History of Egypt, Chaldæa, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, Volume 5 (of 12)Maspero, G. (Gaston)
History
History of Egypt, Chaldæa, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, Volume 5 (of 12)
Maspero, G. (Gaston)
Civilization, Ancient; Egypt -- History -- To 640 A.D.; History, Ancient; Middle East -- History
The text of the treaty was continued beneath,
and probably extended to the other side of the tablet. The original
draft had terminated after the description of the seals, but, to
satisfy the Pharaoh, certain additional articles were appended for the
protection of the commerce and industry of the two countries, for the
prevention of the emigration of artisans, and for ensuring that steps
taken against them should be more effectual and less cruel. Any criminal
attempting to evade the laws of his country, and taking refuge in that
of the other party to the agreement, was to be expelled without delay
and consigned to the officers of his lord; any fugitive not a criminal,
any subject carried off or detained by force, any able artisan quitting
either territory to take up permanent residence in the other, was to be
conducted to the frontier, but his act of folly was not to expose him
to judicial condemnation. "He who shall thus act, his fault shall not
be brought up against him; his house shall not be touched, nor his wife,
nor his children; he shall not have his throat cut, nor shall his eyes
be touched, nor his mouth, nor his feet; no criminal accusation shall be
made against him."
This treaty is the most ancient of all those of which the text has
come down to us; its principal conditions were--perfect equality
and reciprocity between the contracting sovereigns, an offensive and
defensive alliance, and the extradition of criminals and refugees. The
original was drawn up in Chaldaean script by the scribes of Khatusaru,
probably on the model of former conventions between the Pharaohs and
the Asiatic courts, and to this the Egyptian ministers had added a few
clauses relative to the pardon of emigrants delivered up by one or other
of the contracting parties. When, therefore, Tartisubu arrived in the
city of Eamses, the acceptance of the treaty was merely a matter of
form, and peace was virtually concluded. It did not confer on the
conqueror the advantages which we might have expected from his
successful campaigns: it enjoined, on the contrary, the definite
renunciation of those countries, Mitanni, Naharaim, Alasia, and Amurru,
over which Thutmosis III. and his immediate successors had formerly
exercised an effective sovereignty. Sixteen years of victories had left
matters in the same state as they were after the expedition of Harmhabi,
and, like his predecessor, Ramses was able to retain merely those
Asiatic provinces which were within the immediate influence of Egypt,
such as the Phoenician coast proper, Kharu, Persea beyond Jordan, the
oases of the Arabian desert, and the peninsula of Sinai.*
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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