Niqmi-Epuh

Niqmi-Epuḫ, also given as Niqmepa (died 1675 BC) was the king of Yamhad (Halab) succeeding his father Yarim-Lim II.

Reign

Little of Aleppo has been excavated by archaeologists. Knowledge about Niqmi-Epuh comes from tablets discovered at Alalakh. His existence is confirmed by a number of tablets with his seal on their envelope

Yarim-Lim king of Alalakh, uncle of Yarim-Lim II and vassal of Yamhad, died during Niqmi-Epuh's reign and was succeeded by his son Ammitakum, who started to assert Alalakh's semi-independence.

The tablets mention Niqmi-Epuh's votive status which he dedicated to Hadad and placed in that deity's Temple. Tablet AlT*11 informs of his return from Nishin, a place not known before, but certainly inside the territory of Yamhad because the tablet seems to refer to travel and not a military campaign.

Niqmi-Epuh's most celebrated deed was his conquest of the town Arazik, near Charchemish, the fall of this city was important to the extent of being suitable for dating several legal cases.

Niqmi-Epuh Seal The seal of Niqmi-Epuh includes his name written in cuneiform inscription. The king is depicted wearing a crown, facing two goddesses, one in Syrian dress, while and the other is wearing Babylonian dress.

Death and succession Niqmi-Epuh died around 1675 BC. He seems to have a number of sons, including Irkabtum who succeeded him immediately, prince Abba-El, and possibly Yarim-Lim III. Hammurabi III, the last king before the Hittites conquest might have been his son too.