Representations of Political Power : Case Histories From Times of Change and Dissolving Order in the Ancient Near East

Representation of political power seems to have been necessary at all times in all complex urban societies. To secure order—to construct a certain social, ideological, religious, economic, and cultural stability—seems to be one of the main intentions of representation. When order breaks down or is threatened, political power comes under threat and the cohesion of the community is also in jeopardy. In times of impending change, crisis, or disorder, special effort is required to reassure the community of the rulers ability to maintain stability. What those in power did to convince the affected communities of their qualities as rulers, that is, their representational strategies — especially in times of change — is the subject of this book, explored through examination of case studies drawn from the ancient Near East. The volume is divided into three thematic parts: “Reestablishment of Order after Major Disruption,” “Changing Order from Within,” and “Perceptions of a New Order.” Representations of Political Power: Case Histories from Times of Change and Dissolving Order in the Ancient Near East 4 Contents 6 Preface 8 Abbreviations 10 List of Contributors 12 Marlies Heinz and Marian H. Feldman: Introduction: Representation-Tradition-Religion 14 Part 1: Reestablishment of Order after Major Disruption 15 Part 2: Changing Order from Within 16 Part 3: Perceptions of a New Order 18 Organization and Summary of Contributions 19 Part 1: Reestablishment of Order after Major Disruption 32 1 Regine Pruzsinszky: Emar and the Transition from Hurrian to Hittite Power 34 Introduction 34 Two Different Scribal Traditions and Their Impact on the Dating of the Legal Documents of Emar 35 Mittanian Rule of Emar 37 Hittite Rule of Emar 41 Summary 44 Appendixes 47 References 48 2 Marian H. Feldman: Frescoes, Exotica, and the Reinvention of the Northern Levantine Kingdoms during the Second Millennium b.c.e. 52 References 74 3 Marlies Heinz: Sargon of Akkad: Rebel and Usurper in Kish 80 The Rebel Seizes Power 82 Rebellion and Religion 83 Rebellion and the Local Political Elite 85 Rebellion and the Control of Resources 85 Rebellion and Structural Change in the Ruling Order 85 Resettlement as a Political Means of Establishing a Clientele 86 Spatial Order as a Visible Sign of the Ruling Order 86 Sargon of Akkad, Founder of a City 87 The Political Titles of Sargon and Their Identity-Constituting Effects 88 Conclusion: The Rebellion of Kish and Its Local Consequences 88 Expansion and Invasion: Sargon the King of Akkad, Sargon the Conqueror 89 Direct and Structural Violence: Politics and Religion 92 Conclusion: Sargon—Ruler and Usurper: The Ruler Who Caused Disorder and "Globally” Enforced the Establishment of a New Political Order 95 References 97 Part 2: Changing Order from Within 100 4 Susan Pollock: The Royal Cemetery of Ur: Ritual, Tradition, and the Creation of Subjects 102 Ritual, Ideology, and Consent 104 Early Dynastic City-States of Southern Mesopotamia 106 The Royal Cemetery 110 Conclusion 118 References 119 5 Dominik Bonatz: The Divine Image of the King: Religious Representation of Political Power in the Hittite Empire 124 Introduction 124 The Hittite Royal Couple as Bound to the Gods 125 Visualizing the Divine Ancestor 128 Protecting the Kingdom: The Divine Image of Kings and Princes on Hittite Rock Reliefs 134 The Contingent Nature of Hittite Art 137 International Politics and the Persuasive Function of Religious Images 140 Concluding Remarks 145 Appendix 146 References 147 6 Paul-Alain Beaulieu: Nabonidus the Mad King: A Reconsideration of His Steles from Harran and Babylon 150 The Neo-Babylonian Figure of Ihe Ideal King 153 The Letter of Samsuiluna as Model for the Harran Stele 155 The Theology of the Moon 161 An Old Myth of Creation 165 The God Lugal-šudu 168 A Conflict of Authority and Legitimacy 172 Conclusion 176 References 177 Part 3: Perceptions of a New Order 180 7 Amélie Kuhrt: Cyrus the Great of Persia: Images and Realities 182 Introduction 182 Evidence Shaping the Traditional Image of Cyrus 183 A Critical Reasessment 185 Historical Realities 189 Conclusions 193 Appendix 194 1. Cyrus Cylinder 194 2. Cylinder of Marduk-apla-iddina II, Chaldean King of Babylon (721–710) 196 3. Annals of Sargon II of Assyria (722–705) 197 4. Cyrus’s Defeat of the Medes and His Conquest of Babylonia 197 References 199 8 Brit Jahn: The Migration and Sedentarization of the Amorites from the Point of View of the Settled Babylonian Population 206 Introduction 206 Cuneiform Texts and the Ethnicity of the Amorites 206 The Amorites from the Fara Period to the Ur III Period 207 Migration into Babylonian Territory during the Ur III Period 208 The Threat to Babylonian Towns in the Ur III Period 209 Sedentarization and Striving for Power 211 Traditions, Reflections, and Perceptions 211 Royal Titles 211 Perception of the Amorites by the Settled Population 213 Summary 219 References 220 Index of Authors 224 Representations of Political Power: Case Histories from Times of Change and Dissolving Order in the Ancient Near East......