Urshu, Warsuwa [1] or Urshum was a Hurrian- Amorite [2] [3] city-state in southern Turkey, probably located on the west bank of the Euphrates, [4] and north of Carchemish. [5]
Urshu was a commercial city governed by a Lord ( EN). It was an ally of Ebla and appears in the tablets as Ursa'um. [6] Later it was mentioned in the inscriptions of Gudea (r. c.2144–2124 BC according to the Middle chronology) as the city where wood resins were procured. [7] An old Assyrian letter that dates to the 19th century BC mentions a temple of the god Ashur in Urshu. [8]
In the beginning of the 18th century BC, Urshu allied with Yamhad against Yahdun-Lim of Mari. [9] Relations with Assyria were also strained, and men of Urshu were summoned by Yapah-Adad and his Habiru to attack the lands of Shamshi-Adad I of Assyria. [10] The texts of Mari mentions a conflict between Urshu and Carchemish: the tribes of Upra-peans and Ra-beans attacked Urshu through the land of Carchemish, which caused Urshu to attack a contingent of Carchemishean troops and civilians that advanced along the bank of the Euphrates. [11]
Later, Urshu became an economic rival to Yamhad [12] and entered an alliance with Qatna and Shamshi-Adad I to attack Sumu-Epuh of Yamhad (r. c.1810-1780 BC). [13] The death of Shamshi-Adad and the rise of Yarim-Lim I of Yamhad brought an end to this rivalry, as Yamhad was elevated into a Great Kingdom and imposed its direct authority over northern, western and eastern Syria, [14] bringing Urshu under its sphere of influence without annexing it. [15] The Tablets of Mari mention a few kings of Urshu who date to this era, including Shennam [16] and Atru-Sipti, who visited Mari in the 12th year of its king Zimri-Lim. [11]
They broke the battering ram. The king was angry and his face was grim "They constantly bring me bad news, may the storm-god carry you away in a flood!.. but not idle! Make a battering-ram in the Hurrian manner and let it be brought into place. Hew a great battering-ram from the mountains of Hassu and let it be brought into place".
—Hattusili I describing the difficulties during the siege of Urshu. [17]
The Hittite king Hattusili I attacked Urshu in his second year, laying siege to the city for six months. The Hittite king had 80 chariots [18] and conducted his operations from the city of Lawazantiya (located in modern Elbistan district) in the Taurus foothills of eastern Cilicia. [19]
Despite receiving aid from Yamhad and Carchemish, Urshu was burned and destroyed; its lands were plundered and the booty taken to the Hittite capital Hattusa. [20]
The history of Urshu after the conquest is ambiguous. In the 15th century BC it appears in the Tablets of Alalakh as "Uris" or "Uressi", [4] and is mentioned "Urussa" in the treaty between the Hittite Tudhaliya II and Sunassura II of Kizzuwatna as part of the latter's territory. [21] The city again became part of the Hittite empire and was last mentioned in records dated to the final periods of that empire. [21]
Urshu, Warsuwa [1] or Urshum was a Hurrian- Amorite [2] [3] city-state in southern Turkey, probably located on the west bank of the Euphrates, [4] and north of Carchemish. [5]
Urshu was a commercial city governed by a Lord ( EN). It was an ally of Ebla and appears in the tablets as Ursa'um. [6] Later it was mentioned in the inscriptions of Gudea (r. c.2144–2124 BC according to the Middle chronology) as the city where wood resins were procured. [7] An old Assyrian letter that dates to the 19th century BC mentions a temple of the god Ashur in Urshu. [8]
In the beginning of the 18th century BC, Urshu allied with Yamhad against Yahdun-Lim of Mari. [9] Relations with Assyria were also strained, and men of Urshu were summoned by Yapah-Adad and his Habiru to attack the lands of Shamshi-Adad I of Assyria. [10] The texts of Mari mentions a conflict between Urshu and Carchemish: the tribes of Upra-peans and Ra-beans attacked Urshu through the land of Carchemish, which caused Urshu to attack a contingent of Carchemishean troops and civilians that advanced along the bank of the Euphrates. [11]
Later, Urshu became an economic rival to Yamhad [12] and entered an alliance with Qatna and Shamshi-Adad I to attack Sumu-Epuh of Yamhad (r. c.1810-1780 BC). [13] The death of Shamshi-Adad and the rise of Yarim-Lim I of Yamhad brought an end to this rivalry, as Yamhad was elevated into a Great Kingdom and imposed its direct authority over northern, western and eastern Syria, [14] bringing Urshu under its sphere of influence without annexing it. [15] The Tablets of Mari mention a few kings of Urshu who date to this era, including Shennam [16] and Atru-Sipti, who visited Mari in the 12th year of its king Zimri-Lim. [11]
They broke the battering ram. The king was angry and his face was grim "They constantly bring me bad news, may the storm-god carry you away in a flood!.. but not idle! Make a battering-ram in the Hurrian manner and let it be brought into place. Hew a great battering-ram from the mountains of Hassu and let it be brought into place".
—Hattusili I describing the difficulties during the siege of Urshu. [17]
The Hittite king Hattusili I attacked Urshu in his second year, laying siege to the city for six months. The Hittite king had 80 chariots [18] and conducted his operations from the city of Lawazantiya (located in modern Elbistan district) in the Taurus foothills of eastern Cilicia. [19]
Despite receiving aid from Yamhad and Carchemish, Urshu was burned and destroyed; its lands were plundered and the booty taken to the Hittite capital Hattusa. [20]
The history of Urshu after the conquest is ambiguous. In the 15th century BC it appears in the Tablets of Alalakh as "Uris" or "Uressi", [4] and is mentioned "Urussa" in the treaty between the Hittite Tudhaliya II and Sunassura II of Kizzuwatna as part of the latter's territory. [21] The city again became part of the Hittite empire and was last mentioned in records dated to the final periods of that empire. [21]