Piyassili (also transliterated as ''Piyaššili''; died ca. 1315 BC), also known as Sarri-Kusuh (or ''Šarri-Kušuḫ''), was a
Hittite prince and a middle son of King
Šuppiluliuma I—younger than the heir
Arnuwanda II, but older than the eventual successor
Muršili II and probably older than the ill-fated
Zannanza too. After Å uppiluliuma concluded a treaty with
Shattiwaza, son of King
Tushratta of
Mitanni
Mitanni (–1260 BC), earlier called Ḫabigalbat in old Babylonian texts, ; Hanigalbat or Hani-Rabbat in Assyrian records, or in Ancient Egypt, Egyptian texts, was a Hurrian language, Hurrian-speaking state in northern Syria (region), Syria an ...
, and married one of his daughters to him, Piyassili led a Hittite army that put Shattiwaza on the throne of Hanigalbat. According to Hittite sources, Piyassili and Shattiwaza crossed 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 ...
at
Carchemish, then marched against
Irridu, already in
Hurrian
The Hurrians (; ; also called Hari, Khurrites, Hourri, Churri, Hurri) were a people who inhabited the Ancient Near East during the Bronze Age. They spoke the Hurro-Urartian language, Hurrian language, and lived throughout northern Syria (region) ...
territory. After having reduced Irridu and
Harran
Harran is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Şanlıurfa Province, Turkey. Its area is 904 km2, and its population is 96,072 (2022). It is approximately southeast of Urfa and from the Syrian border crossing at Akçakale.
...
, they continued east towards to
Washukanni and perhaps conquered the capital
Taite as well.
Biography
After Shattiwaza had been made a vassal ruler of
Hanigalbat, Suppiluliuma gave to Piyassili the Hurrian name Sarri-Kusuh and the territory of
Ashtata (with the cities of
Ekalte,
Ahuna and
Terqa) and
Carchemish, formerly belonging to Hanigalbat. "And all of the cities of the land of Carchemish, Murmurik, Shipri, Mazuwati and Šurun – these fortified cities– I gave to my son."
[Šuppiluliuma–Shattiwaza treaty, § 13.] In fact, the whole former territory of Hanigalbat west of the Euphrates seems to have come under direct Hittite rule and was governed by Piyassili.
When the Egyptians attacked
Kadesh, Šuppiluliuma besieged and retook the town. The people were deported and Šuppiluliuma made Piyassili governor of that town as well. Still bearing the name "Sarri-Kusuh" Piyashshili came to Muršili's aid in the campaign against
Arzawa
Arzawa was a region and political entity in Western Anatolia during the Late Bronze Age. In Hittite texts, the term is used to refer both to a particular kingdom and to a loose confederation of states. The chief Arzawan state, whose capital wa ...
around 1320 BC. Piyassili then returned to Carchemish.
Piyassili fell ill and died before the ninth year of
Muršili II's reign. After his death, a rebellion broke out in Kadesh and
Nuhašše. After it had been quelled, Piyassili's son was made king of Carchemish by his uncle Muršili II.
References
External links
Text of the Suppiluliuma-Shattiwazza treaty
Hittite people
Hittite viceroys of Carchemish
14th-century BC deaths
Year of birth unknown
14th-century BC monarchs in Asia
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