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Revision as of 09:08, 10 February 2005 by Dbachmann (talk | contribs) (→Chronology of Mitanni rulership: more cautious wording)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The Mitanni (also, more correctly, Mittani) was the name of the Hurrian population in West Asia in the second millennium BC, around the Khabur River in upper Mesopotamia, and, most notably, to a ruling dynasty of maybe Indo-Aryan origin who dominated that population during the 15th and 14th centuries BC. Theirs was a feudal state led by a warrior nobility.
History
The kingdom Hanilgalbat ruled northern Mesopotamia (including Syria), with the capitals Washshukanni (vasu-khani, would mean "mine of wealth" in sanskrit, but c.f. Luwian vasu- "good") and Taite. By approximately 1350 BC, the Mitanni kingdom had weakened, and had become practically dependent on the Hittites, then under the rule of Shuppiluliuma I. Assyria, previously under Mitanni control, was able to assert its independence during the reign of Ashuruballit I in approximately 1330 BC.
Possible connections to Sanskrit
Some scholars try to equate the deities venerated by the Mittanni with Vedic deities and try to trace the names used by the aristocracy to Indo-Aryan roots. In a treaty between the Hittites and the Mitanni, the deities Mitra, Varuna, Indra, and Nasatya (Ashvins) are invoked. A text by a Mitannian named Kikkuli uses words such as aika (eka, one), tera (tri, three), panza (pancha, five), satta (sapta, seven), na (nava, nine), vartana (vartana, round). Another text has babru (babhru, brown), parita (palita, grey), and pinkara (pingala, red). Their chief festival was the celebration of vishuva (solstice) which was common in most cultures in the ancient world. The Mitanni warriors were called marya, which is the term for warrior in Sanskrit as well. Some people believe that it is not only the kings who had Sanskrit names; a large number of other Sanskrit names have been unearthed in the records from the area. Others point out that overinterpretation of ancient names is an issue that must be taken into account.
Chronology of Mitanni rulership
- Kirta 1500 BC-1490 BC
- Shuttarna I 1490 BC-1470 BC
- Baratarna 1470 BC-1450 BC
- Parsatatar 1450 BC-1440 BC
- Saustatar 1440 BC-1410 BC
- Artatama 1410 BC-1400 BC
- Shuttarna II 1400 BC-1385 BC
- Artashumara 1385 BC-1380 BC
- Tushratta 1380 BC-1350 BC
- Mattivaza 1350 BC-1320 BC
- Sattuara I 1320 BC-1300 BC
- Vashasatta 1300 BC-1280 BC
- Sattuara II 1280 BC-1270 BC
Sanskritic interpretations of the royal names interpret Shuttarna as Sutarna "good sun", Baratarna as Paratarna "great sun", Parsatatar as Parashukshatra "ruler with axe", Saustatar as Saukshatra "son of Sukshatra, the good ruler", Tushratta as Dasharatha, and finally Mattivaza as Mativaja "whose wealth is prayer. During Mattivaza's lifetime the Mitanni state appears to have become a vassal to Assyria.
The daughter of the King Tushratta, Princess Tadukhipa, became the second queen of Akhenaten; the daughter of King Artatama was married to Thutmose IV, Akhenaten's grandfather; and the daughter of Sutarna II (Gilukhipa) was married to his father, Amenhotep III, the great builder of temples who ruled during 1390-1352 BC (khipa of these names is compared to Sanskrit kshipa "night"). In his old age, Amenhotep wrote to Tushratta many times wishing to marry his daughter, Tadukhipa. It appears that by the time she arrived Amenhotep III was dead. Tadukhipa married the new king Akhenaten and she may have became famous as the Queen Kiya (short for Khipa?). Some theories however identify her with Nefertiti, also a Queen of Akhenaten.