At the time that the Egyptian advance into Syria began, Assyria and Babylonia
were conscious of the importance of Egyptian activity, and thus they dispatched
congratulatory gifts to the Egyptian pharaoh when he crossed the Euphrates (cf.
Redford 2003 : 250 – 254 ). These various hints in the sources must be put together
to provide some understanding of events (see Table 34.1).^4
Although both Assyria and Babylonia were obviously intent on encouraging
Thutmosis III to continue with his efforts, their behaviour and motivation were quite
different. Throughout the fifteenth and fourteenth centuries, Babylonian attitudes
towards Assyria were tempered by a confidence in the power of Babylonia, whereas
Assyria was seeking recognition, and viewed itself as being in competition with both
Mitanni and Babylon. Thus the Babylonian gifts were no more than cautious greetings,
restricted to the year of the Euphrates campaign: interest ceased as it became evident
that the Egyptians were unable to maintain the pressure. By contrast, the Assyrian
gifts began before the Egyptian advance into Syria, and continued after Thutmosis
III had heavy going in the Orontes.
The gifts from Alalakh tell a different story. They began some time after the
Euphrates campaign, and ceased in the period thereafter, as Mitanni power was consoli-
dated, and Alalakh accepted that. Gifts from the Hittites reveal a pattern which is
a mirror image, as they continue as Hittite concerns with Mitanni grow.
The stalemate begun shortly after the Euphrates campaign of 1446 BCcontinued
for more than a century. Thus, at the beginning of this era, when Thutmosis III
reached Carchemish on the Euphrates, Babylon appreciated the Egyptian effort. But
after a certain period, disillusionment set in, as the Mitanni hold on northern Syria
was consolidated.
It rapidly became evident that the Egyptians were not going to move any further,
and the Babylonians had other concerns. Near the early part of the reign of Thutmosis
III, Puzur-Assur III had rebuilt the walls of Assur, and forced Burnaburiash, King
of Babylonia, to recognise the common border with Assyria. This can only have
followed from a conflict between the two, and represented an initial setback, preventing
the Babylonians from moving further north. Fortunately for Babylon, the Assyrians
would find themselves menaced by Mitanni, and thus Babylonian fears of Assyrian
expansion could be put on hold once the boundary was established, and the Assyrians
left to face their neighbours to the west.
Not only was Assyria gradually reasserting itself, but it was at precisely this moment
that a new era commenced in Elam. Declaring themselves the Kings of Susa and
Anshan, the new Elamite rulers represented a major power to the east of Babylon.
The appearance of this new power began roughly during the reign of Thutmosis III,
and by the reign of Kadashman-Enlil I of Babylon, ‘embassies were exchanged between
the Babylonian and Elamite court’ (Kuhrt 1995 : 369 ).
Assyrian and Babylonian hopes had been raised by the Egyptian campaigns to the
Euphrates, but disappointment had ensued as Mitanni consolidated its hold, and the
Egyptian advance pushed back and stymied. Their hopes were reawakened, however,
when the Hittites began to put pressure on Mitanni. During the reign of Thutmosis
IV, Ugarit and some of the principalities in Syria which had recognised Mitanni
suzerainty moved towards recognising Egyptian hegemony, evidently as Hittite pres-
sures on Mitanni increased. Without Egyptian campaigns, the Mittani kings themselves
initiated openings towards Egypt, and thus the balance of political power moved in
Egypt’s favour – due to the campaigns of other powers.
— Egypt and Mesopotamia —