Amarna letter EA 366

Amarna letter EA 366 is from the king of Gath (Šuwardata) to the king of Egypt. The letter (part of the Amarna letters correspondence) reports of the king having smote down the uprising of the Habiru.^[1]

The letter begins with an address which is thought typical of the usual beginning of reportage of intelligence.^[2]

The Habiru/'Apiru

The mention of the Habiru shows the conflict of the time, as the takeover of city-states or regions by the Habiru. The map shows various cities and regions, and their respective dealings with the Habiru. (There are only 3 letters from Labaya of Šakmu/Shechem.) The next closest mention of the Habiru is from the Jerusalem letters of Abdi-Heba, directly south at Jerusalem, letters EA 286, 287, 288, 289, and EA 290.

Spellings for Habiru in the Amarna letters

• EA 100, l. 26—KUR,.. ša ìl-qú LÚ.MEŠ GAZ,.. [ ištu ]–.]–( LÚ-MEŠ GAZ )
• EA 271, l. 16—..lú-meš Sa-GaZ-meš .. ( Men (pl), SA.GAZ^MEŠ(pl)
• EA 290, l. 24—..Ha-Pí-Ri .. ( Hapiru ( 'Apiru ))
• EA 299, l. 18—..da-an-nu LÚ-SA-GAZ-meš .. ( "Strengthening" - LÚ.SA.GAZ.MEŠ ..( "Strengthening Habiru" )
• EA 366, l. 21—.. {LÚ} SA-GAZ .. ( ^LÚSA-GAZ (Habiru))