seizure of Zemar or his massacre of the royal governors, but to send some troops to himself for the defence of Gebal.  In a second letter he reiterates his charges against Aziru, who had now “smitten” Adon, the king of Arka, and possessed himself of Zemar and the other towns of Phoenicia, so that Gebal “alone” is on the side of the king, who “looks on” without doing anything.  Moreover a fresh enemy had arisen in the person of Eta-gama of Kadesh, who had joined himself with the king of the Hittites and the king of Naharaim.

Letters to Khu-n-Aten from Akizzi the governor of Qatna, which, as we learn from the inscriptions of Assur-natsir-pal, was situated on the Khabur, represent Aziru in the same light.  First of all, the Egyptian government is informed that the king of the Hittites, together with Aidhu-gama (or Eta-gama) of Kadesh has been invading the Egyptian territory, burning its cities, and carrying away from Qatna the image of the Sun-god.  Khu-n-aten, it is urged, could not allow the latter crime to go unpunished.  The Sun-god had created him and his father, and had caused them to be called after his own name.  He was the supreme object of the Pharaoh’s worship, the deity for whose sake Khu-n-Aten had deserted Thebes.

The Hittite king had been joined in his invasion of Syria by the governors of some otherwise unknown northern cities, but the kings of Nukhasse, Ni, Zinzar (the Sonzar of the Egyptian texts), and Kinanat (the Kanneh of Ezek. xxvii. 23) remained faithful to the Egyptian monarch.  The rebel governors, however, were in the land of Ube,—­the Aup of the hieroglyphics,—­which they were urging Aidhu-gama to invade.

Another letter brings Aziru upon the scene.  He is accused of having invaded the land of Nukhasse, and made prisoners of the people of Qatna.  The Pharaoh is prayed to rescue or ransom them, and to send chariots and soldiers to the help of his Mesopotamian subjects.  If they come all the lands round about will acknowledge him as lord, and he will be lord also of Nukhasse; if they do not come, the men of Qatna will be forced to obey Aziru.

It is probable that the misdeeds of Aziru which are here referred to were committed at the time he was in Tunip, professedly protecting it against Hittite attack.  It would seem from what Akizzi says, that instead of faithfully performing his mission, he had aimed at establishing his own power in Northern Syria.  While nominally an officer of the Pharaoh, he was really seeking to found an Amorite kingdom in the north.  In this he would have been a predecessor of Og and Sihon, whose kingdoms were built up on the ruins of the Egyptian empire.