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 Abbreviations......Page 10 List of Contributors......Page 12 Marlies Heinz and Marian H. Feldman: Introduction: Representation-Tradition-Religion......Page 14 Part 1: Reestablishment of Order after Major Disruption......Page 15 Part 2: Changing Order from Within......Page 16 Part 3: Perceptions of a New Order......Page 18 Organization and Summary of Contributions......Page 19 Part 1: Reestablishment of Order after Major Disruption......Page 32 Introduction......Page 34 Two Different Scribal Traditions and Their Impact on the Dating of the Legal Documents of Emar......Page 35 Mittanian Rule of Emar......Page 37 Hittite Rule of Emar......Page 41 Summary......Page 44 Appendixes......Page 47 References......Page 48 2 Marian H. Feldman: Frescoes, Exotica, and the Reinvention of the Northern Levantine Kingdoms during the Second Millennium b.c.e.......Page 52 References......Page 74 3 Marlies Heinz: Sargon of Akkad: Rebel and Usurper in Kish......Page 80 The Rebel Seizes Power......Page 82 Rebellion and Religion......Page 83 Rebellion and Structural Change in the Ruling Order......Page 85 Spatial Order as a Visible Sign of the Ruling Order......Page 86 Sargon of Akkad, Founder of a City......Page 87 Conclusion: The Rebellion of Kish and Its Local Consequences......Page 88 Expansion and Invasion: Sargon the King of Akkad, Sargon the Conqueror......Page 89 Direct and Structural Violence: Politics and Religion......Page 92 Conclusion: Sargon—Ruler and Usurper: The Ruler Who Caused Disorder and "Globally” Enforced the Establishment of a New Political Order......Page 95 References......Page 97 Part 2: Changing Order from Within......Page 100 4 Susan Pollock: The Royal Cemetery of Ur: Ritual, Tradition, and the Creation of Subjects......Page 102 Ritual, Ideology, and Consent......Page 104 Early Dynastic City-States of Southern Mesopotamia......Page 106 The Royal Cemetery......Page 110 Conclusion......Page 118 References......Page 119 Introduction......Page 124 The Hittite Royal Couple as Bound to the Gods......Page 125 Visualizing the Divine Ancestor......Page 128 Protecting the Kingdom: The Divine Image of Kings and Princes on Hittite Rock Reliefs......Page 134 The Contingent Nature of Hittite Art......Page 137 International Politics and the Persuasive Function of Religious Images......Page 140 Concluding Remarks......Page 145 Appendix......Page 146 References......Page 147 6 Paul-Alain Beaulieu: Nabonidus the Mad King: A Reconsideration of His Steles from Harran and Babylon......Page 150 The Neo-Babylonian Figure of Ihe Ideal King......Page 153 The Letter of Samsuiluna as Model for the Harran Stele......Page 155 The Theology of the Moon......Page 161 An Old Myth of Creation......Page 165 The God Lugal-šudu......Page 168 A Conflict of Authority and Legitimacy......Page 172 Conclusion......Page 176 References......Page 177 Part 3: Perceptions of a New Order......Page 180 Introduction......Page 182 Evidence Shaping the Traditional Image of Cyrus......Page 183 A Critical Reasessment......Page 185 Historical Realities......Page 189 Conclusions......Page 193 1. Cyrus Cylinder......Page 194 2. Cylinder of Marduk-apla-iddina II, Chaldean King of Babylon (721–710)......Page 196 4. Cyrus’s Defeat of the Medes and His Conquest of Babylonia......Page 197 References......Page 199 Cuneiform Texts and the Ethnicity of the Amorites......Page 206 The Amorites from the Fara Period to the Ur III Period......Page 207 Migration into Babylonian Territory during the Ur III Period......Page 208 The Threat to Babylonian Towns in the Ur III Period......Page 209 Royal Titles......Page 211 Perception of the Amorites by the Settled Population......Page 213 Summary......Page 219 References......Page 220 Index of Authors......Page 224 "Representation of political power seems to have been necessary at all times in all complex urban societies. To secure order - to construct a certain social, ideological, religious, economic, and cultural stability - seems to be one of the main intentions of representation. When order breaks down or is threatened, political power comes under threat, and the cohesion of the community is also in jeopardy." "In times of impending change, crisis, or disorder, special effort is required to reassure the community of the rulers' ability to maintain stability. What those in power did to convince the affected communities of their qualities as rulers, that is, their representational strategies - especially in times of change - is the subject of this book, explored through examination of case studies drawn from the ancient Near East. The volume is divided into three thematic parts: "Reestablishment of Order after Major Disruption," "Changing Order from Within," and "Perceptions of New Order.""--Jacket The representation of political power seems to be an imperative throughout all times in all complex urban societies. Through examination of case studies drawn from the ancient Near East, this book explores: What those in power did to convince the affected communities of their qualities as rulers, that is, their representational strategies.