The 2nd Millennium Ancient Near East

Hammurabi

He was 6th king of the first Amorite dynasty of Babylon. He was first ruler to govern all of Mesopotamia after his first conquest, and held it under Babylonian rule. He is famous for creating a law code that served as a model for future others, including the Mosiac law of the bible. He linked his rule to other previous imperialists (like Sargon) by claim the title ““the mighty king, king of Babylon, king of the Four Regions of the World, king of Sumer and Akkad.” He also claimed he was ordained by the gods.

Zimri-Lin

The last king of of Mari who sought reclaim Mari’s old glory. He was allied turned to rivals with Hammurabi, and eventually Mari fell to the Babylonian ruler who razed it to the ground.

Suppliliuma I

He is a king who ruled over the Hittite empire in the 2nd Millennium BCE. He is considered the most powerful ruler of the Hittite empire, and is credited for the forming the “New Kingdom of Hittites” (Hittite empire). The old Kingdom of Hittites had fallen, but he reformed the laws in governmental policy which caused the delcine, re-conquered lost territories, and expanded his reign across Anatolia towards northern Mesopotamia, and into some parts of Egypt.

Amenhotep III/Akenaten

He was the 9th king of the eighteenth dynasty of of Egypt. He greatly contributed to Egyptian culture by maintaining peace and prosperity, which enabled him to devote his time to the arts. Many of the most impressive ancient Egyptian statues were built during his reign. He also, through military campaigns, was able to stengthen and expand the borders of his land.

Edict of Telipinu

Is a Hittite edict, written during the reign of king Telipinu, and is significant because it made it possible to reconstruct a succession of Hittite kings.

Code of Hammurabi

The code of Hammurabi was a et of 282 described laws written into a stone by the Babylonian king Hammurabi. It is the most clearly defined law code found from the ancient world, and influence the laws of other cultures (even biblical law).

Amarna Letters

A body of 14th century BCE correspondence exchanged between the rulers of the Ancient Near East and Egypt. They are the earliest examples of international diplomacy. The content of these letters regards negotiations of diplomatic marriages, friendship declarations, and gift exchange. They are found in the ancient city of Akhenaten, which was built by the Pharaoh Akhenaten (Amenhotep III).

Epic of Giglamesh (standard verse)

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Treaty of Kadesh

The Hittite version of an Egyptian-Hittite peace treaty, and is the first known peace treaty in history.

Diplomatic correspondance

Occurred between kings. If of equal importance called each other “brother” and if one was of lesser importance would be called “servant.”

Amorites

o   Semi-nomadic pastoralists with roots in the west

o   Competed with city residents for political power

o   Herded sheep for renewable resources (wool, skins, bones, horns, tendons)

o   Didn’t slaughter many animals in their flocks (meat was a luxury)

o   Villages held power of these people for pastoral rights

• Subjugated to political domination, military and labour levies, taxation

o   Settled people held prejudices to non-settled people

o   In the first 4 centuries of the 2^nd millennium there was an increase of the presence of Amorites in cities

• Lessening of Amorite stigma and people claimed their Amorite ancestry (e.g. Hammurabi)

o   With the collapse of centralized power in Babylonia in the early 2^nd millennium men with Amorite names seized power in several city-states

Hittites

• Where/When: Anatolia, c. 1600–1200 BCE

• Why Important: Created a powerful kingdom that rivaled Egypt. Known for legal texts, treaties, and military innovations (including chariot warfare). Central to Late Bronze Age diplomacy.

Assyrians (Old & Middle Assyrian Periods)

• Where/When: Northern Mesopotamia, c. 2000–1100 BCE

• Why Important: Developed long-distance trade networks (especially with Anatolia) and later a territorial state. Their merchant colonies and royal inscriptions illuminate early economic systems and state formation.

Hurians

• Where/When: Northern Mesopotamia and Anatolia

• Why Important: Influenced religion, law, and political culture across the region, especially through Mitanni and Hittite society.

Kassites

• Where/When: Southern Mesopotamia, c. 1600–1155 BCE

• Why Important: Ruled Babylon for centuries, showing political stability and cultural continuity rather than conquest-driven rule.

Mittani

• Where/When: Northern Mesopotamia/Syria, c. 1500–1300 BCE

• Why Important: A major Hurrian-speaking kingdom that balanced power between Egypt, the Hittites, and Assyria, illustrating the multipolar political system of the Late Bronze Age.

New Kingdom Egyptians

• Where/When: Egypt and Levant, c. 1550–1070 BCE

• Why Important: Egypt became a major Near Eastern imperial power, controlling Canaan and participating in international diplomacy (Amarna Letters). Provides crucial comparative evidence for kingship and empire.

Canaanites

• Where/When: Levantine city-states, throughout the 2nd millennium BCE

• Why Important: Functioned largely as vassal states within larger empires. Their cities appear extensively in Egyptian and Mesopotamian sources, especially diplomatic correspondence.