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for military service or used them as workers in temples and in agri-
culture, where they could also be treated somewhat in the manner
of medieval glebae adscripti(HL 112). From HL 40 it appears that at
the king’s directive they could also take the place of craftsmen who
could not or would not fulfill their public service (sa¢¢an).4.3.4 The position of the semi-free was unenviable. For example,
they were counted by “heads,” as land-grant deeds attest.^57 According
to HL 176b, craftsmen could be sold. A consequence was flight
(22–24), as elsewhere in the ancient Near East.^58 They were also the
victims of abduction, perhaps to maintain the stock of the semi-free
(HL 19–21).4.4 Social status was not immutable; it was possible for free per-
sons to sink into the condition of semi-free. This was especially the
case with a free woman who married a semi-free man. According
to HL 34, she acquires his status at once or, if the man is a “stew-
ard,”^59 after two or three years (HL 175). If a shepherd or “steward”
abducts a free woman and does not give the betrothal payment
(see 5.1.2 below), she will become unfree after three years (HL 35,
but note that there are two slightly differing versions). The son of a
free man whom a semi-free man adopts in order to preserve his line
(antiyant-) loses his free status (HL 36; see 5.6 below).- F
5.1 Marriage
Hittite marriage is monogamous. Formation of marriage is in three
stages.5.1.1 The first stage, according to HL 28, is a promise (vb. tar-)
by the parents of the bride to their future son-in-law, to give him
their daughter in marriage. The latter gives the parents “something”
not otherwise specified. Thus, the marriage is decided upon by the(^57) Riemschneider, “Landschenkungsurkunden.. .,” passim.
(^58) Renger, “Flucht...”
(^59) Singer, “AGRIG.. .,” 105.
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