Melitene (Arslantepe)

Prehistory

• 

  Occupied since the sixth millennium BCE
• Fourth millennium important settlement (cf. Uruk Period)
• Period I (3900-3500): Temple C
• Period II (3500-3000): Temple C replaced by a palace
• Among the finds are seals and swords; no urban settlement yet
• c. 3000 BCE: Big fire
• Invasion from Caucasia (Kurus-Araxes Culture); a tomb is built on top of the ruins, perhaps of the leader of the invaders
• 2800-2700 BCE: citadel of a town

Bronze Age

• c. 2000 BCE: recovery, comparable to Kültepe (i.e., Kaneš)
• The area may have been called Išuwa
• Part of the Hittite Empire, now called Milit, "honey town"

Neo-Hittite Period

• 

  First quarter twelfth century: demise of the Hittite Empire
• Creation of two major Neo-Hittite kingdoms; Milit belongs to Karchemish
• Becomes increasingly independent (kingdom of Kammanu or Malida)
• Palace with a splendid gate; statue of king Mutalluh and several orthostats ("Traditional Style I", dated to c.1050-c.850 BCE); statues of lions (which is why the site is called Arslan Tepe, "hill of the lion")
• Kammanu/Malida was subject to Urartu in the first half of the eighth century BCE
• 712 BCE: captured by Sargon II
• Cimmerian attacks; decline

Later History

• Part of the Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian Empires
• Royal Road
• Part of Cappadocia
• During the reign of Ariarathes V Eusebes Philopator (r.163-131/130 BCE) conflict with Comagene about Melitene
• 63 BCE Melitene, as it is now called, becomes a vassal of the Roman Empire
• Military base of XII Fulminata; bridge into Armenia
• Capital of province of Armenia II

Melitene, Lion Gate, lion	Melitene, Relief of a chariot	Melitene, Inscription and relief of a lion hunt	Melitene, Relief of several gods