HITTITES & PHOENICIANS
I.
HITTITES
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
UNTIL ABOUT A CENTURY AGO LITTLE KNOWN OF HITTITES EXCEPT THEIR NAME
a.
AS MENTIONED IN OLD TESTAMENT
2.
THOUGHT PLAYED NO ROLE OF ANY SIGNIFICANCE IN HISTORY
3.
BUT IN 1870 DISCOVERY OF SOME CURIOUSLY INSCRIBED STONES FOUND AT
HAMA IN SYRIA
a.
BEGAN EXTENSIVE INQUIRY
b.
WHICH HAS CONTINUED
4.
NOT LONG BEFORE SCORES OF OTHER MONUMENTS & CLAY TABLETS DISCOVERED
OVER LARGE REGION MIDDLE EAST
5.
IN 1907 SOME EVIDENCES OF ANCIENT CITY UNEARTHED NEAR VILLAGE OF
BOGHAZ-KOY IN TURKEY
6.
EVENTUALLY RUINS OF A GREAT FORTIFIED CAPITAL UNEARTHED
a.
HATTUSAS OR HITTITE CITY
b.
W/IN WHOSE WALLS MORE THAN 20,000 CLAY TABLETS DISCOVERED
7.
ON THE BASIS OF THESE FINDS CLEAR HITTITES ONCE RULERS OF MIGHTY
EMPIRE
a.
COVERING MOST OF ASIA MINOR
b.
& INTO MIDDLE EAST
c.
EXTENDING TO UPPER REACHES OF EUPHRATES RIVER
d.
INCLUDED AT ITS HEIGHTH SYRIA & PARTS OF PALESTINE
B.
WHERE DID THE HITTITES COME FROM & WHO WERE THEY?
1.
MOST MODERN SCHOLARS TRACE THEIR ORIGIN TO TURKESTAN
a.
& PROBABLY RELATED TO GREEKS
2.
PHILOLOGISTS POST WWI DECIPHERED LANGUAGE
3.
DISCOVERING IT NOT RELATED TO SEMITIC LANGUAGES OF AREA
4.
BUT OLDEST EXAMPLE OF WRITTEN INDO-EUROPEAN
a.
BASIS OF GREEK, LATIN & ENGLISH
5.
SURMISED HITTITES REACHED ANATOLIA (MODERN TURKEY) BY 1700 B.C. OR
EARLIER
6.
NEXT 3 CENTURIES GRADUALLY IMPOSED THEIR RULE AS WARRIOR ELITE OVER
INHABITANTS
7.
BY 1353 B.C. HITTITE EMPIRE RIVALED IN SIZE & POWER ONLY BY EGYPT
8.
IN SUBSEQUENT CENTURIES
9.
MYSTERIOUS SEA PEOPLES DESTROYED BOTH EGYPTIAN & HITTITE EMPIRE
10.
BY EARLY 8TH C B.C. ALL THAT REMAINED OF HITTITE CONQUERED BY
ASSYRIANS, LYDIANS & OTHERS
C.
ECONOMY OF HITTITES
1.
GIVEN CREDIT FOR DEVELOPING MINING IRON ORE IN THEIR MINERAL RICH
ANATOLIA
2.
& MAKING IT INTO WEAPONS OF WAR & OTHER ITEMS
3.
KNOWN FOR GENERATIONS AS FINEST METAL WORKERS OF ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST
4.
IRON WAS NOT NECESSARILY AN IMPROVEMENT OVER OTHER METALS IN HARDNESS
& SHARPNESS
5.
BUT IT WAS MORE PLENTIFUL & THUS MORE CHEAP
6.
& ALL RANKS OF FIGHTERS COULD HAVE IRON WEAPONS
7.
WITH NEW KNOWLEDGE OF USES FOR IRON
8.
HITTITES ADAPTED SUMERIAN CHARIOT
9.
BY REPLACING HEAVY SOLID WOODEN WHEELS WITH IRON SPOKED WHEELS,
a.
LIGHT BUT STRONG
10.
DRAWN BY HORSES SPECIALLY BRED & SCHOOLED FOR COMBAT
11.
NEW CHARIOT COULD CHARGE INTO BATTLE AT HIGH SPEED
D.
HITTITE LAW & JUSTICE
1.
1 OF MOST SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS OF HITTITES
a.
HUMANE SYSTEM OF LAW
2.
ON WHOLE MORE HUMANE THAN OLD BABYLONIANS
3.
DEATH PUNISHMENT FOR ONLY 8 OFFENSES
2
INCLUDING
a.
WITCHCRAFT
b.
THEFT OF PROPERTY FROM PALACE
c.
BESTIALITY
d.
RAPE
(1)
WHERE ODD DISTINCTION MADE BETWEEN SEIZING A MARRIED
WOMAN IN MOUNTAINS
(a)
WHICH WAS A CAPITAL CRIME
(2)
TO ATTACKING HER IN HER HOUSE.
(a)
IN THIS CASE IF WOMAN COULD NOT BE HEARD CRYING OUT
FOR HELP, SHE WOULD BE PUT TO DEATH
(b)
APPARENTLY ON THEORY SHE HAD WILLINGLY COMMITTED
ADULTERY
5.
EVEN PREMEDITATED MURDER PUNISHABLE ONLY BY FINE
6.
BASIC PRINCIPLE OF HITTITE LAW - ONE OF RESTITUTION INSTEAD OF
RETRIBUTION
7.
ARSONISTS REQUIRED TO REPLACE PROPERTY THEY HAD BURNED
8.
EVEN MURDERS COULD GO FREE AFTER REMUNERATING THEIR VICTIMS HEIRS,
a.
GENERALLY BY PAYMENT OF SILVER, SLAVES, LAND OR A HOUSE ALONG
W/BURIAL COSTS
9.
NOT A SINGLE EXAMPLE OF SUCH SADISTIC PUNISHMENTS AS FLAYING,
CASTRATION & IMPALEMENT
a.
WHICH ASSYRIANS SEEMED TO THINK NECESSARY FOR MAINTAINING THEIR
AUTHORITY
10.
PRICES FIXED IN LAWS FOR AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF COMMODITIES
a.
NOT ONLY FOR ARTICLES OF LUXURY & PRODUCTS OF INDUSTRY BUT EVEN
FOR FOOD & CLOTHING
11.
ALL WAGES & FEES FOR SERVICE LIKEWISE PRESCRIBED
12.
W/PAY OF WOMEN FIXED AT LESS THAN FOR MEN
HITTITE FAMILY STRUCTURE
1.
FATHER HAD POWER OF LIFE & DEATH OVER CHILDREN
2.
EVIDENCE OF FIRST LEVIRATE MARRIAGE
a.
IF MAN HAS WIFE AND MAN DIES, HIS BROTHER SHALL TAKE HIS WIFE,
THEN HIS FATHER SHALL TAKE HER. IF ALSO HIS FATHER DIES, HIS
BROTHER SHALL TAKE HIS WIFE [AND ALSO] THE SON OF HIS BROTHER
SHALL [TAKE HER]
HITTITE RELIGION
1.
MANY DEITIES
2.
SEEMS EQUAL NUMBER OF MALE & FEMALE DEITIES
3.
SUN GODDESS- ARINNA - MOST IMPORTANT
a.
KNOWN ALSO AS QUEEN OF HEAVEN & HEARTH
4.
USE OF DOUBLE-HEADED EAGLE SYMBOL
DOWNFALL OF HITTITES
1.
IN LAST YEARS OF HITTITES' EMPIRE EGYPTIANS THEIR ENEMIES
2.
BUT CONTENT TO HOLD THEIR DISTANCES
a.
HITTITES HELD GENERAL HEGEMONY OVER SYRIA
b.
WHILE EGYPT EXERCISE POWER IN PALESTINE
3.
WHAT EVENTUALLY CAME TO DISTURB BOTH OF THEM RISING POWER OF
ASSYRIANS IN UPPER MESOPOTAMIA
4.
EVENTUALLY EGYPT & HITTITES AGREED TO REFRAIN FROM WARRING AGAINST
EACH OTHER
5.
