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The
Political and Military Events
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The Political and Military:
The documents
which refer to the political and military importance of Arwad are little. The
texts of the historians remain the main source. Serge assures the importance
of coins in this matter. Seeing what distinguishes Arwad such as a site and a
powerful and rich fleet, it was a polestar for all the eastern part of the
Mediterranean. They were the Assyrian , the Egyptian , the Persian , the Greek
, the Ptolemaic of Pompeii , Caesar Antoniou , Octavios , the Byzantine , the
Islam , the Ottoman , and , finally , the French in / 1915 / who wanted the
Arwad to participate in their wars and join them . But Arwad made use of its
place and exploited its site which gave it a kind of independence apart from
the dominant forces on the land.www.tartoos.com
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Historical Review:
At first, it
was a feudatory of Sour. It might be called / the Royal palace of sour or
the Royal city Sour /, yet it became independent , and began to grow ,
flourish , spread , establish settlements , and build cities on the coast for
defensive , religious , and living necessities . These cities were known as
the daughters of Arwad such as martos ( Amrit ) , Balania ( Banyas ) , Gabala
( Jableh ), Paltous ( Arab Almoulk ) , Carna ( Alkarnain ) , and Eindra ( Tal
Algamka ) .
Nothing is
left, except some debris which needs scientific and archaeologic digs to
uncover them. They penetrated the interior region where Tabask and Benzrbees
were pound of their Phoenician origin, but they were, in fact, two Arwads
Storehouses. Suleiman fort was its sacred housing. Also, Saijous and Meryamin
were two centers for Arwad commercial caravans before they became main stays
for the Byzantine and the Crusader. Through these two centers, the potency of
the Arwad spread to the Orontes River (Al-Asi), and even to the Euphrates. And
they had contributed relatively in establishing Carthage city on the African
coast, and making by that, a life full of activity and vitality in spreading
the civilization and transporting goods.
Rynan had
claimed that Arwad Kingdom enclosed only some coastal cities and front sites
though its rule spread to the interior region, and Hama submitted to it. Also,
the Arwad had frequented the Egyptian ports as it was mentioned in Tal
Al-Amarnah inscriptions. This Kingdom was mentioned, too, in the annuals of
the Assyrian kings, and in all the dates of the Phoenician.
www.tartoos.com
It was inferior
to the Acadians, when Serjoun the first (2350 – 2300 B.C), the establisher of
the country, had united the country. Then it submitted to Egyptian Pharaoh ,
Tohotmos the third , ( 15th century B.C ) , when he made his fifth
raid and held tightly the Phoenician coast , and , his military declaration ,
in which he declared the fall of the island , he said : " look , his Majesty
crushed Arwad city , and what it contains such as wheat , and cut its
beautiful trees .. ".
After
that he mentions the capitation which included the boys , horses ,cattle , and
silver plates which contained incense , oil , honey , and wine , till he says
: " His majesty army was intoxicating and anointing everyday as if it was at a
festival in Egypt . "
The Hittite
appeared in Asia Minor and spread toward the south, so we notice that Arwad is
taking into consideration its public interest. It supported the Hittite, and
went to war under their flag against the Egyptian in Kadish battle in / 1293
B.C / (Tal Prophet Mand). Ramsis the 2nd was leading the Egyptian,
and Moatli was his opponent. This war was ended by signing a treaty.
The
negotiations lasted for a long time till it completed in / 1281 B.C /, and
Arwad was attached to northern Syria according to the treaty under the role of
the Hittite, but this era didn't last long.
In / 1180 B.C /
, the people of the sea raided and destroyed Ugarite and many of other
Phoenician cities , and Arwad was likelier than the others , and became one of
the most prominent cities on the coast and formed a coalition which included
its daughter : Carnah , Eindra , and Pallania .www.tartoos.com
In the history
, the Phoenician were known as a marine people who established a refined
civilization , moving and activating wherever they stayed , gave the humanity
the first alphabet ( Ugarite alphabet – Byblos ) . They didn't build their
kingdom on skulls, spears, and piracy. They allied with the Assyrian whose
pressure on the coast had been intensified.
On time, they
are foisted to submit to their king's sternness. When Tijlate Bilazer the
first (1112 – 1074 B.C) expanded his empire, he reached the Mediterranean Sea.
And before starting his attack on the island, its king declared his submission
to him, and invited him for a sea ride. He accepted the invite and collected
the capitation from Arwad, Jbeil, and Saidoun. His military statement had
quoted: "Arwad has surrendered. I crossed on its shipFrom Arwad, on
the shore, toWhere Simira in
the country of Amoro. I killed Nehiro who is
called seahorse in the waves".www.tartoos.com
Also,
Ashore Naser Baal the second (883 – 859 B.C) in 876 B.C, whose army was
terrorizing wherever it stayed, and left behind it destruction and wrecks, was
pound of that Arwad's king had kissed his feet , and presented him a
capitation of gold , lead , bronze , ivory , and dolphins . But this insult
didn't murder their morals. Therefore, we see that the Arwad are meeting with
Hama's , Damascus's , and the Aramaean's King in ( 854 B.C ) against the army
of Salman Nasr the3rd ( 858 – 842 B.C ) . 200 Arwad soldiers, under the
leadership of Matino Baal, set forward, and crowded at a place called / karkar
/. The Assyrian army didn't achieve any win despite what was mentioned by
Salman Nasr in his writings about the battle. But later on, he could take the
presents, and excide the taxes on Arwad, Saidoun, Jbeil, and Sour. And, in the
days of Tijlate Bilazer the 3th (745 – 727 B.C), Arwad had a special place
under the Loyalty of the Assyrian , had a partial independence , pay the
capitation , and ruled by two Kings ( Matan – Baali ) .
www.tartoos.com
In (727 – 722
B.C), Salman Nasr the 5th got help from Arwad's fleet, but it
crushed in front of Sour. During the role of Senhareeb ( 705 – 681 B.C ) ,
when he made his 3rd raid and excided the capitation on the
Phoenician cities , these cities witnessed a relative quietness , and ruled by
kings who were inferior to the Assyrian King , Abdi-Baal was one of them . As
well, Arwad, during the days of emperor, Aser Haddon, (681 – 668 B.C)
continued to pay the capitation, and kept a self – rule with some scattered
poleis such as Jbeil and Sour island. When Ashore Bani Baal ( 668 – 626 B.C )
expanded his borders , and held down the disobedience of Sour Kingdom, his
stress intensified on Arwad which was at the same time cumbering the Assyrian
trade .
So, it was
essential for Yakin Lu, Arwad King, to submit in 650 B.C, and to give the
capitation.www.tartoos.com
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The inscriptions mention the subjection of Arwad: "Yakin Lu, Arwad king, who
lives in the middle of the sea, refused to submit to the king, my fathers, so
I put down the yoke on his neck. He brought his daughter to Ninawa with a
great dot in order to serve me as one of my favorites, and kissed my foot".
Another inscription mentions: "An annual capitation of gold, claret wood,
fish, and birds was excided". After the death of Yakin Lu, Arwad king, his
sons go with precious gifts to yield their loyalty to Ashore Bani Baal who
chose Azi Baal as successor of his father on the throne, and granted the other
sons endowments and presents. This may refer to that the Assyrian King was
assigning one of the dead King's sons to success him, if this king didn't
assign a successor, so his sons preferred to depend on Ashore Bani Baal's
advice. After that, the Assyrian empire collapsed, and Arwad became under the
authority of the Egyptian for a short time.
At
the beginning of 604 B.C, it was under the authority of Nabo Kodri Nasr
(Nabokhaz Nasr), the Chaldean.
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