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record), and by witnesses, the presence of whose seals is always men-
tioned in the text written on the envelope.^9 The Assyrians called
such records †uppum ¢armum, “certified/validated tablet” and they
were carefully preserved in sealed containers and sent overland in
sealed packages.1.6 Miscellaneous
The Assyrians concluded treaties (called “oath,” mamìtum) with the
Anatolian rulers in whose territory they traded, and we have the
draft of one treaty with the ruler of a small town whose territory
the caravans crossed.^10
Erishum I, the ruler of Assur during whose reign the trade devel-
oped, in the second part of a long inscription, a copy of which was
found in kàrumKanish, deals with the administration of justice, threat-
ening liars and false witnesses by means of curses and promising
honest men a fair trial and the assistance of an “attorney” (ràbißum).^11
The thousands of business letters are an important source of the
law. They provide information not only on commercial law (sub-
stance, procedure, legal devices) but also on jurisdiction, when they
report on lawsuits and refer to or quote testimonies, appeals, verdicts,
and the contents of “tablets of the City.”- C A L
2.1 Organs of Government^12
2.1.1 The Ruler
2.1.1.1 The Ruler of Assur
The ruler of the city-state of Assur (called rubà"um, “big one,” “primus
inter pares”; the title “king,” “arrum, was reserved for the city-god) had
to share his power with “the City.” Both occur together in the oath
and in the formula of appeal (“Bring my case before... .”), but the(^9) For sealing practices, see Teissier, Sealing and Seals...
(^10) Ed. Çeçen-Hecker, “Wegerecht...”
(^11) Ed. Grayson, RIMAI 20f.
(^12) A comprehensive analysis of the political structure of Assur and of the govern-
ment of the colonies is offered by Larsen, City-State.. ., pts. 2 and 3, and earlier
by Garelli, Assyriens.. ., pt. 2.
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