Qaṭṭunān
Qaṭṭunān was a city and area in the ancient Near East which is still unlocated though it is known to have been on the Habur River, a tributary of the Euphrates in Syria. It was mostly given over to pasture
with some agriculture near the city and parts of the lower valley, primarily in barley and sesame. In the Hana period of control it was named Qaṭṭunā and it has been suggested that in the Middle Assyria period it was called Qaṭni and
in the Neo-Assyrian period Qaṭnu. A Neo-Assyrian governor Nergal-ēreš c. 800 BC was in charge of "Dūr-Katlimmu, Kār-Aššūr-nāṣir-apli, Sirqu, the lands Laqê, Ḫindānu, the city Anat, the land Suḫu the city -Aššūr--aṣbat".
History
Initially, the area of Mari, including Qaṭṭunān, came under the control of the Kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia ruled by Shamshi-Adad I of Ekallatum. Shamshi-Adad I assigned control of Mari to his second son Yasmah-Adad whoplaced Qaṭṭunān under a governor, Haqba-ahum. Little is known
about the history or condition of Qaṭṭunān under Yasmah-Adad but the first representative of
Zimri-Lim at the city reported that "I have to cope with a ruined palace".
After the collapse of the Kingdom of Upper Mesopotamia Mari, including Qaṭṭunān, came under the control of the Lim dynasty of Suprum beginning with Yaggid-Lim. The Old Babylonian period kingdom of Mari was made up of several parts, the central district of Mari, Terqa and Saggarâtum, Qaṭṭunān, and possibly Tuttul. Known towns in Qaṭṭunān
during the Mari period were Magrisâ, Jâbatum, Zilhân, Tehrân, Dûr-sâbim, Latihum, Bît-Kapân, and Râhatum all like Qaṭṭunān on the left bank of the Habur
and were connected by a road. It is thought that Tâbatum was part of the province in
the north. On taking power, Zimri-Lim launched a program to expand agriculture at Qaṭṭunān. There were 100 acres under cultivation in Zimri-Lim 1 but by Zimri-Lim 10 that had expanded to 1000 acres. As the population
in Qaṭṭunān was largely nomadic with a relatively small sedentary population after the first few years
reserve troops were sent in to help with the harvest. In Zimri-Lim years 4 and 8 there was no
harvest due to an invasion of locusts. Troops from Hana were part of the Mari military and are reported in a text as being deployed from Tâbatum to Qaṭṭunān.
A governor of Qaṭṭunān under Zimri-Lim is known, Zakira-Ḫammû. Other known governors were Akîn-urubam, Iddin-Annu, Akšak-magir, Ilušu-naṣir, and Zimri-Addu. In one text Zakira-Ḫammû refuses to give up a beautiful servant woman to a representative of the ruler.
Zimri-Lim was known to make unannounced visits to his various palaces. In one text Zimri-Addu complains "I have heard from my own sources about my lord's travel to Qattnunâ. If my lord is coming here, a note from my lord should promptly reach me so that I can prepare in advance of my lord."
After a long and successful reign which included an alliance with Babylon the kingdom of Mari, minus Mari itself which had been destroyed, fell under the control of Babylon during its expansionist phase under Hammurabi whose 33rd year name included "... overthrew in battle the army of Mari and Malgium and caused Mari and its territory and the various cities of Subartu to dwell under his authority in friendship...".
After the fall of Babylon c. 1600 BC Qaṭṭunān along with Saggarâtum, became part of the Kingdom of Hana, with Terqa usually considered to be its capitol. This continued until c. 1400 BC when Hana became a vassal of the Mitanni Empire. At that point the capital of Hana became Qaṭṭunān. After that there are no records of Qaṭṭunān though it has been suggested that it existed under other names.
Location
Saggarâtum is known to have been on the Habur River, a tributary of the Euphrates riversouth of Tell Taban and north of the unlocated city of Saggarâtum. The site of Tall Fadġamī, 50 kilometers south of Tell Taban, has been suggested for Qaṭṭunān as has the 10 hectare site of Tell Ašamsâni which is about 5 kilometers from Tall Fadġamī.
Shamshi-Adad I of Ekallatum wrote to Yasmah-Adad about a planned visit to Mari from his capitol in Shubat-Enlil saying
It is known that Qaṭṭunān was upstream of Saggarātum on the Habur river. On its southern border
the unlocated town of Bīt-Kapān on the Habur a days march north of Saggarātum acted as
a way station between the two provinces and appeared to be under joint control of the two governors. In a text the governor of Saggarātum complained, after a flood occurred: