Abstract
The Akkadian legal documents from Late Bronze Emar in Syria reveal that under Hittite control, there were two official authorities in its society, i.e., the royal palace and the urban community. That the latter had its own authority is shown by the fact that it used its own seal (i.e., the dNIN.URTA seal) and its own eponymous years, as well as by a judicial decision of the king of Carchemish, the effective overlord of Emar, in which he treated the two authorities as equally important. However, unfortunately we have little information on how they interrelated. In this respect, a description of the zukru festival (Emar VI 373), celebrated only every seventh year by the people of Emar, is noteworthy. The king of Emar did not actually play any ritual part in it, but backed it as its main sponsor, providing offerings for the gods, as well as food and drink for the feast of the citizens. We can see here an endeavor of the king to strengthen a cooperative relationship with the city.
