This episode of Empire explores the discovery of the Amarna letters, an ancient diplomatic archive from the 14th century BCE that reveals a sophisticated, interconnected world of great kings and vassal states during Egypt's golden age. Hosts Anita Arnon and William Dalrymple, joined by historian Eric Cline, discuss how the letters were found, their significance in understanding the late Bronze Age, and set the stage for the revolutionary reign of Akhenaten.
Summarized by Podsumo
The Amarna letters were discovered in 1887, possibly by a woman collecting fertilizer, though Eric Cline suggests this may be a cover story for illicit excavations. Over 380 tablets survived, revealing a globalized Mediterranean world.
Egypt, under Amenhotep III, was at its zenith, controlling vast gold reserves and corresponding as equals with other 'great kings' of Babylon, Mitanni, and the Hittites, often exchanging daughters in diplomatic marriages.
Rib-Hadda of Byblos bombarded the Pharaoh with desperate letters (60-70 in the archive) begging for help against enemies, showcasing the constant squabbling and proxy wars among vassal states in Canaan.
Akhenaten's radical break from tradition—depicting himself with an elongated skull and drooping belly, and later revolutionizing religion—is foreshadowed as a deliberate move to centralize power and wealth.
The letters provide a human window into the 14th century BCE, with complaints about failing to visit when sick, requests for gold 'like dust,' and even accusations of fake brides.
"They are one of the most important things that we knew about the ancient Near East at that time, apart from the Bible. — Archibald Henry Sayce"
"I realized that I saw Amenhotep III and Akhenaten on the use of that. — E.A. Wallis Budge (on reading the tablets by candlelight)"
"Gold is like dust in your land. — Repeated plea from various kings to the Egyptian pharaoh"