The Concubine's Son

by H A CULLEY

  They just made it, deploying in a line ten ranks deep and fifty wide between the river and the steep scree slope down which they had run. Three men had broken their legs when they fell on the slope but that as a small price to pay. Now the enemy army was trapped. Even if the Eshnunnan army wasn’t as well trained as the Babylonians, they were more than capable of defeating panicked men, many of whom had thrown away their spears and shields in their eagerness to run as fast as possible.

  As Arishaka stood there in the front rank of his men, waiting for the enemy to attack, he slowly realised that they weren’t going to do so. Those that still had weapons threw them away and they just stood there, not knowing what to do. A few reckless individuals tried to escape by crossing the river but, even if they could swim, the current in a river, swelled by the recent rains, swept them away to a watery grave.

  Arishaka stepped forward and told the dejected Elamites to sit down. Slowly the order was passed down the valley until it reached an area where fighting was still in progress. The clash of weapons ceased as the last arrow of the battle struck the throat of an Elamite. By the time that Hammurabi’s chariot was escorted along the road by his bodyguard an hour later, his men had started to tie the surrendered enemy in batches preparatory to sending them back to Upi and then onwards to various slave markets.

  The two brothers embraced each other and Arishaka recounted the tale of the flooded wadi, so it was a while before he thought to ask.

  ‘Was Zuuthusu killed or is he amongst the prisoners?’

  ‘Neither,’ replied Hammurabi flatly. ‘He wasn’t there. Nutesh commanded the Elamite army. Before he died of his wounds he told me that our brave brother watched from the far side of the river. When his men on the plain broke, he made off up the valley in his chariot and is no doubt heading back to Susa with his tail between his legs.’

  ‘I doubt he will get much of a welcome there, having lost a whole army.’ Arishaka grinned.

  At that moment the horse contingent rode up.

  ‘Wait a moment, how much of a head start has he?’

  ‘Probably near on two hours. Of course, horses can travel much faster than onagers drawing a heavy chariot. We can still net him.’ Hammurabi clapped his brother on the shoulder. ‘How tired are you feeling?

  ‘A moment ago I was dead on my feet. Now I feel as fresh as a lark at dawn.’

  A moment later he clattered off down the road with twenty horsemen riding behind him. Thirty minutes later ten supply camels and eight escort camels followed his dust trail.

  Tarhunda asked him what instructions he had given his brother.

  ‘I told him to forget the law just this once. I no longer want to try Zuuthusu for patricide and regicide before the courts. I just want his head on a spear.’

  Chapter Eleven – The Hunt for Zuuthusu – 1779 - 1778 BCE

  Arishaka was confident that he would quickly overtake Zuuthusu but, as the walls of Eshnunna came in sight and there was still no sign of him, he began to think that this might take longer that he had imagined. He had ridiculed the idea of needing a supply train, but now he was glad that it was following him.

  As he passed the city, the gates opened and three chariots raced to intercept him. He slowed from a canter to a trot to allow the lead chariot to pull alongside him. He realised that it must contain Ibal-pi-El and that, as he was King of Eshnunna, he should stop and pay him proper respect. However, nothing was going to delay him, so he merely yelled the news across to him and explained that Zuuthusu had escaped.

  ‘I know. We saw him race past here in his chariot two hours ago. Thank you for your most welcome tidings.’ The king slowed, expecting the horseman to do the same; instead he sped away. ‘The gods aid you in your quest,’ the offended king muttered to his retreating back.

  With that the king’s chariot turned back to the city with his escort following and Arishaka’s party picked up the pace again. Two miles further on the pursuers spotted a faint dust cloud to the north. Zuuthusu had evidently turned away from the cultivated area beside the river and headed towards the barren foothills of the northern Zagros Mountains. Arishaka cursed; his quarry had remained on the northern bank of the Diyala whilst he was still on the southern side. However, when Zuuthusu left his camp outside Eshnunna to watch the battle, he must have crossed the river somewhere and Arishaka hadn’t seen a ford so far.

