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Alalakh

Alalakh was a city in the Orontes river valley in Northern Syria, located between Ugarit and Aleppo. It is also known as Atshanah, and today is called Tell Açana in Southern Turkey.

During the Egyptian Twelfth Dynasty, it was the capital of the Muksih district of the Kingdom of Yamkhad. The palace of Yarim-Lim dates from this period. Another palace was occupied by several kings during the Eighteenth Dynasty, including King Idrimi, who ruled about 30 years and died sometime during reign of Thutmose III. During the Amarna period, it was part of the Mitanni empire, under the reign of King Saustatar.

Because it was on a border, the city was raided frequently, but was always rebuilt and remained important and rich until it was destroyed by the Sea Peoples shortly after 1200 BCE (end of Nineteenth Dynasty).