Suteans

The Suteans (Akkadian: Sutī’ū, possibly from Amorite: Š^etī’u^[1]) were a nomadic Semitic people^[2] who lived throughout the Levant, Canaan and Mesopotamia, specifically in the region of Suhum, during the Old Babylonian period. They were famous in Semitic epic poetry for being fierce nomadic warriors, and like the ʿApiru, traditionally worked as mercenaries.^[3]^[4] Unlike Amorites, the Suteans were not governed by a king.^[5] They may have been part of the Ahlamu.^[5] Hypotheses regarding their identity variously identify them as Arameans, proto-Arabs or a unique Semitic people.^[5]

During the reign of Zimri-Lim (c. 1775–1761), they inhabited the vicinity of Terqa (modern-day Tell Ashara, Syria).^[5] They are mentioned in eight of the 382 Amarna letters. They are listed in documents from the Middle Assyrian Empire (1395-1075 BC) as being extant in the Amorite city of Emar, in what is now northeast Syria. Together with the Chaldeans and Arameans, they overran swaths of southern Mesopotamia c. 1100–900 BC.^[6]^[7]

^ Diakonoff, I.M. “Father Adam.” In: Hans Hirsch and Hermann Hunger (eds.). Vorträge gehalten auf der 28. Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale in Wien, 6.-10. Juli 1981. Archiv für Orientforschung, Beiheft 19. Horn: Berger 1982, 19 of 16-24.
^ "Letters to the King of Mari: A New Translation, with Historical Introduction, Notes, and Commentary" p.26. Quote: "A closer look at Sutean names shows a small percentage of non-Akkadian and non-Amorite names that nevertheless belong to a Semitic language, presumably Sutean."
^ Margalit, Baruch (2011-11-21). The Ugaritic Poem of AQHT: Text, Translation, Commentary. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-086348-2.
^ Smith, Mark S. (2014-09-15). Poetic Heroes: The Literary Commemorations of Warriors and Warrior Culture in the Early Biblical World. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-6792-6.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Heimpel, Wolfgang (2003). Letters to the King of Mari: A New Translation, with Historical Introduction, Notes, and Commentary. Eisenbrauns. ISBN 9781575060804.
^ Snell, Daniel C. (15 April 2008). A Companion to the Ancient Near East - Google Książki. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781405137393.
^ George Roux (27 August 1992). Ancient Iraq. ISBN 978-0140125238.

[1] Diakonoff, I.M. “Father Adam.” In: Hans Hirsch and Hermann Hunger (eds.). Vorträge gehalten auf der 28. Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale in Wien, 6.-10. Juli 1981. Archiv für Orientforschung, Beiheft 19. Horn: Berger 1982, 19 of 16-24.

[2] "Letters to the King of Mari: A New Translation, with Historical Introduction, Notes, and Commentary" p.26. Quote: "A closer look at Sutean names shows a small percentage of non-Akkadian and non-Amorite names that nevertheless belong to a Semitic language, presumably Sutean."

[3] Margalit, Baruch (2011-11-21). The Ugaritic Poem of AQHT: Text, Translation, Commentary. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-086348-2.

[4] Smith, Mark S. (2014-09-15). Poetic Heroes: The Literary Commemorations of Warriors and Warrior Culture in the Early Biblical World. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-6792-6.

[Heimpel-5] Heimpel, Wolfgang (2003). Letters to the King of Mari: A New Translation, with Historical Introduction, Notes, and Commentary. Eisenbrauns. ISBN 9781575060804.

[urlA_Companion_to_the_Ancient_Near_East_-_Google_Książki-6] Snell, Daniel C. (15 April 2008). A Companion to the Ancient Near East - Google Książki. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781405137393.

[7] George Roux (27 August 1992). Ancient Iraq. ISBN 978-0140125238.

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