Osorkon IV

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Osorkon IV
Shilkanni, So
Relief thought to depict Osorkon IV, from Tanis[1]
Relief thought to depict Osorkon IV, from Tanis[1]
Pharaoh
Reign730 – 716 BC
PredecessorShoshenq V (most likely) or Pedubast II
SuccessorUnknown
Royal titulary
Prenomen  (Praenomen)
Usermaa(t)re
Wsr-mȝˁ(t)-Rˁ[2]
Powerful is the maat of Ra
M23L2
N5U1F12Aa11
D36
Nomen
Osorkonu
Wsrknw [3]
Osorkon(u)
G39N5
V4Aa18D21
V31		 W24
FatherShoshenq V (possibly)
Mother
22nd Dynasty

Usermaatre Osorkon IV was an

second Books of Kings
(17:4).

Osorkon ruled during one of the most chaotic and politically fragmented periods of ancient Egypt, in which the Nile Delta was dotted with small Libyan kingdoms and principalities and Meshwesh dominions; as the last heir of the Tanite rulers, he inherited the easternmost parts of these kingdoms, the most involved in all the political and military upheavals that soon would afflict the Near East. During his reign, he had to face the power of, and ultimately submit himself to, the Kushite King Piye during Piye's conquest of Egypt. Osorkon IV also had to deal with the threatening Neo-Assyrian Empire outside his eastern borders.

Reign

Early years

Osorkon IV ascended to the throne of Tanis in c. 730 BC,

23rd Dynasty, right after the reign of the shadowy pharaoh Pedubast II;[10] this placement found the support of a certain number of scholars.[11][12][13][14] Osorkon's mother, named on an electrum aegis of Sekhmet now in the Louvre, was Tadibast III.[15] Osorkon IV's realm was restricted only to the district of Tanis (Rˁ-nfr) and the territory of Bubastis, both in the eastern Nile Delta.[16] His neighbors were Libyan princes and Meshwesh chiefs who ruled their small realms outside of his authority.[17]

Closeup of the Victory Stela of Piye. Osorkon IV is the left one among the prostrating kings.

Around 729/28 BC, soon after his accession, Osorkon IV faced the

circumcised and had eaten fish, both abominations in the eyes of the Nubian.[20][21] Nevertheless, Osorkon IV and the others were allowed to keep their former domains and authority.[22][23]

The Assyrian threat

In 726/25 BC

2 Kings 17:4) who, as already mentioned, was most likely Osorkon IV (see below). For reasons which remained unknown – possibly in order to remain neutral towards the powerful Neo-Assyrian Empire, or simply because he did not have enough power or resources – King So did not help Hoshea, who was subsequently defeated and deposed by Shalmaneser V. The Kingdom of Israel ceased to exist, many Israelites were brought to Assyria as exiles,[24] and Assyrian and Babylonian settlers occupied Israel.[25][26][27]

Sargon II, Osorkon's Assyrian opponent.

In 720 BC, a revolt occurred in Palestine against the new Assyrian King Sargon II, led by King Hanunu of Gaza who sought the help of "Pirʾu of Musri", a term most probably meaning "Pharaoh of Egypt" and referring to Osorkon IV. Assyrian sources claim that this time the Egyptian king did send a turtanu (an army–commander) called Reʾe or Reʾu (his Egyptian name was Raia, though in the past it was read Sibʾe) as well as troops in order to support his neighboring ally. However, the coalition was defeated in battle at Raphia. Reʾe fled back to Egypt, Raphia and Gaza were looted and Hanunu was burnt alive by the Assyrians.[28][29]

In 716 BC, Sargon II almost reached Egypt's boundaries. Feeling directly threatened this time, Osorkon IV (here called Shilkanni by Assyrian sources, see below) was carefully diplomatic: he personally met the Assyrian king at the "

el-Arish) and tributed him with a present which Sargon personally described as "twelve large horses of Egypt without equals in Assyria". The Assyrian king appreciated his gifts and did not take action against Osorkon IV.[30]

End

No mention of Osorkon IV is known after 716 BC. Some archaeological findings

Bakenrenef) of the 24th Dynasty may have expanded his realm eastward, supplanting Osorkon at Tanis. In 712 BC, Piye's successor Shebitku marched northward and defeated Bocchoris.[32] When around the same year King Iamani of Ashdod sought refuge from Sargon II in Egypt, Shebitku was in fact the sole ruler of Egypt, and returned Iamani to the Assyrians in chains.[33][34] In any case, Osorkon IV was seemingly dead before that year.[35]

A few years later a man called Gemenefkhonsbak, possibly a descendant of the now-defunct 22nd Dynasty, claimed for himself the pharaonic royal titles and ruled in Tanis as its prince.[36]

Identification with Shilkanni and So

It is believed that Shilkanni is a rendering of (U)shilkan, which in turn is derived from (O)sorkon – hence Osorkon IV – as first proposed by

Sais, hence with King Tefnakht, is supported by a certain number of scholars.[58][59][60][61]

Attestations

Small aegis of Sekhmet with the name of Osorkon and Tadibast, in the Louvre.