  They followed the swollen river for two more miles until it widened out. Here rocks and shallows were evident so this was obviously the limit of navigation. A mile further on they came across an area of shingle that was just apparent under the fast flowing water. Arishaka kicked his horse’s side with his heels and the animal nervously started to cross. Slowly the water rose until it almost reached the horse’s belly, but then it started to drop and another minute later he reached the far bank safely.

  Ten minutes later the whole party had crossed and the camel train following them with their supplies hove into view. Arishaka waited impatiently until he was certain that the lead camel rider had seen where they had crossed, whilst everyone took the opportunity to water their horses. Then they set off again at a smart canter in pursuit of Zuuthusu’s rapidly receding dust trail.

  As they rode, Arishaka tried to put himself inside the mind of his half-brother. Where would Zuuthusu seek sanctuary now? Obviously he could not return to Susa having just lost them an entire army. Although he appeared to be making for the Zagros Mountains, Arishaka couldn’t believe that he would place himself in the hands of the Kassites and the other tribes who lived there. Quite apart from the fact that he had led their fellow tribesmen further south to disaster, as a Babylonian by birth he would be regarded as similar to the Assyrians, who had been trying to subjugate the Kassites for years.

  No, he would have to be mad to enter the Zagros. Zuuthusu was many things, but mad was not one of them. Could he be headed for the Assyrians? Hammurabi was still their ally, even if they had failed to help him to recover Eshnunna, so that seemed unlikely. Then he thought of Urshu. Yarim-Lim, the new King of Yamhad, had managed to check the invasion from Urshu but he had not been able to defeat them, as he had Qatna. The other possibility was to make for Anatolia and the Hittites. It would be too dangerous to cross Mari and Yamhad by land; if he was discovered he would be handed over to Hammurabi without a doubt. However, if he could reach the Tigris, he could buy his passage upriver and eventually reach Anatolia and the Hittites.

  Arishaka tried to remember what he knew of the local geography. Zuuthusu was hardly likely to return to the Diyala. If he turned due east once he was well clear of the inhabited areas, he could reach the Tigris in a few days. The question was where on the Tigris? The next trading port north of Akshak was Samara. This was a small independent city that specialised in the export of flax and pottery. As he pondered the options, Arishaka was more and more convinced that was where his quarry was likely to head to so, when they lost his trail the next day, he headed straight there.

  ~#~

  Hammurabi was determined to return to Adiar at Upi as soon as possible. He knew how insecure she was feeling over the new baby after the tragic loss of their daughter and his mind could scarcely concentrate on the job in hand, now that the Elamites had been defeated. He was also worried about Arishaka, setting off in pursuit of his ruthless half-brother. He wished now that he had sent a larger force with him; not because they couldn’t deal with Zuuthusu, his charioteer and one archer, but because they might have to follow him into hostile territory.

  His previous attitude towards his younger brother of wary jealousy had changed completely. He realised now that he depended on him nearly as much as he did on his wife. Tarhunda wouldn’t be able to play an active role as commander of the Babylonian army for much longer and there was no-one more suited to take over from him than Arishaka. Still, he had proved more than capable of taking care of himself in the past, so Hammurabi tried to put his worries to the back of his mind.

  Whatever his own wishes, he couldn’t return to Upi an
d his wife just yet. He had only met Ibal-pi-El once, and then only briefly. He had been a boy at the time; now he was King of Eshnunna and Hammurabi needed to cultivate him. However well-disposed he might be towards Babylon as his rescuers, their relationship had to be formalised. He also wanted to reassure himself, and by extension his mother, that Ettu, now Dadusha’s widow, was all right.

  Leaving Tarhunda to finish clearing up the battlefield, burying the Babylonian and Eshnunnan dead and piling the Elamites corpses up as food for animals and carrion birds, he set off for the nearby city. He took with him camels loaded with half of the enemy’s spears, bows, shields and bronze daggers as a gift to Ibal-pi-El. He would have added armour and helmets but the tribesmen were poor and very few had possessed them.

  As he neared the city, the gates swung open and, once again, the Eshnunnan king drove his chariot out. The two kings halted twenty yards from each other, dismounted from their chariots and walked to meet each other. After a formal embrace Ibal-pi-El was the first to speak.

