Talmi-Teshub

Talmi-Teshub was a local king and viceroy at Carchemish in Syria, during the reign of his overlord Great King Suppiluliuma II of Hatti.^[1]

Early life

He belonged to a local dynasty which was a branch of the Hittite royal family descending from Suppiluliuma I. He was the son of Ini-Teshub and great-great-great-grandson of Suppiluliuma I.

Reign

At Carchemish, Talmi-Teshub (r. 12xx-11xx BC) had the status as a regional king and viceroy to his overlord, the Great King of Hatti. He was preceded by Ini-Teshub and succeeded by Kuzu-Teshub. We know very little from his reign during which time the Hittite Empire was struggling.

As part of the Hittite Empire, Carchemish was the regional center in the eastern part of the empire bordering the frontier against Assyria.

• The Treaty of Šuppiluliuma II with Talmi-Teššup of Karkamiš (CTH 122).^[2]
• A very fragmented text CTH 126 may date to the same period referring to a certain Šakuwasharit mentioned in both texts.

Death

According to royal seal impressions found at Lidar Höyük found in 1985 on the east bank of the Euphrates river, Talmi-Teshub was succeeded by his own son, Kuzi-Teshub.^[1]

Family Tree

v t e Hittite New Kingdom royal family tree according to Trevor Bryce
Kantuzilli[a] Tudhaliya I/II[b] Nikkalmati[c] Arnuwanda I[c] Asmunikal[c] Hattusili II?[d] Tudhaliya III[e] Daduhepa[f] Zida[g] Tudhaliya the Younger[h] Henti[g] (1) Šuppiluliuma I[h] (2) Tawananna[i] Arnuwanda II[g] Telipinu[j] Sarri-Kusuh[k][l] Zannanza[m] Gassulawiya[n] (1) Mursili II[g] (2) Tanuhepa[o] Talmi-Sarruma[p] Sahurunuwa[k][q] Muwatalli II[o] Halpasulupi[r] Massanauzzi[s] Hattusili III[t] Puduhepa[u] Ini-Tesub[k][v] Urhi-Tesub[o] Kurunta[w] Nerikkaili[x] numerous daughters[y] and sons[z] Tudhaliya IV[aa] Talmi-Tesub[k][ab] Arnuwanda III[ac] Suppiluliuma II[ac][ad] Kuzi-Tesub[ae]
(1) = 1st spouse (2) = 2nd spouse Small caps indicates a Great King (LUGAL.GAL) of the Land of Hatti; italic small caps indicates a Great Queen or Tawananna. Dashed lines indicate adoption. Solid lines indicate marriage (if horizontal) or parentage (if vertical).
References: Trevor Bryce (1997). The Kingdom of the Hittites. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press. Trevor Bryce (2005). The Kingdom of the Hittites (new edition). Oxford, England: Clarendon Press. Trevor Bryce (2012). The World of the Neo-Hittite Kingdoms. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Jacques Freu (2007). Les débuts du nouvel empire hittite. Paris, France: L'Harmattan. Volkert Haas (2006). Die hethitische Literatur. Berlin, Germany: de Gruyter.
Notes: Scholars have suggested that Tudhaliya I/II was possibly a grandson of the Hittite king Huzziya II; the first Tudhaliya is now known to be the son of Kantuzzili (Bryce 1997, p. 131 suggested Himuili, but the new edition, Bryce 2005, p. 122, indicated Kantuzzili). Bryce (1997) does not consider it clear whether Tudhaliya I/II was one king or two (p. 133); the link points to Tudhaliya II. Among those who identify distinct kings Tudhaliya I and Tudhaliya II, Freu (2007) has Kantuzzili—his son Tudhaliya I—his son Hattusili II—his son Tudhaliya II (p. 311). Bryce (1997), p. 139. The existence of Hattusili II is doubted by many scholars (Bryce 1997, pp. 153–154; Bryce 2005, p. 141). Among those who accept the existence of Hattusili II, Freu (2007), p. 311, has Tudhaliya I—his son Hattusili II—his son Tudhaliya II. Bryce (1997), p. 158. Bryce (1997), p. 172. Bryce (1997), p. 174. Bryce (1997), p. 168. Also known as Malnigal; daughter of Burnaburias II of Babylonia (Bryce 1997, p. 173). ‘Great priest’ in Kizzuwadna and king (lugal) of Aleppo (Bryce 1997, p. 174). King (lugal) of Carchemish. Bryce (1997), pp. 174, 203–204. Zannanza died on his way to Egypt to marry a pharaoh's widow, probably Ankhesenpaaten, the widow of Tutankhamun (Bryce 1997, pp. 196–198). Bryce (1997), p. 227. Bryce (1997), p. 230. Bryce (1997), p. 220. Bryce (1997), p. 222. Haas (2006), p. 91. Massanauzzi married Masturi, king of the Seha River Land (Bryce 1997, p. 313). Bryce (1997), p. 296. Puduhepa was the daughter of the Kizzuwadnan priest Pentipsarri (Bryce 1997, p. 273). Bryce (1997), pp. 346, 363. King (lugal) of Tarhuntassa (Bryce 1997, p. 296); apparently later Great King of Hatti (Bryce 1997, p. 354). Nerikkaili married a daughter of Bentesina, king of Amurru (Bryce 1997, p. 294). Two daughters of Hattusili III were married to the pharaoh Ramesses II; one was given the Egyptian name Ma(hor)nefrure. Another, Gassuwaliya, married into the royal house of Amurru. Kilushepa was married to a king of Isuwa. A daughter married into the royal family of Babylon. A sister of Tudhaliya IV married Sausgamuwa, king of Amurru after his father Bentesina. From Bryce (1997), pp. 294 and 312. Bryce (1997), p. 332. Bryce (1997), p. 363. Tudhaliya IV probably married a Babylonian princess, known by her title of Great Princess (dumu.sal gal) (Bryce 1997, pp. 294, 331). Bryce (1997), p. 363. Bryce (1997), p. 361. Last documented Great King of the Land of Hatti. King and then Great King of Carchemish (Bryce 1997, pp. 384–385).