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Bodashtart

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Bodashtart
Reign525–515 BC
PredecessorEshmunazar II
SuccessorYatonmilk
Phoenician language𐤁𐤃𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕‎
DynastyEshmunazar I dynasty
ReligionCanaanite polytheism
An image of symbols etched on a block of stone.
The first known Bodashtart inscription, known today as CIS I 4, currently in the Louvre as AO 4838

Bodashtart (also transliterated Bodʿaštort, meaning "from the hand of Astarte"; Phoenician: 𐤁𐤃𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕) was a Phoenician King of Sidon (c. 525–515 BC), the grandson of king Eshmunazar I, and a vassal of the Achaemenid Empire.[1][2][3][4] He succeeded his cousin Eshmunazar II to the throne of Sidon; scholars believe that he was succeeded by his son and proclaimed heir Yatonmilk.

Bodashtart was a prolific builder, and his name is attested on some 30 eponymous inscriptions found at the Temple of Eshmun and elsewhere in the hinterland of the city of Sidon in Lebanon.

The first of Bodashtart's inscriptions, honoring the goddess Astarte, was excavated in Sidon in 1858 and donated to the Louvre. The temple of Eshmun podium inscriptions were discovered between 1900 and 1922 and are classified into two groups. The inscriptions of the first group, known as KAI 15, commemorate building activities in the temple and attribute the works to Bodashtart. The second group of inscriptions, known as KAI 16, were found on podium restoration blocks; they credit Bodashtart and his son Yatonmilk with the construction project and emphasize Yatonmilk's legitimacy as heir.

Three of Bodashtart's Eshmun temple inscriptions are left in situ; the others are housed in museums in Paris, Istanbul, and Beirut. A last inscription found on the bank of the Bostrenos river, not far from the temple of Eshmun, credits the king with the building of water canals to supply the temple on his seventh regnal year.

Bodashtart is believed to have reigned for at least seven years, as evidenced by the Bostrenos river bank inscription. Little is known about his reign other than what has emerged from his dedicatory inscriptions.

Etymology[edit]

The name Bodashtart is the Latinized form of the Phoenician 𐤁𐤃𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕‎, meaning "from the hand of Astarte".[5] Alternate spellings include Bodashtort,[6] Bodʿashtart,[7] Bodʿaštort,[8] and Bodachtart.[9]

Chronology[edit]

The absolute chronology of the Kings of Sidon from the dynasty of Eshmunazar I has been much treated in the literature; traditionally placed in the course of the fifth century, the dates of the inscriptions of this dynasty were raised on the basis of recent numismatic, historical and archaeological evidence. The most complete work addressing the dates of reign of these Sidonian kings is by the French historian Josette Elayi who shifted away from the use of biblical chronology. Elayi used all of the currently available documentation and included recently excavated inscribed Tyrian seals and stamps,[10][11][12][13] newly discovered Phoenician inscriptions in Sidon,[14] and the systematic study of Sidonian coins which were the first dated coins in Antiquity.[15][16] Elayi placed the reigns of the descendants of Eshmunazar I between the middle and the end of the sixth century; according to her work Bodashtart reigned from c.525 BC to c.515 BC.[15][4]

Historical context[edit]

A black and white image showing two metallic plaques bearing the images of multiple persons standing in line and holding a variety of objects.
Two bronze fragments from an Assyrian palace gate depicting the collection of tribute from the Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon (859–824 BC). British Museum.

