A History of Ancient Near Eastern Law

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appears to be taken in reply to interrogation by the king, but this

may be due to the summary nature of the report.

4. P S

4.1 Citizenship

As elsewhere in the ancient Near East, the relative value of the term

“slave” means that, paradoxically, it can designate a free citizen.

4.1.1 In the “Syrian” tablets, the terms “son of the city” (TBR 86)

and “daughter of (the city of ) Emar” (RE 61) are used to designate

a free citizen of Emar.

4.1.2 In the “Syro-Hittite” tablets, “slave of the king” is used, prob-

ably for a free citizen of Carchemish (ASJ 14:46; Sigrist 2; Emar

117, 121). In ASJ 14:46, persons declared “slaves of the king” are

also declared to be slaves of Kunti-Teshup, a prince of Carchemish,

in the sense of being his feudal retainers. They owe him and his

descendents the feudal duty known as “bearing the weapon,” but at

the same time their free status is emphasized. They are declared

arawannu, a term coined from the Hittite word for free citizen, and

“not purchasable” (“a là“ìmi).^20 In Emar 19, the distinction is made

between a slave (= unfree) of a prince of Carchemish and his chil-

dren, who have the status of free citizens (arawannùtu). Citizenship of

Carchemish was most probably in addition to Emarite citizenship.

4.1.3 In RE 66, a manumitted slave is given the status of maryan-

nùtu, a term known from neighboring states of the period and asso-

ciated with an elite warrior class of charioteers.^21

4.2 Gender

Women could own and dispose of property, including land, but tes-

tators often gave wives and daughters a “male” status so as to improve

their position in law (see sec. 6 below). A female merchant is attested,

(^20) See Yamada, “Hittite Social Concept...”
(^21) See Heltzer, Internal Organization.. ., 111–15.
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