Between the 10th and 8th centuries BC, a new type of ruler materialised within the framework of the Neo-Hittite and Syro-Aramaic kingdoms. This figure embodied a concept of power that seems to be deeply rooted in the quest for material prosperity. This topos also appears in the Luwian hieroglyphic inscriptions from Tabal in south-central Anatolia and seems to suggest that the ruling elite developed a political discourse based on the idea that power should bring wealth and prosperity to the whole country. Indeed, several local inscriptions deal with land management, agricultural production and the wealth of the soil. This political-ideological discourse could also be conveyed through metaphorical and figurative language. Among these forms and expressions, this paper will focus on specific images used to describe the benevolent attitude of the gods towards the ruler.
“And much came down from the sky and much came up from the earth”: The Tabalean hieroglyphic inscriptions and the ideological discourse of local rulers
Maria Elena Balza
2022-01-01
Abstract
Between the 10th and 8th centuries BC, a new type of ruler materialised within the framework of the Neo-Hittite and Syro-Aramaic kingdoms. This figure embodied a concept of power that seems to be deeply rooted in the quest for material prosperity. This topos also appears in the Luwian hieroglyphic inscriptions from Tabal in south-central Anatolia and seems to suggest that the ruling elite developed a political discourse based on the idea that power should bring wealth and prosperity to the whole country. Indeed, several local inscriptions deal with land management, agricultural production and the wealth of the soil. This political-ideological discourse could also be conveyed through metaphorical and figurative language. Among these forms and expressions, this paper will focus on specific images used to describe the benevolent attitude of the gods towards the ruler.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.