  ‘I am delighted to see you, Hammurabi, and more grateful than I can say for your defeat of the barbarians who killed my brother.’ He paused and flashed an aggrieved look at his fellow king. ‘At least you had the courtesy to stop and greet me, unlike that ill-mannered officer of yours who rode past, barely slowing down to shout that you had won the battle.’

  ‘Forgive him, lord king, that was my brother, Arishaka, who was under orders from me to chase and capture Zuuthusu without delay.’

  ‘Umm. I see.’ Suddenly the young king smiled. ‘The matter is already forgotten. Come, let us ride into the city together to receive the thanks of the people. You will stay for a day or two so that we can celebrate properly?’

  It was the last thing Hammurabi wanted. The quicker he could leave Eshnunna and return to Upi the happier he would be. However, he couldn’t leave without concluding a formal treaty and he knew only too well that these things took time.

  ‘Thank you, that is very kind. I was extremely sorry to be the one to find your brother’s body on the battlefield. You have my sincere commiserations. Obviously we couldn’t wait before burying him, but you are most welcome to visit his tomb at Upi at any time. I would also like to extend my condolences to my sister. She is well, I trust, after all that has happened?’

  A look of horror crossed the young man’s face. ‘Of course, you don’t know; how unforgiveable of me.’

  ‘Why, what is it I don’t know?’ A sinking feeling started to develop in Hammurabi’s stomach.

  ‘I’m so sorry. Your sister killed herself by cutting her wrists when she heard of Dadusha’s death. There was nothing we could do when she was found. She was already dead. She has been buried in the royal mausoleum with all honours, of course.’

  There was something about the way that Ibal-pi-El delivered these ill tidings that didn’t quite ring true to Hammurabi. He might have not realised that Hammurabi didn’t already know, but then he would have mentioned it before Hammurabi had asked after her. Instead the first thing he had raised was Arishaka’s disrespectful treatment of him. It was true that he had appeared to be speaking with sincerity, but Hammurabi had a feeling that he was a polished and consummate liar. He instinctively didn’t trust him, and even wondered whether he had arranged for his sister’s apparent suicide.

  As they travelled together towards the gates Hammurabi speculated about Ibal-pi-El’s possible motive for such a despicable act. Then it hit him. Ashlatum had said to him just before he left that she wondered whether her daughter was pregnant yet. If she was, it could explain her death – and that of the unborn child. Ibal-pi-El was the obvious choice to succeed his brother but a nephew could be an embarrassment, and a possible focus for revolt later, when he grew up. After all, he knew at first hand all about such concerns.

  Of course, he was well aware that he had no positive grounds for such suspicions, but somehow he intuitively knew that his deduction was correct. He would have to be very careful in his dealings with the new King of Eshnunna. Even if he had murdered Ettu, he still needed him as an ally, however much it stuck in his craw.

  After two days the two kings were eventually able to get down to business. During the intervening time Hammurabi had grown to dislike his wife’s younger brother more and more. He was arrogant and self-centred and plainly thought that he could manage without help from now on. It therefore came as no great surprise when the negotiations stalled almost as soon as they got started.

  ‘I know my brother was happy to agree to a pact whereby you and he promised to support each other if either was invaded but, with the elimination of the Elamite army, the threat to Eshnunna is removed; whereas you are still surrounded by potential enemies. I just don’t see what advantage there is for me in agreeing to another treaty of mutual support.’

  Hammurabi ground his teeth silently and forbore to tell Ibal-pi-El that he was being short-sighted, if not totally idiotic.

  ‘That may be the situation now, but Assyria has brought the Kassites to heel in the Zagros Mountains for the moment and can now turn its attention elsewhere. Furthermore, that wasn’t the Elamite army, merely a small part of it, reinforced by thousands of ill-trained tribesmen. Elam is still a threat to you, unless, of course, you intend to intend to acknowledge the King of Elam as your overlord? After all, to all intents and purposes, that was the situation before Dadusha came to the throne.’

  He noted with inward amusement that his remarks had made his fellow king go red in the face with rage.

