QATNA

The Amorites were a nomadic group that settled just outside the kingdom of Mesopotamia. Eventually, the group settled in an area that eventually became the kingdom of Qatna in the 4th Bronze Age. Evidently, fertile land was essential towards the growth of the Kingdom of Qatna and was vital in establishing trade relations. Qatna flourished during 1600 BCE when it became the capital of the Amorite Kingdom and was under the rule of the Assyrian Kingdom [i]. Qatna was sacked and destroyed in 1340 BCE [ii] by the Hittites. Qatna was resettled in the 10th century BCE [iii], only to be abandoned in 720 BCE.

Strategic locations always were of interest to large kingdoms vying for power; Qatna was located in a position that was close to powerful civilizations, in addition to having very fertile land. Shamshi-Ada was the ruler of the kingdom of Assyria from 1809-1776 BCE [iv] and was allied with the king of Qatna, Ishkhi-Adad. The Kingdom of Qatna was a sought-out area thanks to its strategic area between kingdoms. Naturally, this led to many enemies seeking out to claim the land such as the Egyptians [v], Assyrians, and Hittites. The Hittites were the main enemy as their plans for Qatna include conquering and destruction [vi].

Much of the more traditional connection to Qatna has been lost as the kingdom was destroyed in ancient times, leaving much of the history in the rubble. The ancient kingdom of Qatna has many modern-day influences on archeological sites that hold the historic tread of the multiple inclines and declines of the kingdom of Qatna. The modern-day village in place of the ancient kingdom of Qatna is Tal Al-Mishrifeh located in Syria [vii], the area is known for the excavation sites that obtained information about the multiple palaces during the reign of the kingdom of Qatna. The excavation sites closed in 2011.

The ruling system of the Kingdom of Qatna was a patriarchal monarchy and kings would transfer the power of succession to their sons once they were unable to govern or were deceased. The Kingdom of Qatna became a monarchy around 2600 BCE and established itself as a major prosperous trading power in the region. The monarchs of Qatna established strong diplomatic ties to Mari [viii] and became a reliable ally in both trade and military prowess [ix]. Another strong connection that the monarchs of Qatna had was with the Pharaohs of Egypt; Qatna’s last king, Akizzi, wrote letters to Egyptian King Akhenaton [x].

The Kingdom of Qatna’s earliest evidence of habitation came around 3300 BCE, but the actual formation of the Kingdom is said to be around 2800 BCE. The Kingdom was founded by the Amorite Dynasty, who were largely responsible for the Qatna Kingdom’s prosperity. Although Qatna had many allies, the land made it a very sought out region and many of its alliances proved to be detrimental to their longevity in the long run. Qatna lasted for almost 3000 years, as there were many declines and inclines in the history of the Kingdom. Ultimately, the Qatna Kingdom was destroyed in 1304 BCE [xi]

The Kingdom of Qatna was an important kingdom in the region. Qatna was an essential player for many of the surrounding kingdoms in terms of trade, and many of their key accomplishments included growing as a political presence. The ruling class also were responsible for the creation of the royal palace [xii], a massive structure that had 80 rooms on one level. The palace took a hundred years to build from 1650 BCE to 1550 BCE which emphasized its strong financial status as it had the resources and finances to construct the palace. The palace is a remnant of Qatna’s legacy and success.

The topography of Qatna was essential since the steppe landscape made the kingdom’s transportation and communication very effective. The Qatna Kingdom was on very arable land, which made growing crops prevalent year-round and helped establish ties with kingdoms that may have experienced droughts. Qatna was also next to a steady supply of water. Trading caravans would use routes along the Palmyra Oasis [xiii] trading between upper and lower Mesopotamia. Qatna benefited tremendously from the alliance it had with the kingdom of Mari, as trading with a reliable ally increased demand for trade and ensured an established mutually beneficial connection between the kingdoms.