Pamba (king)

Pamba was a king of Hattusa, an ancient city in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) that served as the capital of the Hittite Empire. He ruled during the Bronze Age, specifically in the 23rd century BCE, based on later Hittite accounts referencing him.

Very little is definitively known about Pamba himself, and his existence is primarily based on textual references in later Hittite records. He is mainly known from the Anitta Text, a Hittite document that narrates the conquests of Anitta, a king of Kussara. In the Anitta Text, Pamba is described as a powerful king of Hattusa, and Anitta recounts a battle fought against him.

The Anitta Text is a key source for early Hittite history, but it is important to acknowledge it was written centuries after the events it describes. Consequently, the details regarding Pamba, his reign, and the battle with Anitta are open to interpretation and potential embellishment or simplification.

Archaeological evidence from Hattusa provides information about the city during the 3rd millennium BCE, showing it was a significant settlement well before the rise of the Hittite Empire in the 17th century BCE. However, specific archaeological finds directly attributable to Pamba have not been identified.

The figure of Pamba represents a significant but obscure early stage in the history of Hattusa and the broader Anatolian region. While historical sources offer limited information, his mention in the Anitta Text is crucial for understanding the pre-Hittite political landscape and the power dynamics that existed before the establishment of the Hittite kingdom.