On the walls of the Temple of Karnak near Luxor, Egypt, and on the temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II in Thebes, are engravings that describe a great battle against the “Great King of Khatti” and a peace treaty that was forged with them. The hieroglyphics, which were known since antiquity, was first translated by Jean-François Champollion in the early 19th century, triggering a renewed interest among westerns in Ancient Egypt. In 1858, it was identified that the Great King of Khatti were the Hittites which ruled in central Anatolia in modern-day Turkey. Part of the clay tablet of the Kadesh Treaty, circa 1269 BCE. Photo: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin/Wikimedia Eight years later, in 1906, the German archaeologist Hugo Winckler discovered and excavated the capital of the Hittite capital, Hattusa, in the fortified ruins of Boğazkale in Turkey. In the remains of the largest palace, they unearthed 10,000 clay tablets written with cuneiform documenting many of the Hittites' diplomatic activities. The haul also included three tablets on which the text of a treaty was inscribed whose text corresponded to those found on the walls of the Egyptian temples. Winckler immediately grasped the significance of the discovery. He wrote:
The Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty, also known as the Treaty of Kadesh, is the world’s first recorded peace treaty. It is also the only Ancient Near Eastern treaty for which the versions of both sides have survived. The treaty was signed to end the long animosity between the Hittite Empire and the Egyptians, who had fought for over two centuries to gain mastery over the lands of the eastern Mediterranean. The conflict culminated with an attempted Egyptian invasion in 1274 BC that was stopped by the Hittites at the city of Kadesh on the Orontes River in what is now Syria. The Battle of Kadesh resulted in both sides suffering heavy casualties, but neither was able to prevail decisively in either the battle or the war. The conflict continued inconclusively for about fifteen more years before the treaty was signed. Although it is often referred to as the "Treaty of Kadesh", it was actually signed long after the battle, and Kadesh is not mentioned in the text. A relief inside Abu Simbel temple depicts Ramses II slaying an enemy while trampling on another in the battle of Kadesh in 1274 BC. Photo: Wikimedia The treaty is thought to have been negotiated by intermediaries without the two monarchs ever meeting in person. Both sides had common interests in making peace; Egypt faced a growing threat from the "Sea Peoples", while the Hittites were concerned about the rising power of Assyria to the east. The treaty was ratified in the 21st year of Ramesses II's reign (1258 BC) and continued in force until the Hittite Empire collapsed to the Assyrians, nearly a century later The peace treaty of Ramesses II and Hattušiliš III is remarkable because its exact wording is known to us. Like any modern agreement, the treaty is divided into points and each side makes pledges of brotherhood and peace to the other in terms of the objectives. They agreed that they would not commit acts of aggression against each other, would repatriate each other's political refugees and criminals and they would assist each other in suppressing rebellions. In the event when an outsider attacked Egypt or the Hittites, the other would provide military assistance:
The treaty ends with a declaration calling the gods to bear witness, and should the treaty be violated, it would be met with punishment from the gods:
After forming an alliance with Hatti, Ramesses began directing his wealth and energies towards domestic building projects, leading to extensive construction projects such as the completion of his great, rock-hewn Abu Simbel temples. There is also evidence that Ramesses tried to establish stronger familial bonds with Hatti by marrying a Hittite princess. A clay tablet where the Treaty of Kadesh is inscribed at the Istanbul Archaeology Museums. Photo: Iocanus/Wikimedia The Treaty of Kadesh inscribed on the outer wall of the courtyard in the Temple of Karnak, Luxor, Egypt. Photo: Olaf swap/Wikimedia The treaty in its final form was drawn up at Kadesh in consultation with the Egyptian ambassadors. When it had assumed a final shape, it was inscribed upon a tablet of silver and brought to Egypt. Upon Ramesses’ approval, a counterpart in his own name was drawn, borrowing phrases from the Hittite original and making only a few minor modifications. Finally the version complied on behalf of Ramesses was engraved on another silver tablet, stamped with the seal of the Pharaoh, and forwarded to Hatti. The scribes at Hatti then prepared copies written on clay tablets for preservation in the royal archives. It was these copies that Hugo Winckler disovered. The original silver tablets have been lost, most likely looted and melted a long time ago. Two of the clay tablets are now on display at the Museum of the Ancient Orient in Istanbul, while the third is displayed in the Berlin State Museums in Germany. A copy of the treaty is prominently displayed on a wall in the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. A copy of the Egyptian version, as mentioned in the beginning of the article, is engraved in hieroglyphics on the walls of two temples belonging to Pharaoh Ramesses II in Thebes—the Ramesseum and the Temple of Karnak. References:
