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Statutes) and perhaps also Assur itself distinguished between “big”
and “small men”^87 and the “big men” might be identical with “the
elders” attested for both (see 2.1.2–3 above).
In Old Assyrian society, women in many respects were equal to
men in law. Husband and wife both had the right to divorce (with
the same penalties, if demanded); daughters inherited just like sons
(see 6.2.3). Women could appeal to a court of law (3.1), engage in
business (loans, sales, trade, hiring people), and make their own tes-
taments (6.2.1); they do not, however, appear as witnesses to con-
tracts or to depositions under oath (3.3.1). The prolonged absence
of husbands in Anatolia made many married women in Assur acquire
more independence and responsibilities, including liability for their
husbands’ debts. Many eldest daughters became ugbabtu priestesses
and were economically independent.4.1.2 Anatolians
Assyrian documents invariably designate Anatolians collectively as
nuà"ù (“natives”). In Anatolian sale contracts (see 7.1.3 below), we
meet two terms, tusinnumand ubadinnum, both collectives and desig-
nations of groups of men. Its members are called awìlum; they also
use bèlu tusinnim, “those belonging to the tusinnum.” These groups
were probably bound together by profession, service duties, or locale
but without evidence of kinship ties. Both can be further identified
as belonging with or ranking under (lit. “that of.. .”) a high official,
such as the chief vizier, the ala¢¢innum, or the general (rabi sikkatim).^88
They occur as groups who sell or witness the sale of slaves (free per-
sons into slavery?) and houses and who might vindicate what is sold;
in one instance, a man redeems himself by paying his price to the
ubadinnum.^89 Anatolians could be subject to services duties (called
unu““um)^90 and could be said “to (go) after” or “to be of/belong to”
a high official.^91(^87) See Larsen, City-State.. ., 288–93, and 2.1.3 above.
(^88) In kt a/k 1263:4f.; see Günbattı, “BeßTableti.. .,” 52.
(^89) Kienast no. 12 (two men from the u. might vindicate a slave).
(^90) See, for unu““um, which is the equivalent of Akkadian ilkum(both the service
duty and the material compensation for it), Donbaz-Veenhof, “New Evidence...,”
151, n. 13 and Veenhof, “Care of the Elderly.. .,” 152, no. 8. For ubadinnum,
related to Ugaritic ubdy, see Diakonoff, “Some Remarks.. .,” 38ff.
(^91) Note esp. kt g/t 36, published in Bilgiç, “Three Tablets.. .,” 127ff.
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