Faction Inclusion:

ISRAEL / HEBREWS

The game covers the historic period from the reign of Merneptah (1213-1203 BCE) to Rameses III (1186–1155 BC). As an historic title, I hope CA include the nation of Israel / Hebrew ('Habiru' / 'Apiru'). They fought against Mernaptah, were well established in the eastern mountains of Palestine / Jordan during this period and listed amongst nations.

According to archeology, a signficant group of Habiru (Social derogatory term for 'slave', 'rebel', 'foreigner') / Hebrew (Descriptive term for 'foreigner' / 'one from across the river' Euphrates) appeared in the mountains of eastern Canaan bewteen 1400 and 1350 BCE, 100+ years before the period of the game (eg. Egyptian Pharoahs Amenohotep III, Set II and Merneptah fought them, to contain them in those mountains. The "Armarna letters" (mid-14th C BCE) report them coming from the eastern mountains to fight against the Canaanite City States. These Habiru / Hebrew of the hills of Canaan were known in the game period as ... ISRAEL

MERNEPTAH STELE 1204 BCE

3M Black Granite Stele, Cairo Museum

"ISRAEL IS LAID WASTE, ITS SEED IS NO MORE" - PHAROAH MERNEPTAH, 1204 BCE

Pharoah Merneptah calls Israel one of the "NINE BOWS" of foreign power which he contended with.

The Merneptah Stele uses the term 'People' / 'Nation' rather than stating a city / capital or area. This suggests the following;

• Israel was a signifcant entity during the period, worthy of Pharoah Merneptah bragging about their alleged defeat.
• Israel was a relative new entity, usurpers to an area (Canaan) that Egypt regarded it's own.

Conservative depiction of terroritory based on Archeology. With a capital in Shechem and Jerusalem remaining an independant Canaanite outlyer

Both Armarna letters and material culture suggest much wider conquest 

BERLIN PESTAL RELIEF

AM 21687, Berlin Museum - 1400-1330 BCE 18th Dynasty 

Egyptian victory over Gaza, Canaan and ISRAEL

The cartouche suggests Israel was present in the HIGHLANDS / "HILLS". 

This correlates with the mention of a signifcant body of people called the Habiru / Hebrew in the regioin at the time.

"Land of the Nomads who worship Yaweh"

Amenhotep III (reign: 1391-1353 BCE) victory inscription eastern Canaan - Temple of Soleb, Sudan

"His majesty was in the foreign country of the Retenu (Canaan) on his fourteenth campaign of victory and he fought with them (Nomads / Hebrews) IN THE HILL COUNTRY"

Despite the boasts, Amenhotep's campaign appears to have been nothing more than a punitive raid with no lasting impact. On his death, the Habiru / Hebrew ran riot throughout Canaan. Amenhotep's  successor Akenaten did little to stem the onslaught:

AMARNA LETTERS - 1350s to 1330s BCE

We know the Habiru threat came from the eastern mountians and spread west, north and south. Gezer was one of the last areas impacted

AMARNA LETTER EA 271: "THE POWER OF THE 'HABIRU"

"Say to the king (Pharoah), my lord, my god, my Sun: Message of Milkilu (Canaanite Ruler of Gezer), your servant, the dirt at your feet. I fall at the feet of the king, my Lord, 7 times and 7 times.

May the king, my lord, know that the war against me and against Šuwardata (Canaanite Ruler of Jerusalem) is severe. So may the king, my lord, save his land from the power of the Habiru.

O[th]erwise, may the king, my lord, send chariots to fetch us, lest they kill us.

Moreover, may the king, my lord, ask Yanhamu, his servant, about what is being done in his land."

AMARNA LETTER EA 292: "LIKE A PLOT HELD IN PLEDGE"

Say to the king, my lord, my god, my Sun: Message of Adda-danu (Ruler of Gezer)

your servant, the dirt at your feet. I fall at the feet of the king, my lord, 

my god, my Sun, 7 times and 7 times. 

I looked this way, and I looked that way, and there was no light. 

Then I looked towards the king, my lord, and there was light. 

I have heard the orders that the king, my lord, wrote to his servant, 

“Guard your commissioner, and guard the cities of the king, your lord." 

I do indeed guard, and I do indeed obey the orders of the king, my lord, day and night. 

May the king, my lord, be informed about his servant. 

