Amarna Letters

2devnull · on Jan 15, 2023

252 is a personal favorite. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarna_letter_EA_252

I feel it holds some applicability to current events. It does however contradict another wise saying, from Shaka Zulu, “Never leave an enemy behind or it will rise again to fly at your throat.” I favor the former.

matrix12 · on Jan 15, 2023

Great source of Akkadian.

nivertech · on Jan 15, 2023

Interestingly, the letters to Canaan are written in a mixed Canaano-Akkadian language[1], not in a Canaanite/Hebrew. It is a mixed language with predominantly Akkadian vocabulary and Canaanite grammatical features. It used the cuneiform writing system of the Akkadian language. To the north in Ebla city-state there was another East Semitic language - Eblaite [2].

My speculation would be that Canaan's elite was either Akkadian, or at least they were educated/influenced from there. This is also aligned with the Biblical stories that mythical Abraham come to Canaan from Mesopotamia/Sumer.

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaano-Akkadian_language

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eblaite_language

josh_fyi · on Jan 15, 2023

They were not Akkadian. Akkadian was the international language of diplomacy in that area, as English is today, or French was a century ago.

"Canaan's elite was either Akkadian" -- the writing was done by scribes, who were a kind of elite, but the kings did not write these themselves.

The language is Akkadian, with heavy influence from the Canaanite of the authors.

nivertech · on Jan 15, 2023

> "Canaan's elite was either Akkadian" -- the writing was done by scribes, who were a kind of elite, but the kings did not write these themselves.

you cut out the rest of the sentence, and then just rephrased it ;)

"or at least they were educated/influenced from there"

ddevault · on Jan 14, 2023

And, of course, most of them are being hoarded by state-sponsored thieves, particularly the British.