The Pazarcik Stela, 773 BCE

The Pazarcik Stela was discovered near Maris, Turkey during construction work on the Pazarcik dam. It dates to the reign of Shalmaneser IV. The stela mentions the name of Hezyon, king of Damascus, who appears in 1 Kings 15-18- “Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants- and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying.”

The stela proclaims-

Shalmaneser, strong king, king of Assyria, son of Adad-nerari, strong king, king of the universe, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters.

When Shamshi-ilu, the commander-in-chief, marched to Damascus – the tribute of Hadianu [Hezyon] of Damascus, silver, gold, copper, his royal bed, his royal couch, his daughter with her expensive dowry, the property of his palace without number, I received from him…

Mordechai Cogan, The Raging Torrent, Carta, Jerusalem, 2008. p.43-45.