TheAmqu (alsoAmka,Amki,Amq) is a region during theLate Bronze Age, equivalent to theBeqaa Valley region in easternLebanon, named in the1350–1335 BCAmarna letterscorpus.
In the Amarna letters (c. 1350 BC), two other associated regions appear to be east(?) and north(?), and are often mentioned in association withAmqu, namelyNuhašše, andNiya-Niye (or Nii). A third hypothetical region, either adjacent or within the region of Amqu, isSubaru, as according to the letter corpus possessions or people were sold: "at the land of Subaru".
Initially, the northern Levant (Syria) was under the control of theMitanni Empire. In 1350 BC,Suppiluliuma I of Hatti attackedTushratta of Mitanni, starting a massive war in Syria, beginning with the Sack of Washukanni and ending with the Fall of Carchemish some years later. Thus, Suppiluliuma I and his generals moved on former Mitanni vassals west of the Euphrates river, causing turmoil in the region and coming in conflict with the Egyptian Empire in the southern Levant. Some lords changed their allegiance to the Hittites likeEtakkama of Qidšu/Qinsa-(also Kissa)-(i.e.Kadesh).
(The scribe wrote four identical letters-(for four city-state leaders), so who the 'author' is has to be speculative.)
Say to the king-(i.e. Pharaoh), my lord, my god, my Sun: Message of 'Abdi-Riša, your servant, the ruler ofE(ni)šasi. Ifall in the dirt under the feet of the king, my lord, 7 times and 7 times.
- Look, we ar(e) inAmqu, in cities of the king, my lord, andEtakkama, the ruler ofQinsa-(Kadesh), assisted the troops ofHatti and set the cities of the king, my lord, on fire. May the king, my lord, take cognizance, and may the king, my lord, givearchers that we may (re)gain the cities of the king, my lord, and dwell in the cities of the king, my lord, my god, my Sun.
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