Tue., 11/26

Do Now–Exercise 22B: Annotate the Hittite and Egyptian versions of the preamble to the Silver Treaty (a.k.a. the Eternal Treaty) found on p. 1 of your Field Notes. No. 22. Note: ‘Khetasar’ appears to be the Egyptian name for Hattusili III (Kheta=Hatti). What do the differences between the two versions tell us about Ramesses II and Hattusili III? How are they typical kings in the ANE (ancient near east)? Summarize your observations in three or more complete sentences. In one of the three sentences, identify a key word or phrase that supports your answer. Read In Focus: The Kingdom of Amurru: Annotate the text as we read it together. At five or more different points in the text, make a one sentence summary of key events / actions / decisions / details. Write these one-sentence annotations in the margins of the text, and number each (1, 2, 3, …) HW: Complete Exercise 22B. Your answer can (and probably does) vary from the Model answer as long as you follow(ed) the directions for the assignment. Three different Model answers for 22B: Hattusili III offered a peace treaty inscribed upon silver to Rameses II, who wrote his version of it on the walls of several royal buildings. In Rameses’s version, the treaty was brought to him by Hattusili’s messengers “to crave peace” from the pharaoh. Making an adversarial king appear to beg for peace in this way was a typical tactic ancient kings used to convince their subjects that they were in a stronger and more magnanimous position than they actually were. (Oh yeah: Don’t use the word, “magnanimous,” unless you know what it means—I may be tricking you!!!) In the Hittite version of the treaty, Hattusilis III cares about the friendship between the kings. In the Egyptian version, Rameses II doesn’t show that he cares that much about the friendship of the kings but only wants peace so that he doesn’t risk going to war. The key word that supports my findings is found in the Hittite version, where Hattusilis talks about “fraternity”. These kings are typical ANE kings because they both say that the other king suggested peace first. The Hittite version states, “Thus speaks Reamasesa, the great king…look, I have established a good fraternity and a good peace forever among us.” In the Egyptian version, “…the great chief Kheta, Khetasar caused to be brought to pharaoh, L.P.H., by the hand of his messenger, Terteseb, and his messenger, Ramose, to crave peace from the majesty of Ramses II…”