ABSTRACT
Mari is shown as a dot on a map; however, as well as the city itself, the name refersto a section of the Euphrates valley which runs from Baghouz to Dura Europos, a distance of some 40 km, with Mari at its centre (Figure 27.1). Because of the nature of the landscape we are able to define its territory with some certainty. Thus:
1. Mari was established to control the crossing of two vital trade routes linking Syria with Babylonia. These are the Euphrates from northwestern Syria and the Khabur River from the east.
