News from the Eastern Front: The Evidence from Tell Shemshāra

Abstract

Mari letters from the so-called Assyrian Interregnum 1 show that the realm of Samsi-Adad I stretched far into areas east of the Tigris, and included important towns like Arrapha, Qabra and Susarra (Tell Shemshara).2 A few texts relate directly to an Assyrian campaign against Qabra, and these combined with other evidence make it possible to form a fairly accurate impression of how this town was added to the empire. Our best source for the campaign is the text on the famous victory stela AO 2776 in the Louvre.3 As argued by several scholars its author was certainly Samsf-Adad.4 The inscription, after a brief introduction, describes how he conquered Arrapha (col. I) and spent some time there performing religious ceremonies and establishing an Assyrian administration in the land of Arrapha, which no doubt included a large area in the plain south of the Lower Zab. Then on the 20th of Addaru he crossed the Zab (col. II), raided in the land of Qabra and destroyed the harvest there. (col. III, i-6). The text then continues: (and) all the fortified towns of the land Urbel I conquered in the month Maqranu, and I placed my garrisons everywhere. Qabra. ... was . in . its harvest(?) ...... this town (nom.) ....... in x