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Политические институты старовавилонского Эмара в современной историографии
The article examines the system of political institutions of Emar during the Old Babylonian period (20th–16th centuries B.C.). The epistolary texts published in the last three volumes of the Archives royales de Mari series (ARM XXXIII, XXXIV, XXXV, 2019–2024) contain several dozen references to this ancient city in the Middle Euphrates valley. Unlike the era of the Ebla archives (24th century B.C.) and the Late Bronze age (15th–12th centuries B.C.), Old Babylonian Emar did not have a monarchy — a rare, if not exceptional feature, for its time and region. The institution of taḫtamum played a special role in the city’s governance; it is traditionally interpreted as a collective governing body — a council of elders or a popular assembly. Data from the new texts suggest that the taḫtamum may have been a small, compact college of just seven members, consisting of the representatives of the urban, merchant, elite. Additionally, the texts mention the city elders and, probably, a popular assembly (puḫrum ṣābum). Although being part of the territory (dadmum) of the kingdom of Ḫalab, Emar nonetheless pursued an independent policy, establishing special relations with all the key powers of the region.