Around 1780 B.C., Aleppo was the capital of the kingdom of Yamhad. This was more a confederation of territories
and villages, with rather loose ties but united however in a community of interests. Trade was its motor as this
state extending into the middle Euphrates valley and the foot of the Taurus mountains could control trade between
Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean coastline with its powerful army. It was formidable enough also to bar the road
to occidental ambitions of Mari and Assyria.
This kingdom lost its independence in an expedition launched against Babylon by the Hittites under the reign of
Mourshili (1620-1590). After the assassination of the Hittite sovereign, Aleppo passed under the control of the
Hourrite state of Mitanni and was disputed by the Egyptians (Campaigns of Thutmosis III in Syria), then fell anew
into the hands of the Hitties, around 1370 B.C.
After the invasion of the Peoples of the Sea, around the beginning of the 12th century B.C. many neo-Hittite principalities
were constituted in Northern Syria and Asia Minor. Zendjirii, Karkemish, Hama and Aleppo became the most important
centers of these kingdoms. Nothing much happened for five centuries with the exception that there was always the
threat of Assyrian invasions. . |
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