Sidon, which was a flourishing and independent city-state, came under Mesopotamian occupation in the ninth century BC. The Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II (883–859 BC) conquered the Lebanon mountain range and its coastal cities including, Sidon.[17] In 705, the Sidonian king Luli joined with the Egyptians and Judah in an unsuccessful rebellion against Assyrian rule,[18][19] but was forced to flee to Kition with the arrival of the Assyrian army headed by Sennacherib. Sennacherib instated Ittobaal on the throne of Sidon and reimposed the annual tribute.[20] When Abdi-Milkutti ascended to Sidon's throne in 680 BC, he also rebelled against the Assyrians. In response, the Assyrian king Esarhaddon captured and beheaded Abdi-Milkutti in 677 BC after a three-year siege; Sidon was stripped of its territory, which was awarded to Baal I, the king of rival Tyre and loyal vassal to Esarhaddon.[21]

Sidon returned to its former level of prosperity while Tyre was besieged for 13 years (586–573 BC) by the Chaldean king Nebuchadnezzar II.[22] After the Achaemenid conquest in 529 BC Phoenicia was divided into four vassal kingdoms: Sidon, Tyre, Byblos and Arwad.[23] Eshmunazar I, a priest of Astarte and the founder of his namesake dynasty, was instated by the Achaemenids on the throne of Sidon immediately after their conquest of the Levant.[24] During the first phase of Achaemenid rule Sidon flourished and reclaimed its former standing as Phoenicia's chief city, and the Phoenician kings began an extensive program of monumental constructions.[24]

Epigraphic sources[edit]

Main article: Bodashtart inscriptions
A wall made at its lower part of tightly packed white limestone stone blocks surmounted by a wall constructed of very large rusticated ashlar.
The ashlar podium at the Eshmun temple, Bustan el-Sheikh (near Sidon)

Bodashtart carried out an extensive expansion and restoration project of the Temple of Eshmun and left some 30 dedicatory inscriptions at the temple site.[25][26] The first phase of the works involved adding a second podium at the base of the temple.[25] During this construction phase, inscriptions were carved on the added podium's foundation stones; these inscriptions, known as KAI 15, mention Bodashtart alone.[27][28] A second set of inscriptions (KAI 16) were placed on restoration ashlar stones; these inscriptions mention Bodashtart and his son Yatonmilk and emphasize the latter's legitimacy as heir,[note 1][27][28] and assign him a share of credit with the construction project.[6][29][30] Yatonmilk is believed to have succeeded Bodashtart to the throne of Sidon; this is inferred solely from the Bodashtart inscriptions as there is no extant literary or archaeological evidence left by Yatonmilk himself.[31]

The first of the inscriptions, known today as CIS I 4, was found during excavations in Sidon in 1858. It was donated by French archaeologist Melchior de Vogüé to the Louvre where it still is today.[32][33] The interpretation of inscription CIS I 4 is still a matter of debate; some scholars construe the text as a commemoration of building a temple to Astarte during the first year of Bodashtart's reign, while others posit that the text records the dedication of the Sharon plain to the temple of said goddess.[note 2][27][35][34]

alt= Phoenician writing from right to left. First line reads: Mēm Lāmedh Kaph Bēth Dāleth ʼAyin Šin Tāw Rēš Tāw Nun Bēth Nun ṣādē Dāleth Qōph Yōdh Tāw Nun Mēm Lāmedh Kaph Mēm Lāmedh Kaph ṣādē Dāleth Nun Mēm. Second line reads: Bēth Nun Bēth Nun Mēm Lāmedh Kaph ʼĀleph Šin Mēm Nun ʼAyin Zayin Rēš Mēm Lāmedh Kaph ṣādē Dāleth Nun Mēm ʼĀleph Yōdh Tāw Hē Bēth Tāw Zayin. Third line reads: Bēth Nun Lāmedh ʼĀleph Lāmedh Yōdh Lāmedh ʼĀleph Šin Mēm Nun Šin Rēš Qōph Dāleth Šin
Phoenician inscription of King Bodashtart found on the Temple of Eshmun's podium. Bustan el-Sheikh, Sidon, 6th century BC.[29] It belongs to the KAI 16 group of Bodashtart inscriptions that mention both the king and his heir Yatonmilk.