Osorkon IV is attested by Assyrian documents (as Shilkanni and other epithets) and probably also by the Books of Kings (as King So), while Manetho's epitomes seem to have ignored him.[62] He is undoubtedly attested by the well-known Victory Stela of Piye[63] on which he is depicted while prostrating in front of the owner of the stela along with other submitted rulers. Another finding almost certainly referring to him is the aforementioned aegis of Sekhmet, found at Bubastis and mentioning a King Osorkon son of queen Tadibast who–as the name does not coincide with those of any of the other Osorkon kings' mothers–can only be Osorkon IV's mother.[64]

About the throne name

Osorkon's

28th Dynasty, but may in fact represent Osorkon IV.[69]

See also

References

  1. ^ Dodson (2014), pp. 7–8
  2. ^ Dodson (2014), pp. 9–10
  3. ^ Dodson (2014), pp. 9–10
  4. ^ Kitchen (1996), p. 92
  5. ^ Berlandini (1979), pp. 100–101
  6. ^ Edwards (1982), p. 569
  7. ^ Schneider (1985), pp. 261–263
  8. ^ Mitchell (1991), p. 340
  9. ^ Grimal (1992), pp. 330–331
  10. ^ Priese (1970), p. 20, n. 23
  11. ^ Leahy (1990), p. 89
  12. ^ von Beckerath (1997), p. 99
  13. ^ see also Jansen-Winkeln 2006, pp. 246–47 and references therein.
  14. ^ Wilkinson (2011, p. XVIII) recognizes Osorkon IV as the last ruler of the 22nd Dynasty, though placing Pedubast II before him.
  15. ^ Berlandini (1979), pp. 100–101
  16. ^ Kitchen (1996), pp. 82, 92
  17. ^ Grimal (1992), pp. 330–331
  18. ^ Kitchen (1996), p. 325
  19. ^ Grimal (1992), p. 398
  20. ^ Kitchen (1996), pp. 325–326
  21. ^ Wilkinson (2011), pp. 397
  22. ^ Grimal (1992), p. 339
  23. ^ Wilkinson (2011), pp. 398
  24. ^ 2 Kings 17:6
  25. ^ 2 Kings 17:24
  26. ^ Grimal (1992), pp. 341–342
  27. ^ Kitchen (1996), pp. 333ff
  28. ^ Grimal (1992), pp. 341–342
  29. ^ Kitchen (1996), pp. 333ff
  30. ^ Kitchen (1996), p. 336
  31. ^ Yoyotte (1971), pp. 44–45
  32. ^ Payraudeau (2014), pp. 124–127
  33. ^ Kitchen (1996), pp. 463–464
  34. ^ Payraudeau (2014), pp. 124–127
  35. ^ Kitchen (1996), p. 526; revised table 6
  36. ^ Kitchen (1996), p. 357
  37. ^ Albright (1956), p. 24
  38. ^ Kitchen (1996), p. 115
  39. ^ Dodson (2014), pp. 9–10
  40. ^ Grimal (1992), pp. 341–342
  41. ^ Edwards (1982), p. 576
  42. ^ Schneider (1985), pp. 261–263
  43. ^ Mitchell (1991), p. 345
  44. ^ Kitchen (1996), pp. 115, 463
  45. ^ Wilkinson (2011), pp. 399–400
  46. ^ Jansen-Winkeln (2006), p. 260 & n. 117
  47. ^ Yoyotte (1971), pp. 43–44
  48. ^ Kitchen (1996), p. 115
  49. ^ Kitchen (1996), pp. 335, 463
  50. ^ Edwards (1982), p. 576
  51. ^ Schneider (1985), pp. 261–263
  52. ^ Mitchell (1991), p. 345
  53. ^ Kitchen (1996), pp. 333ff, 463–464
  54. ^ Patterson (2003), pp. 196–197
  55. ^ Clayton (2006), pp. 182–183
  56. ^ Dodson (2014), p. 9
  57. ^ Theis (2020), pp. 107–113
  58. ^ Goedicke (1963), pp. 64–66
  59. ^ Redford (1985), pp. 197 & n. 56
  60. ^ see also Kitchen 1996, § 463 and references therein.
  61. ^ Kahn (2001), pp. 13–14
  62. ^ Kitchen (1996), p. 418
  63. ^ Jansen-Winkeln (2006), p. 246; n. 91
  64. ^ Berlandini (1979), pp. 100–101
  65. ^ Schneider (1985), pp. 261–263
  66. ^ Payraudeau (2000), pp. 78ff
  67. ^ Dodson (2014), pp. 7–8
  68. ^ Dodson (2014), pp. 9–10
  69. ^ Brandl (2011), pp. 17–18

Bibliography

External links

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