Reconsidering the Late Bronze Age Decline of Southern Canaan: A Perspective from the Amarna Letters

晚期青铜时代,南迦南的多个遗址都衰落了。那么,谁应该为南迦南的衰落承担责任呢?一些学者认为埃及是导致南迦南衰落甚至毁灭的罪魁祸首,但有些学者对此观点表示怀疑。鉴于埃及在南迦南建立了帝国统治,笔者拟采用沃勒斯坦的核心-边缘理论和韦伯的分层理论中声誉-权力范式来对此进行分析。通过阅读阿马尔那书信发现,在大国之间的书信中,各国国王关注的焦点为礼物交换,而在埃及与附属国的书信中,埃及国王与其附属国的统治者关注的焦点为南迦南的稳定和城市国家的安全。

During the Late Bronze Age,the decline in southern Canaan was attested at sites. Then,who was responsible for the decline and even devastation in southern Canaan? Many scholars asserted that Egypt was responsible for the decline and even devastation in southern Canaan,but several scholars held opposite views. In view of Egyptian’s imperial rule established in southern Canaan,I intends to use Wallerstein’s the Core-Periphery model and Prestige-Power models in Weberian Stratification for analysis. When I read the Amarna letters,I can find that the topic which chiefly concern the great kings in letters are the exchange of presents,the topic which chiefly concern the Egyptian king and the vassals are southern Canaan’ s order and city-states security. Some scholars believe that Egypt has established stable and systematic of tax system in southern Canaan,so there is no need to discuss it in correspondence. I investigate the economic aspects the letters between Egypt and the vassals in southern Canaan,and evaluate the value of good items paid by the vassals to Egypt,further compare the economic burden imposed by the Egyptian court on the vassals with those imposed by Hittites on his vassals,i. e.,Amurru and Ugarit,we can see clearly that the burden of Ugarit is heavier than four vassals of Egypt in southern Canaan. So,the argument that Egypt’s exploitation led to the decline of South Canaan is untenable. But,what led to the decline of the south Canaan? I believe that during the Late Bronze Age,Western Asia and Egypt were amalgamate into a larger system,and Egypt could trade directly with the great powers of Western Asia. Thus,the loss of the status of trade agency which southern Canaan once played finally led to its decline.