POLITICAL UNIFICATION OF THE EAST PERIPHERYES OF HITTITES – FOR SEARCHING OF ISMIRIKA

Abstract

The article discusses one of the important geographical points of the political units on the Eastern Periphery of Hittites, this is Ismirika. Especially it’s important to mention here the Ismirika’s Treaty, which the king of Hittites made with the people of Ismirika. The Treaty is published in the series of KUB and ABot, these texts and fragments are preserved in the Boğazköys archive.

The innovation is the fact that Ismirika’s special research was carried out for the first time. History of Hittites is discussed based on the Georgian translation and analyses of Ismirika’s Treaty and presents the controversial issues of this period in a new way. The article analyzes the issue of dating the Treaty, either it is related to the reign of the king - Arnuwanda I or Arnuwanda II. We have tried to bring additional arguments and facts about the possibility that military operations in South-East Anatolia are associated with the name Arnuwanda I and the Treaty with Ismirika is signed by him.

In the article we are talking about the approximate location, toponymy, etymology  and other important issues of Ismirika, according to which it is stated the opinion regarding its relation with historical Speri. This opinion once again states the idea that Ismirika might be one of the states of Kaskians-Mushki, settled by Kartvelian tribes. Of course, by the geographical area and the political situation, there might be the existence of Hurrian elements in the population. Ismirika had very important strategically meaning for Hettites, what can be confirmed from “Treaty of Ismerika”. So, the east periphery of Hittites is very considerable to research the history of Hittites, also for study of this region and consequently it’s very important for researching of the ancient history of Georgia.

 Keywords: Assyriology, Ismirika, Hittite, Kaskians, Arnuwanda