probably composed in Hittite during the Hittite Old Kingdom.^26 The text
presupposes that Hattushili’s generals are besieging Urshu, which probably was
located not far from Ebla, and are not having much success. The first few lines
on the reverse side of the tablet refer to the capture of thirty chariots from another
enemy city.^27 In a longer exchange between Hattushili and his generals we hear
about the Great King’s own chariots:
While they did nothing to the city, many servants of the king were hit, and
many died. The king became angry and said, “Guard the roads—keep watch
on those who would enter the city and on those who would go out of the city!
Let no (one) go over to the (other) enemies—to the city Zaruar, to the city
Aleppo, to the Hurrian army, or to Zuppa!” They replied, “We will be on
guard. Eighty chariots (and) eight armies encircle the city. May the heart of
the king not be troubled. I am in place.” Then a fugitive came out of the city
and said: “The servant of the man of Aleppo has entered five times; the servant
of Zuppa is present in the city; the men of Zaruar go in and out.”... The
king became angry.^28The eighty chariots patrolling the wall of Urshu were evidently supposed to
prevent such surreptitious flights to or from the city. Like Hittite chariots in a later
period,^29 Hattushili’s chariots were mobile platforms for archers, armed with either
self or composite bows. The “Anecdotes Text,” dating from the Old Kingdom,
includes an anecdote about the training of archers: after learning the necessary
skills, from holding the bow to sharpening the arrowheads, the trainees shoot before
the king:
When they shoot before the king, he who hits the mark, to him they give wine
to drink. They [.. .] the king. But he who does not hit the mark, to him they
give a bitter (?) cup. There he runs the review naked.^30Also relevant are entries in the Annals of Hattushili(or the Deeds of
Hattushili).^31 In Hattushili’s account of Year 4 in the Annalshe claims to have
driven off chariots “of the country of Abbaya” when they attacked him en route
from Sanahuitta to Hattusha.^32 Although Sanahuitta’s location is uncertain, Trevor
Bryce believed that it lay to the northeast of Hattusha.^33 In the Year 6 entry of
his Annals Hattushili boasts of sacking the city of Hassu (or Hassuwa) in Syria,
and bringing back much gold and silver for the gods and goddesses of Hatti.^34
Hassu was one of the cities that owed allegiance to the kingdom of Yamhad,
centered at Aleppo, and the Great King of Yamhad sent an army to aid his vassal
against Hattushili’s aggression. The two forces met near Mt. Atular (Adular), and
after defeating his opponents Hattushili crossed the Purana river and proceeded
to Hassu. The Mt. Atular battle was of course fought in open country.^35 That
Hattushili’s opponents relied on at least one chariotry and perhaps two we learn
from another text relating to the destruction of Hassu: the “Zukrasi text,” one of
the earliest texts in Hittite that archaeologists have thus far recovered. In Houwink
ten Cate’s translation this text reads:
118 Chariot warfare and militarism