The Tale of Idrimi

Idrimi of Alalakh

The tale of Idrimi is here dramatised in a film. The narrative is closely based upon a text that was found upon a statue of Idrimi (currently in the British Museum). The full text can be found here. It provides a narrative of a prince in northern Syria/southern Turkey who was driven from his home and spent time as an exiled refugee (around the time of the 15th Century BC) before eventually returning to claim the throne of his home place. This displeased the king of the Mitanni but eventually they made peace and Idrimi ruled in Alalakh. It is a strange and interesting autobiographical tale from antiquity. I thought that it would be interesting to look at exiles in history at a time when refugees from this region are making headlines across the world.