Bit-Amukkani

Bit-Amukani (in the Aramaic Assur Ostracon ʾwkn; Assyrian mA-muk-ka-nu; Babylonian diBit U-ka-a-ni, diU-ka-nu; lit. House of Amukani) was a tribe, proto-state founded by Chaldeans in southern Mesopotamia which stretched from southeast of Nippur to the area of Uruk.[1] It is considered as one of the most powerful Chaldean tribes, next to Bīt-Iakin and Bīt-Dakkūri.

Bit-Amukkani among the Chaldean states in Babylonia during the 1st millennium BCE.

As early as 732. B.C.E. it was ruled by prince Ukinzer (also known as Mukin-zeri or Nabu-mukin-zeri) who became a king of Babylon in 732. B.C.E. instead of Nabu-shum-ukin II whom he superseded.[2] Later, Tiglath-pileser III devastated Bit-Amukani for the second time and defeated Mukin-zeri.[2] Shalmaneser III (856-824) inscriptions note that two Chaldean leaders (Mušallim-Marduk of Bīt-Amukāni and Adīnu of Bīt-Dakkūri) carried silver, gold, tin, bronze, elephant tusks, elephant skins, ebony and sissoowood (or meskannu-wood) as a tribute to the King of Assyria.

Though unconfirmed statement, the economy of Bīt-Amūkāni probably relied on producing dates.

Tiglath-pileser III described his genocide of Bit-Amukani with words: "the land Bit-Amukani I threshed as with a threshing instrument. I took all of its people (and) its property to Assyria." Although Tiglath-pileser III's writings testify about conflict with Bīt-Amūkāni, Bīt-Amūkāni never went extinct but actually remained important through later Babylonian history.

Sennacherib's inscriptions note that Bit-Amukani consisted of 39 walled cities and 350 villages.[3] Its capital was Sapia (Assyrian Sapīya or Šapīya).

List of Bīt-Amūkāni leaders
Name[4] Reign Comments
Mušallim-Marduk somewhere during Shalmaneser III gave tribute to Shalmaneser III in 850
(Nabû-)mukīn-zēri, king 731–729 deposed by Tiglath-pileser III; besieged in Šapīya, but not captured father of Šuma-ukīn
Ea-zēra-(i)qīša 673 > time of Ashurbanipal held hostage in Assyria during rebellion of 652–648; his mother was Humbušte (or Humbuštu); assured loyalty of Bit Amukani to Ashurbanipal
? Kudurru ca. rebellion of 652–648? position in tribe uncertain, according to Lipinski governor of Uruk;[5] probably was not Bit-Amukanean, but rather installed by Ashurbanipal

References
  1. Zadok, Ran (1985). On West Semites in Babylonia during the Chaldean and Achaemenian Periods: An Onomastic Study. pp. 58–62.
  2. Tadmor, Hayim (2011). The royal inscriptions of Tiglath-pileser III (744-727 BC) and Shalmaneser V (726-722 BC), kings of Assyria. Yamada, Shigeo., Novotny, Jamie R. Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-57506-657-8. OCLC 774282690.
  3. Younger, K. Lawson, Jr. (2016). A political history of the Arameans : from their origins to the end of their polities. Atlanta. p. 676. ISBN 9781589831285.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. Frame, Grant. "The Political History and Historical Geography of the Aramean, Chaldean, and Arab Tribes in Babylonia in the Neo-Assyrian Period". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. Lipinski, Edward (31 December 2000). Aramaeans: Ancient History, Culture. Peeters Publishers. p. 435. ISBN 978-9042908598.
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