& FIGHT OTHERS AS ALLIES
6.
THIS AGREEMENT EARLIEST INTERNATIONAL TREATY IN EXISTENCE
a.
C. 1270 B.C.
7.
2 YRS AFTER AGREEMENT REACHED RAMSES II TOOK HITTITE PRINCESS AS HIS
BRIDE
8.
IN END MYSTERIOUS SEA PEOPLES WHO OBLITERATED HITTITE WORLD
9.
BY 1200 B.C. HITTITE EMPIRE VANISHED,
10.
CREATING POWER VACUUM IN MIDDLE EAST
4.
E.
F.
G.
3
a.
II.
TO WHICH ASSYRIANS RESPONDED
PHOENICIANS C. 13TH C. - 2ND C. B.C.
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
1ST EXPLORERS, SEA TRADERS & COLONIZERS OF ANCIENT WORLD
2.
ORIGINATED ON EASTERN SHORE OF MED SEA
3.
LATER EXPANDED TO REST OF MED. SHORELINE
4.
THEIR INFLUENCE FELT THROUGH PEACEFUL TRADING NOT MILITARY CONQUEST
5.
HAD OWN NATURAL RESOURCES IN TWO MAJOR AREAS
a.
TIMBER & TEXTILES/DYE
6.
ALSO IMPORTED NATURAL RESOURCES FROM OTHER LANDS
7.
THEN MADE FINISHED PRODUCTS FROM THEM TO SELL
8.
SHADES OF JAPANESE BUT IN A FAR DISTANCE PAST
9.
THEIR SYSTEM OF GOVT CITY-STATE
a.
GOVERNED BY COMMERCIAL OLIGARCHY
10.
GREATEST CITY-STATES TYRE & SIDON IN EASTERN MED. AREA
11.
LATER CARTHAGE MOST SIGNIFICANT
a.
ON NORTH AFRICAN COAST
12.
BY C. 1250 B.C. DOMINATED MED COMMERCE
13.
REACHED THEIR ZENITH FROM 10-8TH C. B.C
14.
PHOENICIANS LONG IGNORED BY HISTORIANS
15.
AS BRITISH & GREEKS ANTI-SEMITIC
16.
IN OLD TESTAMENT
17.
PHOENICIANS CONSIDERED EVIL EMPIRE OF ANCIENT WORLD
18.
HOME OF BAAL, ASTARTE, & JEZEBEL
19.
& SINCE PHOENCIANS DEEMED WORTHLESS
20.
NONE OF THEIR CITIES EXCAVATED UNTIL RECENTLY
B.
WHO WERE THEY & WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?
1.
PHOENICIANS DID NOT START AS SEAFARERS
2.
PART OF LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE
3.
WHO BY 3000 B.C. HAD MIGRATED INTO AREA ENCOMPASSING SYRIA,
PALESTINE,
C.
POLITICAL HISTORY
1.
PORT TOWNS ALONG MED SHORE EVOLVED INTO SMALL CITY-STATES
2.
EACH WITH ITS OWN MONARCH
3.
SO ATTRACTIVE WERE SMALL CANAANITE KINGDOMS & THEIR WEALTH
4.
THAT BY 16TH C B.C. EGYPT HAD THEM UNDER ITS OWN POWERFUL CONTROL
5.
NOT ONLY TRADING WITH THEM BUT EXACTING TRIBUTE TO FILL ITS
TREASURIES
6.
EGYPTIAN YOKE HELD FOR 4 CENTURIES BEFORE SERIES OF POLITICAL
CONVULSIONS RACKED NEAR EAST
7.
& SET PHOENICIAN CITY-STATES FREE TO EXPAND AS MARITIME POWERS
8.
TRADING PORTS
a.
TYRE
b.
BERYTUS (BEIRUT)
c.
SIDON
d.
& FAMED BYBLOS
D.
PHOENICIANS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO WRITING SYSTEM
1.
DEVELOPMENT OF ALPHABET FACILITATED TRADE
2.
INVENTION OF TRUE ALPHABET GREAT LEGACY
a.
DEVELOPED AROUND 1000 B.C.
3.
