Suhum, Sūḫu, or Suhi was an ancient geographic region around the middle course of the
Euphrates River
The Euphrates () is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia ( ''the land between the rivers'') ...
, south of
Mari.
=History=
Its known history covers the period from the
Middle Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
(c. 2000-1700/1600 BCE) to the
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
(c. 1200-700 BCE).
Middle Bronze
During the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
, Suhum was divided into an Upper Suhum, with its capital in
Hanat, and a Lower Suhum with its capital in Jabliji. Several ancient letters place the
Sutean
The Suteans (Akkadian: ''Sutī’ū'', possibly from Amorite: ''Šetī’u'') were a Semitic people who lived throughout the Levant, Canaan and Mesopotamia during the Old Babylonian period. Unlike Amorites, they were not governed by a king. They w ...
people as having lived in the region of Suhum.
[ p.26]
Iron Age
Neo-Babylonian period
In 616 BCE, Suhum subordinated themselves to the king of
Babylon
''Bābili(m)''
* sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠
* arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel''
* syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel''
* grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn''
* he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel''
* peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru''
* elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...
,
Nabopolassar
Nabopolassar (Babylonian cuneiform: , meaning "Nabu, protect the son") was the founder and first king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling from his coronation as king of Babylon in 626 BC to his death in 605 BC. Though initially only aimed at res ...
(ruled 626-605 BCE). Three years later, in 613 BCE, Suhum rebelled against him, which led Nabopolassar to send an expedition against Suhum.
References
;Citations
;Bibliography
* {{cite book, last1=Bryce, first1=Trevor, title=The Routledge Handbook of the Peoples and Places of Ancient Western Asia, date=2013, publisher=Routledge, isbn=9781134159086, pp. 666-668
Historical regions
Populated places on the Euphrates River