Kammanu 𒆳𒄰𒈠𒉡 Malizi (𔒃𔒗𔖩) | |||||||||
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| c. 1200–712 BC | |||||||||
 Kammanu and its capital Melid/Milid among the Neo-Hittite states | |||||||||
| Capital | Melid | ||||||||
| Common languages | Hieroglyphic Luwian | ||||||||
| Religion | Luwian religion | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| Historical era | Iron Age | ||||||||
• Established | c. 1200 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 712 BC | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Turkey | ||||||||
Kammanu (Neo-Assyrian Akkadian: 𒆳𒄰𒈠𒉡,KUR kam-ma-nu) orMalizi (Luwian: 𔒃𔒗𔖩, MAx.LIx-zi) was aLuwian-speakingNeo-Hittite state in a plateau (Malatya Plain) to the north of theTaurus Mountains and to the west ofEuphrates river in the late 2nd millennium BC, formed from part ofKizzuwatna after the collapse of theHittite Empire.[1] Its principal city wasMelid.[2]
There are a few primary sources which can be used to reconstruct the history of the polity of Kammanu:
However, there are still gaps in the Kammanean record which make its history more difficult to reconstruct.
The earliest archaeological levels at the archaeological site of Arslantepe, the Melid of the Iron Age, date to the mid-to-late fifth millennium BCE, or more precisely between 4300 and 3900 BCE,[3] during a time period known as theChalcolithic, or Copper Age. During the Uruk period (c. 3300 BCE), there existed a large palace complex at Melid.[4]
Melid and the region of Malatya at large, were, during the Middle Bronze Age (c. 1600 BCE), part of theHurrian kingdom ofIshuwa, which fell under the sphere of influence of theMitanni Empire, a large state populated by Hurrians which flourished during this time.
The wars of theHittite Great KingŠuppiluliuma I against Mitanni's kingTushratta brought Ishuwa under Hittite control, and Šuppiluliuma used Melid as a base of operations for their gradual conquest of the Mitanni, beginning with the sack of the Mitanni capital ofWaššukanni.[5] The Malatya region remained part of the periphery of the Hittite Empire for the remainder of the existence of the Hittite Empire, despite attacks from certain kings of theMiddle Assyrian Empire against the Hittites in Eastern Anatolia.
Around 1200 BCE, the Hittite state collapsed as a result of numerous factors, including, but not limited to, drought,[6] disease, attacks by theSea Peoples, and raids by theKaskians. Many other state societies in the ancient Near East at that time were either destroyed or heavily affected by similar events. This period of societal collapse is known as theLate Bronze Age Collapse. Despite the apparent turmoil across Mesopotamia and into Anatolia, Malatya was largely unaffected by this Bronze Age Collapse.
After the fall of the Hittite Empire, a level of authority was still present among the Luwian lands in the southeast of Anatolia as well as across Syria. A scion of the Hittite royal dynasty held a position of power in the city-state ofCarchemish, a fiefdom granted toŠarri-Kusuh during the reign of Šuppiluliuma I, and several small kingdoms arose in the region ofTabal.
Kuzi-Teshub was the first king of Carchemish after the fall of the Hittite Empire. He was one of the few remaining direct descendants of the great kings of the Hittites, and seeing that the title of "Great King" itself was left vacant after the abandonment ofHattusa, he simply claimed the title for himself. Kuzi-Teshub's domain was based at Carchemish, but he also held power over the city of Melid.
After the death of Kuzi-Teshub, the kingdom he had built was split between two royal lines, one controlling Carchemish, and one controlling Malatya, which the Luwians calledMalizi. Kuzi-Teshub's son, namedPUGNUS-mili I, received the land of Malizi, and he ruled over it as its "country-lord." During this time, the city of Melid was expanded and its material culture flourished. PUGNUS-mili's son,Runtiya, changed the Malizean royal title from country-lord to king, and as a show of his strength as a ruler, etched his inscription into the mountain at Gürün.[7][8]
Many of the kings and rulers of the various Neo-Hittite city-states took the names of Hittite great kings, Malizi being no exception. The name of kingArnuwanti I, brother of Runtiya, who most likely succeeded Runtiya on the throne, is possibly a reference to or translation of, the name of one of three Hittite great kings namedArnuwanda.
PUGNUS-mili II was the son of Arnuwanti. During his reign, the Assyrian kingTiglath-Pileser I was making conquests across Syria. On a campaign in the region, King Tiglath-Pileser requested that PUGNUS-mili send tribute. This event is recorded in Assyrian records, where the name PUGNUS-mili is recorded asAllumari, perhaps the true pronunciation of the name which is difficult to transcribe.
Arnuwanti II was the son of PUGNUS-mili, and was named after his grandfather. His connection with his grandfather Arnuwanti is recorded by the İspekçür and Darende monuments which he commemorated.
The monumental Luwian hieroglyphic inscriptions were continued in the 10th century BC throughout Kammanu by kings such as Taras and Halpasulupi. During the 9th and early 8th century, the entire region of southeastern Anatolia was increasingly brought under the control of the Kingdom ofUrartu, who placed vassal kings such as Hilaruada on the throne. From this point onwards, there were no Luwian royal inscriptions made as most of the available records of Kammanu came from the inscriptions of Urartu andAssyria. In 719 BC, the Assyrian kingSargon II deposed Gunzinanu, the ruler of Kammanu, and replaced him with a Malizean warlord namedTarhunazi, who swore an oath of loyalty to the Assyrian throne. Tarhunazi, however, became disgruntled as a vassal under the rule of Assyria. He contacted Mita, king of the Mushki (Phrygians), enemies of Assyria, to aid him in a rebellion. However, Tarhunazi's plan failed, and he fled, but was caught by Sargon and deposed. Kammanu was annexed by Assyria and the city of Melid was placed under the rule of Mutallu, king ofKummuh.
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| Luwian states |
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| Aramaean states |
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| Classical Age | |
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