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The Historical Prologue
of the Hittite Vassal Treaties Amnon Altman
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The so-called
"historical prologue" section in the Ancient Near Eastern treaties is
characteristic of "vassal treaties" and documents pertinent to
political subordination. It is known so far mainly from Hittite documents,
where it serves to present a set of legal arguments, justifying the
imposition of obligations on the subordinate party, and depriving that party
of the ability to contest the validity or legality of this subordination. As
such, it constitutes a potentially rich source of legal conceptions and rules
pertaining to the interest of the Ancient Near East - a source whose
potential was hitherto unfortunately ignored due to a misinterpretation of
the section's role in these documents. Taking as its starting point the
premise that the function of this section was juridical and that it was
addressed to the divine judges, this study attempts to unfold the legal
considerations that underlie the wording of some 20 examples of the "historical
prologue". Amnon Altman is Associate Professor
of Assyriology and Ancient Near East History in the Departments of History
and Jewish History, and member of the Kramer Institute of Assyriology at |
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