WESTERN ASIATIC OLD BABYLONIAN LETTER IN A SEALED ENVELOPE
1731 BC
A baked clay letter in sealed baked clay envelope with lines of cuneiform text. 103 grams, 70mm (2 3/4").
Condition
Fine condition.
Footnotes The letter was written by Sin-bel-aplim to the rabian nawe "sheikh of the herdland/town surroundings", a title not previously attested, and concerning the troops who guard the town. The letter is dated to Samsu-iluna year 20, "Year in which Samsu-iluna the king, the responsible king, subdued the country not obedient to him and smote with weapons the army of the land of Esznunna." In that year Sumerian city Eshnunna rebelled again. Samsu-iluna marched his army through the region and constructed the fortress of Dur-samsuiluna to keep them in line. The letter documents one of these activities. Samsu-iluna was the king of the Amorite dynasty of Babylon, ruling from 1750 BC to 1712 BC. He was the son and successor of Hammurabi.