There being A FIERCE WAR BEING WAGED (by Habiru) AGAINST ME FROM THE MOUNTAINS

HEBREW CURSE (DEFIXO) TABLETS

MOUNT EBAL, Israel - 1350 BCE

Written in ancient HEBREW

Discovered at non-Canaanite religious site - uncut stone altar with evidence of Kosher sacrifice

Dated 1400 - 1250 BCE, pottery dated to 14th C BCE / Amarna period

"Cursed, cursed, cursed—cursed by the El (god called) YAWEH

You (Ruler of Jerusalem, possibly Canaanite King Abdi-Heba) will die cursed

Cursed you will surely die

Cursed by Yaweh —cursed, cursed, cursed"

Universität Mainz, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, University of Haifa - Published: 12 May 2023

JUST FOR CONTEXT:

"It shall come about, when the Lord your God (Yaweh) brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, that you shall place the blessing on Mount Gerizim, and the curse upon MOUNT EBAL" - Deuteronomy 11:29

"Then Joshua built on MOUNT EBAL an altar to the Lord (Yaweh), the God of Israel, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones" - Joshua 8:30-31

HEBREW related but different to CANAANITE

For example:

ריִע “city” (Hebrew) = תרק (Canaanite)

בָהָז “gold” (Hebrew) =  ץרח (Canaanite)

רוֹשׁ “bull, ox” (Hebrew) = ףלא (Canaanite)

ה-י-ה “be” (Hebrew) =  ן-ו-כ (Canaanite)

אֹל “no, not” (Hebrew) =  לב (Canaanite)

AMARNA LETTER EA 299: "A PLEA FOR HELP"

"To the king (Pharoah), my lord, my god, the Sun, the Sun from the sky: Message of Yapahu, the ruler of Gazru (Gezer), your servant, the dirt at your feet, the groom of your horses. Truly I fall at the feet of the king, my lord, my god, my Sun, the Sun from the sky, 7 times and 7 times, on the stomach and on the back.

I have listened to the words of the messenger of the king, my lord, very carefully. May the king, my lord, the Sun from the sky, take thought for his land. Since the Habiru are stronger than we, may the king, my lord, give me his help,....and may the king, my lord, get me away from the Habiru lest the Habiru destroy us"

NB: Gezer appears to have 3 different Canaanite Rulers in a 50 year period.

AMARNA LETTER EA 100: "THE CITY OF IRQATA TO THE KING (PHAROAH)"

"To the king (Pharaoh), our lord: Message from Irqata (City Southern Lebanon) and its elders. We fall at the feet of the king, our lord, 7 times and 7 times. To our lord, the Sun: Message from Irqata. May the heart of the king, our lord, know that we guard Irqata for him. When the king, our lord, sent DUMU-Bi-Ha-A, he said to us, "Message of the king: Guard Irqata!". Irqata seeks loyalty to the king. As to silver having been given to Subaru

May you know the mind of Irqata! When a tablet from the king arrived (saying) to raid the land that the Habiru had taken from the king, they (Habiru) waged war with us, against our lord.

Truly we are guarding the land. May the king, our lord, heed the words of his loyal servants.

May he grant a gift to his servant(s) so our enemies will see this and eat dirt. May the breath of the king not depart from us. We shall keep the city gate barred until the breath of the king.

Severe is the war against us — terrible, terrible.."

From Abdi-Heba, Canaanite King of Jerusalem

AMARNA LETTER EA 286: "A THRONE GRANTED, NOT INHERITED"

Say to the king (Pharoah), my lord: Message of Abdi-Heba, your servant.

I fall at the feet of my lord, the king,7 times and 7 times.

What have I done to the king, my lord?

They denounce me before the king, my lord, "Abdi-Heba has rebelled against the king, his lord."

I am slandered before the king, my lord.

Because I say, "Lost are the lands of the king, my lord," accordingly I am slandered before the king, my lord.

May the king, my lord, know that though the king, my lord stationed a garrison here, Yanhamu (Egyptian Commissioner) has taken it away.

All the lands of the king, my lord, have deserted.

For my part, I say, "I would go in to the king, my lord, and visit the king, my lord," but the war against me (by Habiru) is severe, and so I am not able to go in to the king, my lord

Whenever the commissioners have come out, I would say to them, "Lost are the lands of the king", but they did not listen to me.

Lost are all the rulers; there is not a ruler remaining to the king, my lord.

The king has no lands. The Habiru have plundered all the lands of the king.

Lost, lost are all the lands of the king, my lord!"

BETH-SHAN STELE

 SETI I, 1290–1279 BC, Rockefeller Archaeological Museum, East Jerusalem

"The Habiru of Mount Yarmuta (Southern Galilee / same area as Mount Ebal) did arise and attack the Retenu (Canaanites) of Rehem. Then his majesty said, "How can these wretched Asiatics (Habiru) dare wage war. Then his majesty commanded a section of his infantry and his numerous chariotry to turned their faces toward (march into) the foreign country of Djahi (Coastal Canaan). The space of two days elapsed, and they (Egyptian Forces) returned in triumph from the country Yarmuta, carrying plunder and captives"

BUBASTITE PORTAL

Karnak Temple, Egypt

Victory inscription over "The HIGHLANDS of (King) David", rings 105 & 106 - Pharoah Shoshenq I, 10th C BCE

MESHA STELE

Louvre, Paris France

"I am Mesha, son of Chemosh-yt, king of Moab, the Dibonite. My father reigned over Moab thirty years, and I have reigned after my father. And I have built this sanctuary for Chemosh (diety) in Karchah, a sanctuary of salvation, for he saved me from all aggressors, and made me look upon all mine enemies with contempt.