22 SIGNS OF PHOENICIAN ALPHABET STOOD FOR BOTH VOWELS & CONSONANTS
4.
LITERACY NO LONGER LIMITED TO PROFESSIONAL SCRIBES
5.
NEW ALPHABET GAVE PHOENICIA'S SEAGOING MERCHANTS EDGE ON COMPETITION
E.
TRADING ENTERPRISES OF PHOENICIANS
1.
PHOENICIANS' MOST FAMOUS TRADE PRODUCTS
a.
TEXTILES & DYE
2.
BUT ORIGINATED IN ANCIENT CRETE CENTURIES BEFORE
3.
IN VIVID CONTRAST TO PLAIN GARMENTS OF EGYPTIANS & GREEKS
4
PHOENICIAN FABRICS DYED IN BRILLIANT COLORS
a.
RANGING FROM SOFT PINK
b.
TO DEEP PURPLE
5.
NAME PHOENICIAN PROBABLY DERIVES FROM GREEK WORD MEANING PURPLE DYE
6.
SOURCE OF DYE
a.
SMALL SEA MOLLUSK CALLED MUREX
b.
COLLECTED FROM WATERS JUST OFFSHORE
7.
BY BOILING FOR VARYING LENGTHS OF TIME
a.
DIFFERING HUES PRODUCED
8.
RESULTING DYES SO HIGHLY PRIZED
a.
WORTH AT LEAST 10 TIMES ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD
9.
SO VALUED CLOTH DYED DEEPEST SHADE OF VIOLET
a.
CALLED ROYAL PURPLE
b.
& IN MANY REGIONS RESERVED FOR KINGS & OTHERS OF HIGH RANK
10.
EVENTUALLY MUREX BECAME VIRTUALLY EXTINCT IN MED WATERS
11.
OTHER MAJOR NATURAL RESOURCE PHOENICIANS TRADED IN
a.
TIMBER
b.
CHOICE LUMBER FROM LARGE STANDS OF CEDARS OF LEBANON, CYPRESS &
PINE
12.
TRADING WITH EGYPT
a.
CHIEF TRADING PARTNER
13.
PLANKS FROM CEDARS BUILT HUNDREDS OF SHIPS THAT PLIED NILE
14.
OIL FROM FRAGRANT WOOD USED FOR SOAKING CLOTHS THAT BOUND MUMMIFIED
BODIES OF THEIR DEAD
15.
IN EXCHANGE PHOENICIANS CAME BACK WITH PAPYRUS, LINEN & IVORY
OTHER ITEMS OF TRADE NB TO ECONOMY OF AREA TOO
1.
OTHER TRADING ITEMS WERE BROUGHT FROM OTHER REGIONS
2.
PHOENICIANS SERVED AS INTERNATIONAL TRADER
3.
PROFIT MARGIN HUGE
4.
PHOENICIAN MERCHANTS ALSO TRADED ITEMS FASHIONED BY THEIR OWN
ARTISANS
5.
MUCH IN DEMAND THROUGHOUT MED.
a.
IVORY ORNAMENTS
b.
TERRA COTTA MASKS
c.
GOLD & SILVER JEWELRY
d.
GLASS BEADS
(1)
LEARNED GLASS MAKING FROM EGYPTIANS
6.
NOT AN UNIQUE PHOENICIAN STYLE OF ART
7.
BUT WIDE VARIETY OF STYLES
a.
TO BE EXPECTED GIVEN THEIR CONTACT W/SO MANY DIVERGENT PEOPLES
8.
PHOENICIAN CITIES ALSO EXPORTED THEIR CONSIDERABLE EXPERTISE IN
CONSTRUCTION
9.
THEY BUILT ONE OF ANCIENT WORLDS MOST FAMOUS BUILDINGS
a.
GREAT TEMPLE OF SOLOMON IN JERUSALEM
PHOENICIAN EXPANSION BEYOND SHORES OF EASTERN MED
1.
FIRST CENTURIES PHOENICIANS TRADED EASTERN MED.
2.
GRADUALLY NAVIGATORS/ TRADERS GREW MORE VENTUROUS GOING FARTHER WEST
a.
