Book contents
- The Cambridge History of International Law
- The Cambridge History of International Law
- Frontispiece
- The Cambridge History of International Law
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Plates
- Figures
- Contributors
- Preface
- A Note on the Text
- Part I International Law in the Ancient Near East (Third Millennium–500 bc)
- 1 The Ancient Near East and International Law
- 2 Territory and Jurisdiction in West Asia
- 3 War and Peace in the Ancient Near East
- 4 Trade and Communication in the Ancient Near East
- 5 Diplomacy in the Ancient Near East
- 6 Dispute Settlement in the Ancient Near East
- Part II International law in the Greek and Roman world (600 bc–ad 650)
- Index
- Plate Section
- References
6 - Dispute Settlement in the Ancient Near East
from Part I - International Law in the Ancient Near East (Third Millennium–500 bc)
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General editor
Book contents
- The Cambridge History of International Law
- The Cambridge History of International Law
- Frontispiece
- The Cambridge History of International Law
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Plates
- Figures
- Contributors
- Preface
- A Note on the Text
- Part I International Law in the Ancient Near East (Third Millennium–500 bc)
- 1 The Ancient Near East and International Law
- 2 Territory and Jurisdiction in West Asia
- 3 War and Peace in the Ancient Near East
- 4 Trade and Communication in the Ancient Near East
- 5 Diplomacy in the Ancient Near East
- 6 Dispute Settlement in the Ancient Near East
- Part II International law in the Greek and Roman world (600 bc–ad 650)
- Index
- Plate Section
- References
Summary
This chapter explores the mechanisms of international dispute settlement in the ancient Near East, emphasizing the role of superordinate kings, tribal actors and divine intervention. It begins with a chronological survey of how powerful rulers – such as the kings of Kish, Elam and Hatti – acted as arbiters in conflicts between subordinate states. A detailed case study of the divorce of Ammishtamru II of Ugarit illustrates the complexity of such disputes, involving multiple stakeholders, appeals and legal rulings. The chapter also highlights the influence of non-state actors, particularly tribal groups, and their own dispute resolution practices. Finally, it examines how gods functioned as arbiters through rituals like the river ordeal, treaty oaths and omen queries. These diverse methods reflect a rich and multifaceted system of international law in the ancient Near East, where political, social and religious dimensions were deeply intertwined in the pursuit of peaceful conflict resolution.
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- The Cambridge History of International Law , pp. 138 - 154Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
References
Further Reading
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Miglio, Adam, Tribe and State. The Dynamics of International Politics and the Reign of Zimri-Lim (Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press 2014).10.31826/9781463235888CrossRefGoogle Scholar
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Singer, Itamar, ‘A political history of Ugarit’ in Watson, Wilfred and Wyatt, Nicolas (eds.), Handbook of Ugaritic Studies (Handbuch der Orientalistik 39, Leiden and Boston: Brill 1999) 603–733.10.1163/9789004294103_016CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Starr, Ivan, Queries to the Sungod. Divination and Politics in Sargonid Assyria (State Archives of Assyria 4, Helsinki: Helsinki University Press 1990).Google Scholar
Thomas, Christine, ‘Gender and politics at Ugarit: The undoing of the daughter of the Great Lady’, Journal of the American Oriental Society, 139 (2019) 287–305.Google Scholar
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