimredda of Sidon is the topic of five of Abimilki's ten letters.

EA 148, "The Need of Mainland Tyre"

Abimilki of Tyre has sent his tribute to Pharaoh who appointed him, and he requests of Pharaoh ten foot soldiers for protection, since his own men have been taken by the king of Sidon. He also mentions that the king of Hazor has gone over to the enemy, the Habiru who are taking over Canaan.

EA 149, "Neither Water nor Wood"

See:

Egyptian ''Egyptian'' describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of year ...

commissioner

EA 151, "A Report on Canaan"

See: external link article/write-up.

EA 154, "Orders Carried Out"

Five of Abimilki's letters concern his neighbor and conflict enemy Zimredda of Sidon. See: Zimredda (Sidon mayor).

EA 153, "Ships on Hold"

See picture
EA 153 (Obverse)

References

* Moran, William L. ''The Amarna Letters.'' Johns Hopkins University Press, 1987, 1992. (softcover, )

External links

Amarna letters (photos)

King of Babylon:
EA 9-(Obverse)
see: Karaduniyaš

Tushratta Tushratta ( Akkadian: and ) was a king of Mitanni, 1358–1335 BCE, at the end of the reign of Amenhotep III and throughout the first half the reign of Akhenaten. He was the son of Shuttarna II. Tushratta stated that he was the grandson of A ...

:
EA 19-(Obverse)
Tushratta

with '' ''Black''

Hieratic Hieratic (; ) is the name given to a cursive writing system used for Ancient Egyptian and the principal script used to write that language from its development in the third millennium BCE until the rise of Demotic in the mid-first millennium BCE ...

''
Article
(

British Museum The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...

); see: Shaushka
EA 28-(Obverse)
see: Pirissi and Tulubri " Alashiya kingdom" letters:
EA 34-(Obverse)
see: EA 34 Rib-Hadda letters:
EA 126-(Obverse)

; See:

Salhi (region) The Salhi is a region/city-state in the vicinity of Ugarit during the 15-20 year Amarna letters Text corpus, correspondence of 1350–1335 BC. The region of ''Salhi'' is referenced in only one letter of the Amarna letters Text corpus, corpus, t ...

Abimilki:
#1: EA 153-(Obverse)#2: EA 153-(Obverse)-2nd
see: Abimilki Abdi-Tirši:
EA 228-(Obverse)//(228,330,299,245,252)
(EA 330, for Šipti-Ba'lu)
ArticlePic writeup

Biridiya Biridiya was the ruler of Megiddo, northern part of the southern Levant, in the 14th century BC. At the time Megiddo was a city-state submitting to the Egyptian Empire. He is part of the intrigues surrounding the rebel Labaya of Shechem. History ...

:
EA 245-(Obverse)EA 245-(Reverse)
Hannathon/''

Hinnatuna Hannathon or Hinnatuna was a city-state in Canaan during the Late Bronze Age. It is most likely identical with the archaeological site Tel Hanaton. History In the Late Bronze, Hinnatuna was a city-state in Canaan. It was located near Akko and Megid ...

'' Labaya:
EA 252-(Obverse)
see

Labaya Labaya (Labayu or Lib'ayu) was the ruler of Shechem and warlord in the central hill country of southern Canaan during the Amarna Period (c. 1350 BC). He lived contemporaneously with Pharaoh Akhenaten. Labaya is mentioned in several of the Amarna L ...

Others:
EA 299-(High Res.)(Obverse)
see

Yapahu Yapahu was a mayor/ruler of the city/city-state of ''Gazru'' (modern Gezer) of the 1350 BC, 1350-1335 BC Amarna letters Text corpus, correspondence. Two other mayors of Gazru during the Amarna letters period, were Adda-danu and Milkilu. Yapahu is ...

EA 369-Front/Back-(Click on each)
see:

Milkilu Milki-ilu of Gezer (Milkilu, Milk-ilu, Ili-Milku), was the mayor/ruler of the Land of ''Gazru'' (Gezer) around 1350 BC. He is known as the son-in-law of Tagi of Ginti-Kirmil and cooperating with Labaya of Shechem, during a period of turmoil among ...

Letters

*Letter: EA 147
EA 147-(Obverse)
*Letter: EA 153
#1: EA 153-(Obverse)#2: EA 153-(Obverse)-2nd

Articles

(

Sea peoples The Sea Peoples were a group of tribes hypothesized to have attacked Ancient Egypt, Egypt and other Eastern Mediterranean regions around 1200 BC during the Late Bronze Age. The hypothesis was proposed by the 19th-century Egyptology, Egyptologis ...

, Abimilki letter) *
British Museum photo of obverse, (obverse, reverse, & sides are scribed)

Views of all sides, British Museum site
* Amarna letter EA 34

CDLI entry for letter 34, showing first line stating: ''Message King Land A-La-Ši-iya''. (''Umma Lugal Kur Alashiya'') {{DEFAULTSORT:Abimilki Amarna letters writers Kings of Tyre 14th-century BC monarchs 14th-century BC Phoenician people Phoenicians in the Amarna letters