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes For a shining example of ancient warfare and the cause of the world’s first recorded peace treaty, look no further than the Battle of Kadesh. By Madison Moulton. The characteristics of ancient warfare are often shrouded in mystery. There is evidence of the existence of early warfare, but intricate details of battle are scarce. However, one battle stands out as the most well-documented in ancient history and a shining example of the conduct of ancient warfare – the Battle of Kadesh. Not only do we have detailed accounts of the logistics, tactics, and progression of the battle of 1274 BCE, but it also produced the world’s first recorded peace treaty, the features of which are remarkably similar to the international peace treaties of modern history. The Lead Up to BattleThe Battle of Kadesh – like many historical battles – was fought over territory in the Middle East. The two major powers in the area were the Hittites to the North and the Egyptians to the South. With the Egyptian kingdom’s influence in decline, Pharaoh Ramesses II pursued an expansionist policy to restore the power of Egypt. Expanding North, the Egyptians pushed closer to Hittite territory, creating tension between the groups. One of the contested border areas – Kadesh – was a vital trading hub and sought after city in the region. Ramesses launched a campaign to capture this area for Egypt and came up against the Hittites in battle. Hittite territory (red) and Egyptian territory (green) around the time of the battle.Ramesses entered the battle with an army of four divisions – Amun, Pre, Seth, and Ptah. The Hittite ruler King Muwatalli II called in the support of 19 Hittite allies from regions in Anatolia and Syria to solidify their position on the border. Both sides amassed an estimated 6000 chariots for battle – one of the biggest chariot battles in history. Due to false intelligence from two captured Hittite spies, Ramesses believed the Hittite forces were stationed far from the city. This prompted him to march hastily toward Kadesh, where the Hittites launched a surprise attack that caught the soldiers off-guard. This first engagement is described in the Poem of Pentaur, the Egyptian record of the battle: Battle of Kadesh, the Hittite chariots attack the Ra division. The surprise attack put the Egyptians on the back foot and Ramesses retreated to regather his forces. The Hittite army believed this was a sign of their imminent victory and relaxed their attack, leaving the divisions vulnerable. The regathered Egyptian divisions launched a counterattack and drove the Hittites back towards the river away from the Egyptian camp. Despite this successful attack on the battlefield, Ramesses could not capture the city of Kadesh as Muwatalli had used his remaining forces to fortify the city. Battle of Kadesh, Ramesses counterattacks.Both sides claimed victory – the Egyptians for winning the battle, and the Hittites for retaining control of Kadesh – with historians still in disagreement today about whether there was an outright victor or a draw. Battle scene from the Great Kadesh reliefs of Ramses II on the Walls of the Ramesseum by James Henry Breasted, 1927.With no clear victor, border conflicts continued for several years. Fifteen years after the battle, the Egyptians and Hittites signed a treaty to end the long war between the two groups. Known as the Eternal Treaty (or the Treaty of Kadesh), this agreement is the first of its kind in history, with surviving documents from both sides. It was written in Akkadian; the international language of the time. The treaty between Ramesses II and Hattusili III (new king of the Hittites) begins with a declaration of peace:
They made a commitment to end all hostilities and mutually discuss borders, creating defined territories for each kingdom. Ramesses II and Hattusili III formed an alliance between the kingdoms and assured aid in the event of an invasion by external forces. The treaty concludes with a call to the gods of Hatti and Egypt to bear witness to their agreement. The Hittite version of the Treaty of Kadesh at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum.The features of this treaty are remarkably similar to peace treaties in modern history. It mentions issues common across modern treaties: a permanent resolution of hostilities, the identification of borders, and the repatriation of refugees. The treaty is also similar in format. It begins without specific reference to the battles, but a promise of peace. Like modern treaties, it contains separate clauses and ends with a declaration of the consequences of breaking the treaty – in this case, punishment from the Gods:
Though it is not the first recorded battle in history, it is certainly the most well-documented, providing a detailed account of the characteristics of ancient warfare. Its conclusion – the first ‘international’ peace treaty in history and a window into ancient diplomacy – highlights the Battle of Kadesh as a vital event in the history of ancient warfare, and in ancient history as a whole.
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