  ‘And, of course,’ Hammurabi continued, just as Ibal-pi-El was about to speak, ‘the Assyrians have long coveted your fertile lands. Now that Shamshi-Adad has returned from campaigning against the Kassites he may well cast his eyes in your direction.’

  Ibal-pi-El had stopped glaring at him and now looked a little less certain of himself.

  ‘Still think you don’t need my friendship, lord king?’ Hammurabi had to stop himself from asking the rhetorical question with a sneer.

  ‘I didn’t say that. You misunderstand me, Hammurabi. I am happy to agree mutual non-aggression treaty with you; just not one that will oblige me to send troops to fight in your wars.’

  ‘Do you honestly think I would attack my wife’s brother? You are a bigger fool than you look. Unless, of course, you have done something that might make me want to attack you?’

  The younger man flushed a deep red. ‘No, of course not. What do you mean?’

  Hammurabi thought “you know exactly what I mean”. He was now completely convinced that Ibal-pi-El was responsible for his sister’s death. He gave the young man a long hard look then got to his feet.

  ‘I’m not about to attack a kingdom I just rescued. You don’t see the point of a treaty of mutual support. I don’t see any point in confirming that I won’t attack my wife’s brother. You are hardly likely to attack me, are you?’

  The other man shook his head. ‘Of course not.’

  ‘Then I think our business here is concluded.’ With that the King of Babylon swept out of the council chamber and twenty minutes later his chariot and escort left Eshnunna. It was only when he was approaching Tutub that he realised that he hadn’t paid his respects to his sister’s remains.

  ~#~

  Arishaka realised that his troop of twenty horsemen and the same number of camels would attract quite a lot of interest if they just rode into Samara, so they camped in a small valley with a stream a few miles away. He sent three horsemen to keep a discreet watch on the route he expected Zuuthusu to take and prayed to Marduk and Shamash that he had arrived in time.

  For two days they saw nothing, then one of the scouts returned to say that a large caravan was approaching. At first Arishaka ignored the news and wondered again whether he had missed the elusive Zuuthusu. Then a thought struck him; what better cover could there be than to join a slow moving caravan? It was what he would do. He beckoned to his second-in-command.

  ‘Our man could have joined the caravan. We need to find out before we make a
move though.’

  ‘Why don’t we just stop the caravan and search it?’ The other man was puzzled.

  ‘Because word of our presence in the area would reach Samara just as soon as the caravan gets there and that could alert our quarry, if he has managed to slip past us.’

  ‘Oh, I see.’ The man grimaced. ‘Sorry. How are we going to find out?’ Suddenly he thought of something else. ‘And how will you recognise him? How old were you when you last saw him?’

  ‘Very young; and you’re quite right. I don’t remember what he looks like, but he has a small red birthmark beside his left eye that would be difficult to hide.’

  The caravan had come from Elam and was heading across the Tigris for Mari and Syria. Arishaka felt a little nervous when he joined it, surrounded as he was by Elamites, especially as he had only brought six camels loaded with provisions - masquerading as merchandise - and four men disguised as caravan guards with him. To have brought more would have only invited unwanted attention. He made no secret of the fact that they were Babylonians but he said he was a merchant returning home after trading in Assyria. If the leader of the Elamite caravan wasn’t overjoyed to see them, he made no objection to them travelling with him as far as Samara.

  The six camel boys acted as his eyes and ears when they camped that night and it wasn’t long before two of them returned to where the Babylonians were camped with the news that there was a merchant with two laden onagers and a guard who had joined the caravan two days ago. Neither boy had got close enough to see if the merchant had a small birthmark in the moonlight but Arishaka though that the combination of two men and two onagers, presumably the two who had been drawing Zuuthusu’s chariot, was just too much of a coincidence.

  The Babylonian prince was known for his daring exploits but he also had a reputation for coming up with plans that had a good chance of success. Unfortunately, on this occasion he let eagerness to finish the job override common sense. His hastily conceived plan was to kill the man he supposed to be Zuuthusu and his man in their sleep and then quit the caravan as quickly as possible. It didn’t quite work out like that.