ABOUT 1000 B.C.
b.
ACROSS OPEN STRETCHES OF SEA TO ISLANDS OF MALTA, SICILY &
SARDINIA
3.
PHOENICIANS CLAIMED THEY FIRST TO UNDERTAKE REGULAR TRIPS BEYOND
SIGHT OF LAND
4.
& TO TRAVEL AT NIGHT, STEERING BY STARS
5.
THEY FOUNDED SETTLEMENTS JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE THEY WENT
a.
CYPRUS
b.
NORTH AFRICAN COAST
c.
SPAIN
d.
SICILY, SARDINIA, CORSICA
6.
NEXT STEP
4.
F.
G.
H.
I.
5
a.
THROUGH STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR
b.
2500 MILES FROM THEIR HOME PORTS ON LEBANESE COAST
7.
BEGAN TO TRADE WITH PEOPLE OF MOROCCAN COAST
8.
PHOENICIAN NAVIGATORS MAY HAVE EVEN CIRCUMNAVIGATED AFRICAN CONTINENT
a.
A BOLD FEAT THAT WOULD NOT BE REPEATED FOR 2000 YRS
CARTHAGE
1.
MOST NB OF NEW COLONIES
2.
FOUNDED 813 B.C.
3.
OVER NEXT CENTURIES PHOENICIAN HOMELAND ON EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
CONQUERED BY ASSYRIANS
4.
& GREEK EXPANSION IN WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN THREATENED REST OF
PHOENICIAN TRADE
5.
BUT CARTHAGE MANAGED TO MAINTAIN POWER BASE
6.
UNTIL CONQUERED BY ROMANS AFTER 3 FAMOUS WARS
a.
PUNIC WARS
(1)
FROM 3RD C. B.C. TO 2ND C. B.C.
7.
IN END CARTHRAGE UNDER HANNIBAL WILL BE DESTROYED
8.
& ROME WILL SALT EARTH TO ENSURE IT WOULD NEVER RISE AGAIN
PHOENICIAN RELIGION
1.
ALTHOUGH NAMES OF GODS IN PANTHEON OF GODS VARIED FROM CITY TO CITY,
2.
A TRIAD OF DEITIES PREVAILED THROUGHOUT
3.
PRINCIPAL GOD EL,
a.
ALSO KNOWN AS BAAL OR MELQUART
4.
EARTHMOTHER GODDESS
a.
ASTARTE, ASHTART (ISHTAR)
5.
YOUNG GOD, OFTEN ASHTART'S SON
a.
USUALLY CALLED ADONIS
b.
WHOSE YEARLY DEATH & RESURRECTION REFLECTED ANNUAL CYCLE OF
SEASONS
6.
THROUGHOUT MEDITERREAN PHOENICIANS WORSHIPED THESE 3 DEITIES IN GREAT
TEMPLES
7.
IN CARTHAGE, ON NORTH AFRICAN COAST
8.
IN OPEN -AIR SANCTUARY CALLED TOPHETH OR PLACE OF SACRIFICE
9.
YOUNG CHILDREN KILLED BY CREMATION TO SATISFY DEITIES
10.
PART OF REASON WHY ROME SO EAGER TO DECIMATE CARTHAGE
11.
CARTHIGIANS MADE RELIGIOUS SACRIFICES TO TANIT
a.
CARTHIGIAN NAME FOR ASHTART OR ASTARTE
12.
ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE NOTED THAT AS SOCIETIES BECOME MORE CIVILIZED
THEY MOVE FROM HUMAN TO ANIMAL SACRIFICE
a.
REVERSE HAPPENED IN CARTHAGE
b.
OLDEST URNS CONTAINED BURNED SKELETAL REMAINS IN RATIO OF 3
CHILDREN FOR 1 ANIMAL
c.
BUT IN LATER ERA RATIO INCREASED TO 10 CHILDREN FOR 1 ANIMAL
13.
EVIDENCE IS ACCUMULATING CARTHAGE FOUND RELIGION TO BE CONVENIENT
BASIS FOR CONTROLLING SIZE OF POPULATION