A History of Ancient Near Eastern Law

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tion as ruler: “The elders may not address (you); my son should not

be approached for personal advantage (?). To you, my son, (even)

the elders of Hattusa may not speak. All the less so may someone

from the people say a word to you” (§11). So that his directive not

be forgotten, the king orders: “This tablet should be read to you

every month” (§22). In this way Hattusili emphasizes his demands

upon the State. In §29 he stresses the necessity for unity and solid-

arity among the royal family: “May your family be united like those

of the animals!”

2.1.3 Nonetheless, the following centuries saw bitter struggles for

the throne, with repeated coups and assassinations within the palace.

The situation changed only after 1500, when King Telipinu pro-

mulgated his constitutional edict. Section 28 lays down the follow-

ing rule of succession:

Only a son who is a king’s son of the first rank may become king. If

there is no son of the first rank, he who is a son of the second rank

shall become king. If, however, there is no son of the king, an heir,

available, they shall take an antiyant-for whoever is a daughter of the

first rank and he shall become king.

Telipinu was thus contemplating a hereditary kingship through the

male line. The word antiyant-is normally translated “son-in-law” fol-

lowing Balkan,^23 but against this interpretation is, inter alia, the fact

that Telipinu turns to the panku, and neither this “community” nor

any other could have a son-in-law.^24

2.1.4 Like Hattusili in his political testament, Telipinu in sec. 29

of his constitution calls for unity from his family and the army, in

the light of earlier struggles for the throne: “Do not kill one of the

royal family; it is not good.” More expressly, sec. 31 states: “If a

prince sins, only he shall suffer the death penalty,” thereby exclud-

ing collective punishment, which would fall upon the culprit’s fam-

ily. Telipinu ensures that his successors will not become despots by

making them subject to the jurisdiction of the panku, the community

of the royal family (30): “Whoever is king and plans evil against his

(^23) Balkan, “Schenkungsurkunde.. .,” 148ff.; von Schuler, “Althethitische Schen-
kungsurkunde.. .,” 208.
(^24) Beckman, “Inheritance.. .,” 17; Haase, “Der §36...,” 394f.
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