Zakkur (or Zakir) was the ancient king of
Hamath and
Luhuti (also known as
Nuhašše) in
Syria. He ruled around 785 BC. Most of the information about him comes from his basalt stele, known as the
Stele of Zakkur.
History
Irhuleni and his son Uratami were Kings of Hamath prior to Zakkur. Irhuleni led a coalition against the
Assyrian expansion under
Shalmaneser III. Their coalition succeeded in 853 BC in the
Battle of Qarqar. Later Irhuleni maintained good relations with Assyria.[1]
Not so much is known about the background of Zakkur. He is first mentioned in Assyrian sources probably in 785 BC, in the last years of
Adad-nirari III.[2] Adad-nirari ordered his commander
Shamshi-ilu to mediate the border dispute between Zakkur and
Atarshumki I of
Arpad.[3]
Zakkur appears to have been a native of 'Ana' (which may refer to the city of Hana/
Terqa) on the
Euphrates River, that was within the influence of Assyria.[4]
Zakkur is believed to have founded the
Aramean dynasty at the city of Hamath (now known as
Hama).[5] Some scholars consider him as an
usurper, because, previously, Hamath was ruled by the kings with
Luwian or neo-Hittite names.[6]
Luhuti, over which Zakkur came to rule, is known primarily from Assyrian inscriptions.[6] Nevertheless, these inscriptions describe Luhuti as a country with many cities and troops.[7]
The capital of Luhuti was the city of
Hazrik (modern Tell Afis; it was known as Hatarikka for the Assyrians),[8][9] located 45 kilometers south of
Aleppo.[10] This is where the Zakkur Stele was found.
Luhuti was incorporated into Hamath around 796 BC;[8] it formed the northern province of the kingdom.[11]
Events described in the Stele
Zakkur was besieged in
Tell Afis by a coalition of Aramean kings incited by
Ben-Hadad III of
Aram-Damascus,[12] and led by the king of
Bit Agusi.[13] Zakkur survived the siege and commemorated the event by commissioning the Stele of Zakkur.[14]
^Alan R. Millard, The Homeland of Zakkur, Semitica 39 [M. Sznycer Volume] (1990): 47-52.
^Scott B. Noegel,
The Zakkur Inscription. In: Mark W. Chavalas, ed. The Ancient Near East: Historical Sources in Translation. London: Blackwell (2006), 307-311
Scott B. Noegel,
The Zakkur Inscription. In: Mark W. Chavalas, ed. The Ancient Near East: Historical Sources in Translation. London: Blackwell (2006), 307–311.