Died 1675 BC Successor Irkabtum Grandchildren Hammurabi III, Idrimi | Parents Yarim-Lim II Predecessor Yarim-Lim II | |
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Reign c. 1700 BC – c. 1675 BC. Middle chronology Children Irkabtum, Yarim-Lim III, Ilim-Ilimma I Great grandchildren Addu-nirári, Niqmepa, King of Alalakh | ||
Niqmi-Epuh, also given as Niqmepa (reigned c. 1700 BC – c. 1675 BC - Middle chronology ) was the king of Yamhad (Halab) succeeding his father Yarim-Lim II
Contents
Reign
Little of Aleppo has been excavated by archaeologists, knowledge about Niqmi-Epuh comes from tablets discovered at Alalakh, his existence is confirmed by a number of tablets with his seal on its envelope
Yarim-Lim king of Alalakh, uncle of Yarim-Lim II and vassal of Yamhad died during Niqmi-Epuh reign and was succeeded by his son Ammitakum, who started to assert Alalakh semi-independence.
The tablets mentions Niqmi-Epuh votive status which he dedicated to Hadad and placed it in that Deity Temple, tablet AlT*11 informs of his return from Nishin, a place not known before but certainly inside the territory of Yamhad because the tablet seems to refer to travel and not a military campaign.
Niqmi-Epuh most celebrated deed was his conquest of the town Arazik near Charchemish, the fall of this city was important to the extent of being suitable for dating several legal cases.
Niqmi-Epuh Seal
the seal of Niqmi-Epuh includes his name written in cuneiform inscription, the king is wearing a crown, facing two goddesses, one in Syrian dress and the other is wearing Babylonian dress.
Death and succession
Niqmi-Epuh died ca. 1675 BC, he seems to have a number of sons including Irkabtum who succeeded him immediately, prince Abba-El, and possibly Yarim-Lim III. Hammurabi III the last king before the Hittites conquest might have been his son too.