Irkabtum (reigned c. Middle 17th century BC -

Middle chronology The chronology of the ancient Near East is a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties. Historical inscriptions and texts customarily record events in terms of a succession of officials or rulers: "in the year X of king Y". Com ...

) was the king of

Yamhad Yamhad (Yamḫad) was an ancient Semitic languages, Semitic-speaking kingdom centered on Ḥalab (Aleppo) in Syria (region), Syria. The kingdom emerged at the end of the 19th century BC and was ruled by the Yamhad dynasty, who counted on both mi ...

(

Halab Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...

), succeeding his father

Niqmi-Epuh Niqmi-Epuḫ, also given as Niqmepa (reigned - Middle chronology) was the king of Yamḫad (Halab) succeeding his father Yarim-Lim II. Reign Little of Aleppo has been excavated by archaeologists. Knowledge about Niqmi-Epuh comes from tablets dis ...

Reign

Irkabtum is referred to in an old Hittite letter fragment, but he is known primarily through the

Alalakh Alalakh (''Tell Atchana''; Hittite: Alalaḫ) is an ancient archaeological site approximately northeast of Antakya (historic Antioch) in what is now Turkey's Hatay Province. It flourished as an urban settlement in the Middle and Late Bronze Age ...

tablets. He engaged in the selling and buying of cities and villages with his vassal king Ammitakum of Alalakh in order to adjust the shared borders between them, and he campaigned in the region of Nashtarbi east of the

Euphrates The Euphrates ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of West Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia (). Originati ...

river, against the Hurrian princes who rebelled against Yamhad. The campaign was an important one in that it was used to date legal cases. Irkabtum is known to have concluded a peace treaty with Semuma, the king of the Habiru, on behalf of his vassal kingdom Alalakh, indicating the importance and danger of those autonomous warriors in the region.

Death and succession

Irkabtum could be the father of Yarim-Lim III. He died and was succeeded by Hammurabi II whose filiation is unknown.

References

Citations

{{reflist, 2 17th-century BC monarchs Kings of Yamhad Amorite kings Yamhad dynasty