Siege of Dapur

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Siege of Dapur


caption=The Siege of Dapur on a mural in Ramesses II's temple in Tebes
partof=the Egyptian-Hittite wars
date=1269 BC
place=Dapur, Syria
result=Egypt takes Dapur; Egyptian victory
combatant1=New Kingdom of Egypt
combatant2=Hittite Empire
commander1=Ramesses II
commander2=Unknown
strength1=Unknown
strength2=Considerably fewer
casualties1=Unknown (probably lower)
casualties2=Unknown

The Siege of Dapur occurred as part of Ramesses II's campaign to suppress Galilee and conquer Syria in 1269 BC. He inscribed his campaign on the wall of his mortuary temple, the Ramesseum in Thebes. The inscriptions say that Dapur was "in the land of Hatti". [cite book | last = Kitchen | first = Kenneth A | authorlink = Kenneth Kitchen | coauthors = | title = Ramesside Inscriptions | publisher = Wiley-Blackwell | date = 1999 | location = | pages = 83 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=8b6GI3DaJJwC&pg=PA83&dq=siege+of+dapur&num=100&ei=Uk41SLL_KqSMygT4sZ3LDw&client=firefox-a&sig=6xKSF6yNzmgZNfjlnv7HeyYOKHQ | doi = | id = | isbn = 978-0631184355 ] Although Dapur has often been identified with Tabor in Canaan, Kenneth Kitchen argues that this identification is incorrect and that the Dapur in question is in Syria. [cite book | last = Kitchen | first = Kenneth A | authorlink = Kenneth Kitchen | coauthors = | title = Ramesside Inscriptions | publisher = Wiley-Blackwell | date = 1999 | location = | pages = 56 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=8b6GI3DaJJwC&pg=PA83&dq=siege+of+dapur&num=100&ei=Uk41SLL_KqSMygT4sZ3LDw&client=firefox-a&sig=6xKSF6yNzmgZNfjlnv7HeyYOKHQ | doi = | id = | isbn = 978-0631184355 ]

From Egyptian reliefs we can see that Dapur was a city, heavily fortified with both inner and outer walls, and situated on a hill which was usual for Syrian cities and many other cities in the Bronze Age.

Contemporary illustrations of the siege show the use of ladders and chariots with soldiers climbing scale ladders supported by archers. Six of the sons of Ramesses, still wearing their side locks, also appear on those depictions of the siege. Those include:

cquote
King's son, of his body, his beloved, Khamwese.King's son, of his body, his beloved, Montu [...] .King's son, of his body, his beloved, Meriamon.King's son, of his body, his beloved, Amenemuya.King's son, of his body, his beloved, Seti.King's son, of his body, his beloved, Setepnere.

References

*James Henry Breasted, "Ancient Records of Egypt," Part III § 359.