Does King Priam of Troy Appear in Hittite Records?

Greek Reporter ^ | June 19, 2024 | Caleb Howells

[nickcarraway]

Ever since archaeologists started digging up ancient Hittite records, researchers have endeavored to link them to the legend of the Trojan War from Greek mythology. Many of these records mention prominent individuals by name. According to some researchers, King Priam of Troy actually appears in these Hittite sources. What do the facts really show?

Who was King Priam of Troy?

King Priam was the famous king of Troy during the Trojan War. It was his son, Paris Alexander, who took Helen back to Troy and inadvertently caused the enormous war with the Greeks. Priam himself was allegedly a powerful monarch. He was married to a princess from the nearby kingdom of Phrygia, which itself was a very wealthy and powerful kingdom.

The father of Priam was Laomedon, the king who had fortified the city of Troy. He was the last king in a dynasty going all the way back to Dardanus, some five generations prior to him. While many of the kings in this line had Greek names, scholars generally interpret Priam’s name to be Luwian. This was an Anatolian language common in the Bronze Age.

Traditionally, scholars believe Priam first appears in Homer’s Iliad. However, some researchers claim he appears in records, such as those of the Hittites, long before this.

Piyama-Radu in Hittite records

What are the records in question? They are Hittite documents dating to the 13th century BCE, particularly the middle and late part of that century. These documents reveal that a certain war leader named Piyama-Radu was active in Western Anatolia in that era.

Grecian Delight supports Greece

According to these documents, Piyama-Radu was a prominent figure whose career lasted at least 35 years. His activities spanned the reigns of at least four Hittite kings, causing trouble for at least three of them (namely, Muwatalli II, Hattusili III, and Tudhaliya IV).

While there is no certainty regarding Piyama-Radu’s hometown, many scholars believe he was from the kingdom of Arzawa.

Was Priam the Piyama-Radu from Hittite documents?

On a surface level, there is a certain appeal to the identification of Priam with this historical Piyama-Radu. The name “Priam” is quite similar to “Piyama.” Furthermore, the latter was a prominent figure, which fits Priam’s power and prestige in Greek legends.

However, despite this superficial attraction, the theory does not stand up to scrutiny. In virtually all the particulars, Priam and Piyama-Radu are nothing alike. For instance, we have already seen that Piyama-Radu apparently came from the kingdom of Arzawa. This was in southwestern Anatolia. In contrast to this figure from Hittite records, Priam ruled from Troy in the northwest corner of Anatolia.

Another problem is that these Hittite records never call Piyama-Radu a king, as Priam definitely was. They present him as a war leader who, as scholars suggest, may have been trying to carve out a kingdom for himself with limited success. This figure from Hittite records is therefore quite different to King Priam of Troy with his well-established dynasty.

Piyama-Radu as the opposite of Priam

There is something else that argues even more strongly against the identification of Piyama-Radu of Hittite records with the legendary King Priam. These ancient documents very clearly reveal that Piyama-Radu was an ally of the Ahhiyawa.

This nation is widely understood to be the Mycenaean Greeks, with the word “Ahhiyawa” being the Hittite version of the word “Akhaioi,” that is, the Achaeans. According to the Hittites, this nation caused considerable trouble in Western Anatolia during the Late Bronze Age. Piyama-Radu aided them in raiding much of that region.

Thus, Piyama-Radu attacked the areas inhabited by the peoples whom Homer presents as the allies of Troy. In fact, there is even a reference to Piyama-Radu attacking Troy itself! If Piyama-Radu and Priam lived at the same time, which is uncertain, they would have certainly been enemies. There is simply no way to identify them as the same person.

[nickcarraway]

[chajin]

Hittite Records stopped producing with the end of bebop and the invention of 33rpm LPs, which the company didn’t have the equipment to produce.

[Red Badger]

I wonder if 3000 years from now, future historians will be debating the existence of King Elvis of Presley in the kingdom of Graceland?...................

[WVNan]

The Greek history is one I never studied, so thank you for this small piece. As a reader I appreciate all histories. I did pass the Greek language in collage, not that I kept any of it after I retired. From time to time I still use it for studying the New Testament.

[No name given]

Perhaps.

[Verginius Rufus]

I had an ancestor named Priam 8 generations back (who died in a shipwreck in 1748). As far as I know he had no Trojan ancestry and didn't speak a word of Luwian. I think he must have known two words in Greek, though: Kyrie, eleison.

[MIA_eccl1212]

the Lord our light??

[Verginius Rufus]

Kyrie is the vocative (direct address) of kyrios, "lord." Eleison is an aorist active imperative from the verb eleeo (the O is an omega), "to have pity on," "to show mercy on"--so the phrase is translated "Lord, have mercy." It's the only Greek that survived in the traditional Latin Mass (along with Christe, eleison, "Christ, have mercy").

[Fiji Hill]

"They are Hittite documents dating to the 13th century BCE BC..."

FIFY

[sphinx]

He’s still voting in Chicago so perhaps someone could track him down and ask him.

