Enforcing Royal Authority

Letters Between a Sumerian King and His Prime Minister (ca. 2000–1700 B.C.E.)

In theory, the word of a Sumerian king was law, in the face of which subjects could do nothing but tremble and obey. Reality, however, was much less clear-cut. Sumerian kingdoms were won through conquest, and there was always the possibility that conquered peoples might choose to rebel, particularly if they could find an ally in a rival king. Moreover, the farther a territory was from the king and his capital, the harder it was to control. In the first of the two letters included below, Prime Minister Aradmu writes to King Shulgi, an early-second-millennium Sumerian king, with what he sees as evidence of an impending rebellion in the frontier province of Subir. In the second letter, King Shulgi chastises his prime minister for misunderstanding the situation. As you read the letters, ask yourself what light they shed on the differences between the theory and the practice of Sumerian kingship.

Aradmu to King Shulgi

Say to my liege1: thus speaks Aradmu, your servant:

You commanded me, while I was on an expedition to Subir, to put in order the taxes on the border-zone provinces, to learn the state of your provinces, to counsel with Apillasha2, the high commissioner, and thus make him obedient, so that he could bring them [i.e., the people of Subir] (correct) daily instructions(?).

When I had arrived at the gate of the establishment, no one inquired about my liege’s well-being, no one rose from [his] seat for me, did not prostrate himself [before me], [and all] this made me nervous.

When I drew nearer, [I discovered that Apillasha] was dwelling in a travel tent constructed by means of finely combed fleece [panels] with pegs inlaid with gold, silver, carnelian, and lapis-lazuli covering an area of thirty sar [c. 1080 sq. m.]. [He] was gratifying [himself with gifts of] precious stones and metals as he was seated on a throne set up inside a screened enclosure of the finest cloth with his feet set on a golden footstool. He would not remove his feet in my presence! Choice guards stood to his right and left, five thousand on each side. [He ordered] six grass-fed oxen and sixty grass-fed sheep placed [on tables] for a meal; he finished my liege’s cleansing rites. A man [now] brought me in through the very gate at which I had not been greeted.

When I finally came in, someone brought me a chair with red gold encrusted knobs and told me: “Sit!” I answered him: “When I am on my liege’s orders I stand — I do not sit!” Someone heaped two grass-fed oxen and twenty grass-fed sheep unto my table, but even though I had given no offense, my liege’s guard[s] overturned my table. I was absolutely terrified!

It is now the evening of the fifth day of the fifth month. My liege thus commanded me; now the evening of the first day of the third month has passed and I have sent you a messenger. It is midday, and war is brewing! My liege must know [about this]!

King Shulgi to Aradmu

To Aradmu speak: thus says Shulgi, your lord:

[Apillasha], the one to whom you were dispatched, is he not your own trusted subordinate? Did he not receive [his] orders from your very own hands? Indeed, how could you misunderstand the true meaning of all that he has been doing? As far as I am concerned, you were to make the territories secure as my representative, you were to make safe the people and keep them obedient, and having arrived in the citi[es] of the territory, you were to discern their plans, and inform their [local] dignitaries of their orders, so that my battle cry should cover the land[s] that my mighty battle weapons subdue the foreign lands, and that my “storm” cover the land!

“Forget the murderer in the open steppe and thief in the field(?); until you have reached Apillasha, my high commissioner, let them flee before you, so that you can face him [as soon as possible]! (?)” So I commanded you!

[As to your accusations], if my high commissioner had not elevated himself just like me, if he had not sat in a screened enclosure, had not set his feet on a golden footstool, had not by his very own authority appointed and removed governors from the office of governor, royal officers from the position of royal officer, had not [punished anyone] by death or blinding, [and] had not elevated, by his own authority, those of his own choice [to positions of power] — how else could he have maintained order in the territory? If you [truly] love me you will not be so set against him!

You have made yourself so important so that you no longer understand your [own] soldiers! Now you have experienced their/his independence and his valor!

If you are [indeed] both my loyal servants, you will both listen carefully to my written instructions. Both of you — come to an understanding and secure the foundations of the land! It is urgent!

From Mark W. Chavalas, ed., The Ancient Near East: Historical Sources in Translation (Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishing, 2006), pp. 77–78.