The KAI 15 and KAI 16 inscriptions were excavated from the Temple of Eshmun site between 1900 and 1922; they are exhibited in the Louvre, the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, and the Archaeological Museum of the American University of Beirut; three inscriptions were left in situ.[36] According to Polish biblical scholar JT Milik, Bodashtart's the KAI 15 inscriptions commemorate the building of the Eshmun temple and indicate the names of the quarters and territories of the kingdom of Sidon; he interpreted the inscription thus: "King Bodashtart, king of the Sidonians, grandson of king Eshmunazar, king of the Sidonians, (who reigns/dwells) in maritime Sidon (bṣdn ym): (in the districts of) High-Heavens (šmm rmm), Land-of-Rešafim (ʾrṣ ršpm), Royal Sidon (ṣdn mšl), that are part of it (ʾš bn), as well as in continental Sidon (wṣdn šd), this temple he built to his God Eshmun of the holy territory (ʾšmn šd qdš)."[note 3][8][37]

The KAI 16 Bodashtart inscriptions read: "The king Bodashtart and his legitimate heir Yatonmilk, king of the Sidonians, grandson of king Eshmunazar, king of the Sidonians, built this temple to his god Eshmun, the Sacred Prince".[38][39] Another translation reads: "King Bodashtart, and his pious son (or legitimate successor), Yatonmilk, king of the Sidonians, descendants (bn bn) of King Eshmunazar, king of the Sidonians, this house he built to his god, to Eshmun, lord/god of the sanctuary".[40]

Another in situ inscription, which was recorded on the Bostrenos river bank 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) upstream from the Temple of Eshmun, credits Bodashtart for building water installations to supply the temple. This inscription is dated in his seventh regnal year, which indicates that he ruled for at least this length of time.[note 4][27][42][41]

Apart from inscriptions detailing Bodashtart's building activity, little is known about his reign.[27]

Genealogy[edit]

Bodashtart was a descendant of Eshmunazar I's dynasty. Eshmunazar's heir was his son Tabnit, who fathered Eshmunazar II from his sister Amoashtart. Tabnit died before the birth of Eshmunazar II, and Amoashtart ruled in the interlude until the birth of her son, then was co-regent until he reached adulthood. Bodashtart was the nephew of Tabnit and Amoashtart and acceded to the throne after Eshmunazar II.[25]

Some scholars misidentified Yatonmilk as the father of Bodashtart;[43] this was successfully contested by later epigraphists.[44][45][39]

Eshmunazar I dynasty
Eshmunazar I
TabnitAmoashtart?
Eshmunazar IIBodashtart
Yatonmilk

See also[edit]

  • Bodashtart inscriptions – A group of Phoenician inscriptions referring to king Bodashtart
  • King of Sidon – A list of the ancient rulers of the city of Sidon
  • Temple of Eshmun – A temple dedicated to the Phoenician god of healing where a number of inscriptions referring to king Bodashtart were found
  • Yatonmilk – The son and proclaimed heir of king Bodashtart

References[edit]

  1. ^ Zamora 2007, pp. 100–114.
  2. ^ Elayi 2006, p. 31.
  3. ^ Lipiński 1995, p. 135.
  4. ^ a b Amadasi Guzzo 2012, p. 6.
  5. ^ Gordon, Rendsburg & Winter 1987, p. 137.
  6. ^ a b Halpern 2016, p. 19.
  7. ^ Amadasi Guzzo 2012, p. 12.
  8. ^ a b c Milik 1967, p. 575.
  9. ^ Bordreuil 2002, p. 105.
  10. ^ Elayi 2006, p. 2.
  11. ^ Chéhab 1983, p. 171.
  12. ^ Xella & López 2005b.
  13. ^ Greenfield 1985, p. 129–134.
  14. ^ Dunand 1965, p. 105–109.
  15. ^ a b Elayi 2006.
  16. ^ Elayi & Elayi 2004.
  17. ^ Bryce 2009, p. 651.
  18. ^ Netanyahu 1964, pp. 243–244.
  19. ^ Yates 1942, p. 109.
  20. ^ Elayi 2018b, p. 58.
  21. ^ Bromiley 1979, pp. 501, 933–934.
  22. ^ Aubet 2001, p. 58–60.
  23. ^ Boardman et al. 2000, p. 156.
  24. ^ a b Zamora 2016, p. 253.
  25. ^ a b c d Elayi 2006, p. 5.
  26. ^ Chabot & Clermont-Ganneau 1905, p. 154–160.
  27. ^ a b c d e Elayi 2006, p. 7.
  28. ^ a b Xella & López 2005a, p. 119.
  29. ^ a b Conteneau 1924, p. 16.
  30. ^ Elayi 2018a, p. 234.
  31. ^ Elayi 2006, pp. 5, 8.
  32. ^ Vogüé 1860, p. 55.
  33. ^ Zamora 2007, p. 100.
  34. ^ a b Amadasi Guzzo 2012, p. 9.
  35. ^ Bonnet 1995, p. 215.
  36. ^ Bordreuil & Gubel 1990, p. 493–499.
  37. ^ Teixidor 1969, p. 332.
  38. ^ Dussaud 1923, p. 149.
  39. ^ a b Xella & López 2005a, p. 121.
  40. ^ Halpern 2016, p. 20.
  41. ^ a b Amadasi Guzzo 2012, p. 11.
  42. ^ Xella & López 2004, p. 294.
  43. ^ Bordreuil & Gubel 1990, p. 496.
  44. ^ Elayi 2006, pp. 5,7.
  45. ^ Bonnet 1995, p. 216.

