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means of “Envoys of the City” and its orders and verdicts were sent
there by the ruler. Many records mention “(powerful) tablets of the
City” (†uppum [dannum]“a àlim), acquired by plaintiffs as an instru-
ment for obtaining justice, which are read out to opponents. In the
kàrum, people are said “to submit” (“uka"unum) to them, and they are
carefully preserved (“I have a powerful tablet.. .”). “The City” as
administrative body means the “City Assembly,” which convened
and took decisions, as is confirmed by rare references to the “assem-
bly” (pu¢rum).^17 This happened in the mu“làlum, “Stepgate,” situated
“behind the temple of Assur,”^18 also mentioned as such in Erishum’s
inscription. Other texts mention a ¢amrum, a “sacred precinct” (also
known from Babylonia), as a place of meeting. The sacredness of
the locale may have to do with the presence of the seven divine
judges and the “dagger of Assur,” on which oaths had to be sworn.
Once we meet the expression “The City, small and big,”^19 which
suggests a bicameral system with a plenary assembly alongside a
smaller council, a distinction also well attested for the kàrums. It links
up with the few occurrences of “the elders” (“ìbùtum), as a body
which is appealed to and passes verdicts (see 2.1.6.1 below).2.1.3 The Colonies (kàrum and wabartum)
The center of Assyrian colonial society was kàrum Kanish. Under it
ranked about fifteen other kàrums in the main cities of Anatolia (most
important were those of Buru“¢anda, Wah“u“ana, Durhumit, and
Hahhum) and about the same number of “trading stations” (wabar-
tum). The status of kàrumKanish is obvious, when other kàrums refer
to it as “our lords” and Anatolian rulers, keen on renewing their
treaty, as “our fathers.”^20 KàrumKanish, as an administrative body,
mirrored the institutional fabric of Assur, but for its ruler. The kàrum
had a scribe (secretary), archives, and a “kàrumhouse,” which was
used for administrative purposes and storage but was also the place
where the assembly (pu¢rum) of the kàrumconvened and passed ver-
dicts, in a locale also called ¢amrum, “sacred precinct,” near “the
gate of the god,” where oaths were sworn on the dagger of the god(^17) kt n/k 512:8f. mentions legal action “in the City, in the assembly, during a
trial, with the help of witnesses.”
(^18) See Veenhof, “Legislation.. .,” 1721.
(^19) KTS 2 64:2'f.: àlum ßa¢er rabi.
(^20) See Garelli, Assyriens.. ., 329–40.
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