Among the nearly four hundred cuneiform tablets found in the Egyptian royal archives at Amarna (ancient Akhetaten) are records detailing the sometimeslavish diplomatic gifts that the "great kings" gave each other. Some half dozen letters were exchanged between the Kassite Babylonian king Burna-Buriash II (circa 1359 - circa 1333 B.C.E.) and the Egyptian kings Amenophis III (circa 1390 - circa 1352 B.C.E.) and his successor Amenophis IV, better known as Akhenaten (circa 1352 - circa 1336 B.C.E.). Though these kings call each other "brother," the tone of the letters is at times anything but cordial, as in this letter from Burna-Buriash:

Because I (Burna-Buriash) was told the road is dangerous, the water is cut off, and the weather is hot, I did not send you (Akhenaten) many fine gifts. (Now) I have sent 4 minas (about 2 kilograms, or 4 pounds...