All the Kings’ Sons: The Role and Tasks of the dumu-nita en at Ebla (Syria, 24th cent. BCE)

In this paper I demonstrate that the dumu-nita en lists attested in the documents of the Ebla Archives are an accounting representation of reality: they do not offer a full picture of the royal sons as a social group nor of its evolution over time. Evidence suggests that some among the royal sons were involved in diplomatic activities, while others had cultic obligations: the administrative record reflects this separation of duties, which appears to be related to their position within the royal family.