Banber Arevelagitut'yan Instituti (Jan 2019)
SAMPLE OF MANIFESTATION OF ROYAL SUBORDINATION IN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ASSYRIA AND URARTU
Abstract
According to the “Chronicle” (Cylinder A, Col. X, ll. 40-50) of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal (669-627 B.C.) in 647-637 B.C., he was received the ambassadors of the king of Urartu Ishtarduri/Issarduri/Sarduri III (IV (?) (645-635(?) B.C). In the Chronicle, Ashurbanipal notes that earlier the Urartu kings sent him ancestors fraternal greetings, and now Sarduri “kîma ša DUMU (mâru) ana AD-šú (abûšu)” - “as a son to his father” constantly writes “lu šulmu-mu ana LUGAL (šarri) EN-ia (bêliya)” - “to the King, my Lord” and presents gifts. By means of evidence from similar Ancient Near Eastern and Ancient Diplomatic Sources, the problem of the status of the Urartu State and the King is investigated. Based on the fact in the above inscription of Ashurbanipal, as well as from many similar Parallels in Ancient Near Eastern lithographic sources and in Interstate relationship - it is clearly seen that the mutual appeal of the two rulers as “brother to brother” was peculiar to absolutely independent States. Meanwhile, here the vertical “father-son” relationship of the sovereign over the vassal takes place, which are formed mainly by force and coercion. This crucial change in diplomatic etiquette demonstrates the voluntary donation of the political sovereignty of the State of Urartu.
