King Rusa and the Mounted Nomads

Sarduri II was succeeded by his son, Rusa in 734 B.C. The fact that few inscriptions survive from the reign of King Rusa mean that our knowledge of it is limited. Two of the three important inscriptions dating from Rusa’s reign are in the northern lands around Lake Gökçe, the other is on the Plain of Ushnuye in north-west Iran.The major events of Rusa’s reign are connected rather with the nomadic tribes referred to as the mounted nomads that migrated to the lands of the Urartu from the north. They included the Scythians and the Cimmerians. However, the greatest threat to the Urartian Kingdom in the reign of Rusa came, as always, from Assyria in the south. Sargon II, who was on the Assyrian throne at the time, launched a military campaign in order to remove the political and military domination of the Urartu in Western Iran.

This campaign, which commenced in 714 B.C, is referred to as “Sargon’s Eighth Campaign” in historical sources. Intelligence gathered by spies sent by Sanherib, son of Sargon, regarding various activities in the land of the Urartu just before the campaign was communicated at regular intervals to the king and is the world’s fýrst case of documented spying. The war between the two kings, which was probably fought near Mount Uauash to the south east of Lake Urmia ended in victory for Sargon. However, this victory was not sufficient to put an end to Urartian domination in Western Iran. All the countries and cities, climates, fruits and animals raised, the irrigation systems, and details of the construction of the castles along the route taken by the campaign, matters which are still the subject of controversy among scholars, were written down by Nabu-Shallim- Shunu, son of Harmakki, chief scribe of King Sargon and the tablet in question has survived to this day.

Written documents relating to the reign of Argishti II, who succeeded Rusa, are extremely limited in number. According to data obtained from an inscription found at Çelebi Bað near the district of Erciþ in the Van province, Argishti II attached great importance to public works and development in and around Van.

Examples of this are the irrigation canals, artifýcial lakes and dams he built. The danger posed by the nomadic tribes advancing on the Urartu continued in the reign of Argishti II as well. Although Argishti II was defeated in a battle against the Cimmerians in 707 B.C, he remained on the throne for many years.

Among the castles he built to counter the Cimmerian threat were Altýntepe, near Erzincan, which is of special significance because of its temple and apadana (Old Persian; tent supported by wooden poles), which was in fact a hall with many columns and graves which yielded a rich crop of gifts for the dead. Apadanas, of which there are a few examples in Urartian architecture, were buildings the roofs of which were supported by columns; they served as a venue for meetings. Early examples of the apadana, which were believed to have been brought to Urartian architecture by the Zagros peoples of Western Iran can be seen in the settlement at Hasunlu, which lies to the south of Lake Urmia.