3. 3. 5. 2. Une lettre

Une lettre ⁶⁶¹ , écrite par Sargon à un dignitaire de haut rang Assur-sarru-usur, rapporte que Mita de Musku, apparemment jusque-là hostile à l'Assyrie, a fait une tentative de rapprochement. Elle pourrait dater de 710 ou 709 ; car une ambassade phrygienne pourrait avoir été reçue en 709. Un nouvel examen propose de la dater de 715 ⁶⁶² . Sargon ne mentionne jamais la soumission de Phrygiens avant cette date. Pour Postgate, les Mushki et les Phrygiens sont un seul peuple.

‘“The reaction of Sargon, king of Assyria, to the news that Midas, king of the Phrygians, has made friendly advances to the Assyrians.
“1The king's word to Assur-sarru-u[sur] : I am well, the land of Assyria is well, may you (therefore) be glad.
3As to what you wrote to me, saying: “A messenger [of] Mita the Phrygian has come to me, bringing me 14 men of Que whom Urik had sent to Urartu as an embassy”_this is extremely good. My gods, Assur, Samas, Bel, (and) Nabu have now taken action, and in the middle of battle has [not ?] our [...], the Phrygian, given us his word, and become our ally?
10As to what you wrote to me saying: “I shall not send my messenger to the Phrygian without (the permission of) the king my lord”_now I am indeed writing to you, (to say that) your messenger should never be away from the Phrygian('s court). Send him friendly messages, and hear constantly what his counsel may be, until I am free.
16As to what you wrote to me, saying: “Just as he send to me the subjects of the king my lord, shall I send him his subjects?”_ send (them) to him, (so that) soon his heart may be appeased towards us. Whether (there are) 100 men ? or ? (only) 10, send him (a message) like this, saying: “I wrote to the king my lord (about the men of Que whom you sent to me, and he was extremely pleased, and in reply [(...)] he wrote to me, saying that I should not keep a single one of the Phrygians under me, but that I was to send [them all(?)] to Mita, (and so), at the command of the king my lord, I am sending you [these] men.”
26As to what you wrote to me, saying: “A messenger of Urbal'a came to me for an audience, with the Phrygian messenger”_let him come. Let Assur, Samas, Bel, and Nabu give the word, (and) all these kings will polish your sandal(s) with their beards.
31As to what you wrote to me, saying: “Kilar [has requested from] me 4 districts, saying: “Let them give (them) to me'"_when you have given [those] 4 districts to Kilar, will he not become your equal, and over what will you yourself be exercising (your) governorship? Say to him as follows: “Before, you were afraid of the Phrygian, (but) now the Phrygian has made peace with us, so what are you afraid of? Now eat your bread (and) drink your water (under) the shadow of the king my lord, (and) be glad. Have no anxiety with regard to the Phrygian.”
43As to what you wrote to me, saying:”Urbal'a [has written (?)] to me about the fact that the men of Atuna and the men of Istuanda came and captured (the) villages [(...)] of Bit-Paruta, [...] from? the king my lord (...)"_now (that) the Phrygian has made peace with us,...., what will all the kings of Tabal (be able to) do in future? You, from this side, and the Phrygian, from that side, will squeeze them, so that soon you will tie your rope? with them. My gods, Assur, Samas, Bel, and Nabu have taken action now, (and) this land will be trodden under your feet. Move around as you choose, (and) do whatever work you have; cut (short) the long, (and)..., until I (can) come (and) give you work as far as I am able.
57About Ba?[...,...] I have heard his case in full. The day you see this letter, appoint his son in his place over his men, (and) see that his people are assembled and waiting. If he wishes, let him take them over the mountains, and settle them, or else, let them wait here, (and) let one of your “third-riders” pick him up post-haste, (and) encourage him, and soon I shall send his people who are delaying here, and he will go (too? and) enter his house.
66Aplaya_him together with his people_ let your messenger bring them to me, whether (they are) men of Babylon, Borsippa, Kish, Nippur, Uruk, the land of Der,...” ⁶⁶³ ’

Cette lettre souligne les liens entre les différents rois de la région. Assur-sarru-usur pourrait être un gouverneur de la province assyrienne de Què. Urik pourrait être soit Kiakki dirigeant de Šinuhtu en Tabal, soit son fils Kiikki. Il semble avoir conservé une certaine autonomie par rapport au royaume de Tabal ⁶⁶⁴ . Urbal'a semble être le maître de Tuhana, il est connu sous le nom de Warpalawas ⁶⁶⁵ , dans des textes qui nous examinerons dans le paragraphe suivant. Nous ne savons pas si ce territoire est sous domination assyrienne.Kilar est peut être le dirigeant du pays d'Hilakku. Sargon semble effrayé par les Phrygiens avec lesquels il préfère négocier. Ce sont de puissants rivaux, directement en conflit avec l'Assyrie. Tabal pose quelques problèmes mais est situé entre la Phrygie et l'Assyrie et est donc impuissant.

Malgré la précision des données que nous venons d'exposer :

‘“No record exists of the Assyrian annexation of the Central Taurus states -Tuhana (Urbal'a), Atuna, and Istuanda in particular- and hence they must still have been independent in 709 B.C. Although Matti of Atuna sent his submission in 713 B.C., enough time had intervened for him to have forgotten the example of Ambaris.” ⁶⁶⁶ ’