Bibliography[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Yatonmilk is styled by Bodashtart as BN ṢDQ, meaning "true son" or "pious son".[25]
  2. ^ 1." Au mois de MP' dans l'année de son accession 2. à la royauté (lit. de son devenir roi), du roi Bod'ashtart 3. roi de Sidon, voici que le roi Bod'ashtart 4. roi de Sidon constuisit ce SRN du pays 5. de la mer pour sa divinité Astarté ". In English: 1.'In the month of MP' in the year of his accession 2. to royalty (lit. of his becoming king), of King bod'ashtart 3. King of Sidon, behold, King bod'ashtart 4. King of Sidon built this SRN of the land 5. of the sea for his deity Astarte ".[34]
  3. ^  : mlk bdʿštrt mlk ṣdnm bn bn mlk ʾšmnʿzr mlk ṣdnm bṣdn ym šmm rmm ʾrṣ ršpm ṣdn mšl ʾš bn wṣdn šd ʾyt hbt z bn lʾly lʾšmn šd qdš Je traduirais ce texte difficile de la façon suivante; j'ajoute des explications entre parenthèses: "Le roi Bodʿaštort, roi des Sidoniens, petit-fils du roi Esmunʿazor, roi des Sidoniens, (qui règne, ou: qui habitent) dans la Sidon maritime (c.-à-d. dans la plaine côtière, avec ses zones ou quartiers du) Ciel-Haut, Terre-des-Rešafim, Sidon (de résidence, ou: de propriété) Royale, (les quartiers) qui en font partie, ainsi que dans la Sidon continentale (à savoir, dans le territoire de montagne, qui allait jusqu'à l' Anti-Liban et la vallée du Jourdain) - ce temple-ci, il (l') a construit à son dieu Eshmun du Territoire Saint".[8]
  4. ^ "1. ... dans l’année sept de son règne (litt. de son être roi) le roi Bod'ashtart 2. roi de Sidon petit-fils du roi Eshmun‘azor roi de Sidon /(3a)qui avait construit/ dans Sidon de la Mer, 3. Cieux élevés, Pays des Resheps, en outre, à Sidon des Champs voici qu'il construisit et fit le roi Bod'ashtart roi de Sidon ce/le (?)... " In english: "1. ... in year seven of his reign (litt. of his being king) King Bod'ashtart 2. King of Sidon grandson of King Eshmun'azor King of Sidon / (3a) who had built / in Sidon of the Sea, 3. High heavens, Land of the Resheps, moreover, in Sidon of the fields behold, he built and made the King bod'ashtart King of Sidon this / the (?)... " [41]
Preceded by
Eshmunazar II 		King of Sidon
c. 525–515 BC 		Succeeded by
Yatonmilk
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