Omri was king of Israel, and oppressed Moab, and Chemosh was angry with his aggressions. His son succeeded him, and he also said, I will oppress Moab. In my days he said, Let us go, and I will see my desire upon him and his house, and Israel said, I shall destroy it for ever. Now Omri took the land of Madeba (Jordan), and occupied it in his day, and in the days of his son, forty years. And Chemosh had mercy on it in my time. And I built Baal-meon and made therein the ditch, and I built Kiriathaim."

And the men of Gad (Israeli tribe East of Jordan) dwelled in the country of Ataroth from ancient times, and the king of Israel fortified Ataroth. I assaulted the wall and captured it, and killed all the warriors of the city for the well-pleasing of Chemosh and Moab, and I removed from it all the spoil, and offered it before Chemosh in Kirjath; and I placed therein the men of Siran, and the men of Mochrath. And Chemosh said to me, Go take Nebo against Israel, and I went in the night and I fought against it from the break of day till noon, and I took it: and I killed in all seven thousand men...women and young girls, for I devoted (sacrificed) them to Ashtar-Chemosh and I took from it the vessels of Yahweh, and offered them before Chemosh.

And the king of Israel fortified Jahaz, and occupied it, when he made war against me, and Chemosh drove him out before me..." - King Mesha of Moab, 9th C BCE

"Biblical War Revealed" - Live Science 

KHIRBAT ATARUZ INSCRIPTION

Royal Moabite santuary inscription, Khirbat Ataruz, Jordan - 9th C BCE

"For 8 shekels of bronze

And this: 2 shekels of bronze

Total plunder: 10

4 + 60 from the Hebrews

And 4,000 men were scattered, and abandoned in great number

From the desolate city (Ataroth) … which … a burnt offering/incense altar

Acquired land…"

TEL DAN STELE

Israel Museum - 9th C BCE

"My father (King of Aram) went up..fighting against Ahab (King of Israel).

And my father lay down, he went to his fathers. And the kings of Israel penetrated into my father's land. And Hadad (Canaanite Storm God) made me - myself - king (of Aram)

And Hadad went in front of me, and I departed from (the land) of my kings. And I killed two powerful kings, who harnessed two thousand chariots and two thousand horsemen. 

I killed Joram, son of Ahab, King of Israel, and I killed Ahaziah, son of Joram, King of the House of David.

And I set (their towns into ruins and turned) their land into (desolation)" - King of Aram, 9th C BCE

So we know during the period the Hebrew / Israel:

• Were a seperate Semitic entity to Canaan (Different DNA Haplogroup J2/T (Canaanite J2/E1, Arab / Palestinian J1/E1b1b), language group and cultural group)
• Were residing in the eastern hills of Canaan / Jordan valley
• Were respected for their military prowess and considered a regional power (Egyptian recording as one of the "NINE BOWS" of foreign power)
• Were worshipping a god (El) called Yaweh

This makes for a very interesting faction akin to the way the Huns / 'Barbarian' factions were depicted in TW:Attila (albeit not as powerful).

UNIT REFERENCE:

Please hit the like, if you found this interesting

Scylla#6669 wrote:

Congrats on a well-documented post. 

However the Late Bronze Age predecessors of the Israelites of the Iron Age were, in my understanding, the people of the city of Jerusalem, called Urushalim by Egyptians, meaning "City of Shalem" after a Canaanite deity. 

Cheers

Urushalim is the Akkadian reference and as Akkadian was the diplomatic language during most of the bronze age, the name seems to have stuck. Yes is seems to be named after a Canaanite West Semitic diety. The Canaanites, like the Hebrew were both decended from Amorite (West Semitic) herritage. By Late Bronze Age IIA these two groups were well and truly seperate / different. Different DNA / admixture, language, religion and material culture. Much like Germans and Nords, Irish and Scots, Tibet and China

Canaanite does not equal Hebrew / Israelis, though Canaanites would be found within their ranks. 

Alleged lack of conquest (sacking of Canaanite Cities) reassessed after new scientific method of analysis

Building structures previously thought to be made of kilned mud-brick, actually sun dried mud-brick fired through city destruction.

Merneptah's "Nine Bows"

"Nine Bows" was the historic term employed by each serving Pharoah to represent the foreign threats each Pharoah faced.

MERNEPTAH STELE 1204 BCE

3M Black Granite Stele, Cairo Museum

This is what Merneptah recorded:

The princes are prostrate, saying 'Peace!'

Not one raises his head among the Nine Bows.

Desolation is for Tjehenu (Libyans); INCLUDED

Hatti (Hittites) is pacified; INCLUDED 

Plundered is the Canaan with every evil; INCLUDED

Carried off is Asqaluni (Ascalon / Canaan); INCLUDED

Seized upon is Gezer (Canaan); INCLUDED (city itself omitted)

Yanoam (Southern Syria) is made non-existent; INCLUDED

ISRAEL (Mountains of Canaan, East bank of Jordan) is laid waste—its seed is no more; MISSING

Kharru (Hurrians / off current map) has become a widow because of Egypt. MISSING

All lands together are pacified.

Everyone who was restless has been bound.