[17th Miss Regt]

There are an infinite number of Priam numbers

[Billthedrill]

A little respect, please, for the guy who gave us Priam Rib.

[nickcarraway]

You are telling me a Fibonacci.

[SunkenCiv]

• Unearthed: The Humble Origins Of World Diplomacy (Hittites) [01/18/2003]
• Unearthed: the humble origins of world diplomacy (A Preserved Library from 1340BC discovered!) [01/19/2003]

  ---

• A 3,300-year-old tablet found at Büklükale from Hittite Empire describes catastrophic invasion of four cities [03/13/2024]
• New Indo-European language discovered during excavation in Turkey [09/22/2023]
• Archaeologists Found Seal Impressions That Could Change Hittite History in Kayalipinar [09/15/2023]
• 3350 years old palace structure and grain jars found in Aydin, Türkiye [08/17/2023]
• Latest find in Turkey's Ayasuluk Hill links Hittites to Ephesus [07/09/2022]
• 3,250-year-old seal belonging to Hittite prince discovered in southern Turkey [11/23/2021]
• 3,500-year-old summer residence of Hittite kings to host visitors [08/15/2021]
• Mysterious 3,200-year-old stone carvings in Turkey finally revealed as ancient Hittite calendar and map of the cosmos [06/17/2021]
• Who are the Luwians? [07/16/2019]
• Joseph and The Exodus [02/17/2019]
• Traces of Iron Age wars found on double-skin wall [09/23/2018]
• Why Vessey Turned Two Swedes Into Hittites [08/26/2016]
• The Last Days of Hattusa [06/27/2016]
• Monastery new discovery in underground city in Cappadocia [06/26/2016]
• Devastating 'World War ZERO' destroyed ancient civilisations and plunged Europe into a dark age [05/15/2016]
• World War Zero brought down mystery civilisation of 'sea people' [05/13/2016]
• Early Written Signs [02/14/2016]
• Traces of Vikings found at Bathonea archaeological excavation in Istanbul [12/08/2015]
• Archaeologists discover secret tunnel in ancient Hittite castle [10/21/2015]
• Archaeological team prepares 4,000-year-old Hittite meals [09/14/2015]
• Archaeologists discover 2,800-year-old 'burial jars' in Turkey... but what lies inside? [09/07/2015]
• Symbols of Hittite goddess of sexuality found on 4,000-year-old tablet discovered in central Turkey [08/15/2015]
• Archaeologists Find Assyrian Tablets in Turkey, Some About Women's Rights [07/19/2015]
• European languages linked to migration from the east [02/13/2015]
• Pollen Study Points to Drought as Culprit in Bronze Age Mystery (Global Warming in Ancient Times) [10/26/2013]
• Syrian Conflict Imperils Historical Treasures [08/18/2012]
• Lost city found in Turkey: It is older than Troy [09/27/2011]
• Road built over 3000-year-old tumulus in eastern Turkey [07/27/2010]
• University of Toronto archaeologists find...cuneiform tablets in 2,700-year old Turkish temple [08/10/2009]
• Phaistos Disk: Greek or Luwian? [06/25/2009]
• Hittites' holy city Nerik to emerge [09/05/2008]
• Sick Rams Used As Ancient Bioweapons [11/29/2007]
• Messages from the Dead [ Qatna's royal palace and cuneiform archive ] [02/01/2007]
• French Explorer's Bad Luck In Syria Avenged At Last (Hittites) [10/17/2006]
• Ancient Hittite Dam Inaugurated After 32 Centuries [09/20/2006]
• Hittite graves, artifacts unearthed in Adana [06/14/2006]
• Hittite winds blow in Istanbul [05/19/2006]
• In Search of the Real Troy [02/20/2005]
• Arzawa [11/26/2004]
• First Toilet And Sewer System Of Prehistoric Period Found In Van [08/24/2004]
• Amazon Warrior Women [08/04/2004]
• Smenkhkhare, the Hittite Pharaoh [07/30/2004]
• History Channel to air Ancient Battles [Persians-Greeks-Romans - starts 7/23] [07/20/2004]
• Key To An Ancient Tongue [07/23/2002]
• Recent Finds Prove That Homer's Stories Were More Than Myth [02/24/2002]
• Archaeologists Rewrite Timeline Of Bronze And Iron Ages, Alphabet [12/24/2001]

[SunkenCiv]

One of *those* topics.

---

join or quit view topics view or post blog bookmark post new topic subscribe

---

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks nick, to all, see the FRchive topics linked above.

[sopo]

have you already covered the camp of the Assyrians now up on Fox news?

[SunkenCiv]

It got posted, uh, let’s see...

https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/4244771/posts

[SunkenCiv]

Part 5, the Empire of the Hittites:

https://archive.org/details/in-search-of-the-trojan-war

Extras from the DVD set:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7vr3sg74lA

[SunkenCiv]

• Odysseus and the Most Loyal Dog in Greek Mythology [06/11/2024]