Madduwatta
Encyclopedia
Madduwatta was a king of Arzawa
, in Anatolia, about 14th or 13th century BC.
He faced a struggle, in the Lukka
Lands (posterior Caria
and Doris), against a "man from Ahhiya" (land of Achaeans?, in Peloponnesos), named Attarisiya (or Atreus
, in Hellenized rendering) and lost his rule. Tudhaliya
II, great king of Hittite Empire, gave Madduwatta asylum, and even gave him (back?) the mountainous kingdom Zippasla (i.e. Sippylos, the mountainous part of Lydia
?) with the Siyanti River Land (Maeandrus river?); but, on condition that Madduwatta use it as a base to invade Arzawa (classical enemy of Hittite Empire).
When Madduwatta did this, Kupanta-Kurunta
, king of Arzawa, destroyed his army (again) and occupied Zippasla. Once more, Tudhaliya II defeated Madduwatta's enemy and restored Madduwatta to his throne. And then, Madduwatta's previous enemy Attarisiya attacked Zippasla, with 100 chariots (famously). This time, Madduwatta did not even defend himself, but fled a third time to the Hittites
. Tudhaliya II sent a third army under Kisnapali
(a Hittite general) to the land to drive Attarissiya out. This time, the Hittite army was ordered to stay.
Madduwatta, apparently, then decided he was never again going to suffer such indignities. When Dalawa (classical Tlos
, Lycian Tlawa ) and Hinduwa (compare classical Hindus river, in southwestern Asia Minor) rebelled, Madduwatta suggested that Kisnapali take Hinduwa while Madduwatta take Dalawa. But while Kisnapili was on his way to Hinduwa, Madduwatta allied with Dalawa, and with its help ambushed and killed Kisnapali. Independent once more, Madduwatta married the Arzawan king's daughter, and soon took that kingdom too.
When Tudhaliya II ordered Madduwatta to put down a revolt in Hapalla (or Caballa, a kingdom, in central Asia Minor), he did - but then Madduwatta forced Hapalla, too, to switch loyalty to his own side. He then bullied Pitassa (the posterior Pisidia
) into his kingdom, even closer to the Hittite heartland. Under Tudhaliya's successor Arnuwanda I, Madduwatta even allied with his old foe Attarisiya and invaded Alasiya (Salamis, Cyprus).
Arzawa
Arzawa in the second half of the second millennium BC was the name of a region and a political entity in Western Anatolia, the core area of which was centered on the Hermos and Maeander river valleys, corresponding with the Late Bronze Age kingdoms of the...
, in Anatolia, about 14th or 13th century BC.
Life
Perhaps, Madduwatta (or Madyattes, in Hellenized rendering) was first a local king of a Lukka city-state at coast of southwestern Asia Minor.He faced a struggle, in the Lukka
Lukka
The Lukka lands are often mentioned in Hittite texts from the second millennium BC. It denotes a region in the southwestern part of Anatolia. The Lukka lands were never put under permanent Hittite control and were viewed as hostile by the Hittites....
Lands (posterior Caria
Caria
Caria was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there...
and Doris), against a "man from Ahhiya" (land of Achaeans?, in Peloponnesos), named Attarisiya (or Atreus
Atreus
In Greek mythology, Atreus was a king of Mycenae, the son of Pelops and Hippodamia, and the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus. Collectively, his descendants are known as Atreidai or Atreidae....
, in Hellenized rendering) and lost his rule. Tudhaliya
Tudhaliya
Tudhaliya is the name of several Hittite kings*Tudhaliya is a hypothetic pre-Empire king of the Hittites. He would have reigned in the late 17th century BC . Forlanini conjectures that this king corresponds to the great-grandfather of Hattusili I.*Tudhaliya I , ruled ca...
II, great king of Hittite Empire, gave Madduwatta asylum, and even gave him (back?) the mountainous kingdom Zippasla (i.e. Sippylos, the mountainous part of Lydia
Lydia
Lydia was an Iron Age kingdom of western Asia Minor located generally east of ancient Ionia in the modern Turkish provinces of Manisa and inland İzmir. Its population spoke an Anatolian language known as Lydian....
?) with the Siyanti River Land (Maeandrus river?); but, on condition that Madduwatta use it as a base to invade Arzawa (classical enemy of Hittite Empire).
When Madduwatta did this, Kupanta-Kurunta
Kupanta-Kurunta
Kupanta-Kurunta was the first recorded king of Arzawa, in the late 15th century BC. He was defeated by an earlier Tudhaliya and his son, the future Arnuwanda I. He then attacked Arnuwanda's restive vassal Madduwatta at Zippasla...
, king of Arzawa, destroyed his army (again) and occupied Zippasla. Once more, Tudhaliya II defeated Madduwatta's enemy and restored Madduwatta to his throne. And then, Madduwatta's previous enemy Attarisiya attacked Zippasla, with 100 chariots (famously). This time, Madduwatta did not even defend himself, but fled a third time to the Hittites
Hittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
. Tudhaliya II sent a third army under Kisnapali
Kisnapali
Kisnapali was a Hittite general during the reign of Tudhaliya I in the early 14th century BC. He died during a battle against the vassal Madduwatta....
(a Hittite general) to the land to drive Attarissiya out. This time, the Hittite army was ordered to stay.
Madduwatta, apparently, then decided he was never again going to suffer such indignities. When Dalawa (classical Tlos
Tlos
Tlos is known to have been one of the most important religious centers of the Lycian region in Antalya province of Turkey.It is known as the city where mythological hero Bellerophon and his winged flying horse Pegasus lived. Determined as the oldest city of Lycian Region by the archaeological...
, Lycian Tlawa ) and Hinduwa (compare classical Hindus river, in southwestern Asia Minor) rebelled, Madduwatta suggested that Kisnapali take Hinduwa while Madduwatta take Dalawa. But while Kisnapili was on his way to Hinduwa, Madduwatta allied with Dalawa, and with its help ambushed and killed Kisnapali. Independent once more, Madduwatta married the Arzawan king's daughter, and soon took that kingdom too.
When Tudhaliya II ordered Madduwatta to put down a revolt in Hapalla (or Caballa, a kingdom, in central Asia Minor), he did - but then Madduwatta forced Hapalla, too, to switch loyalty to his own side. He then bullied Pitassa (the posterior Pisidia
Pisidia
Pisidia was a region of ancient Asia Minor located north of Lycia, and bordering Caria, Lydia, Phrygia and Pamphylia. It corresponds roughly to the modern-day province of Antalya in Turkey...
) into his kingdom, even closer to the Hittite heartland. Under Tudhaliya's successor Arnuwanda I, Madduwatta even allied with his old foe Attarisiya and invaded Alasiya (Salamis, Cyprus).