Editing Sargon II (section)

=== Further minor conflicts ===
[[File:Horses and their groom from the western Assyrian Empire, part of a tributary procession. From Khorsabad, Iraq, 710-705 BC, now in the British Museum.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|left|Relief from Dur-Sharrukin depicting two horses and their handler|alt=Horses and a handler on a rock relief]]
In the years following the campaign against [[Urartu]], Sargon worked to retain the loyalty of his northern vassals and to curb the influence of [[Elam]]; though Elam itself did not pose a threat towards Assyria, it would not be possible to reconquer [[Babylonia]] without first breaking [[Marduk-apla-iddina II|Marduk-apla-iddina]]'s alliance with the Elamites. In 713, Sargon campaigned in the [[Zagros Mountains]] again, defeating a revolt in the land of Karalla, meeting with Ullusunu of [[Mannaea]] and receiving some tribute. In the same year, Sargon sent his ''[[turtanu]]'' ([[commander-in-chief]]) to help [[Talta of Ellipi|Talta]] of [[Ellipi]], an Assyrian vassal west of the Zagros Mountains. Sargon probably considered it important to keep good relations with Ellipi since it was a key buffer state between Assyria and Elam. Talta was threatened by a revolt, but after Assyrian intervention he retained his throne.{{Sfn|Elayi|2017|p=|pp=231–232}}

Rusa still intended to extend Urartian influence into southern Anatolia despite Sargon's 714 victory. In 713 Sargon campaigned against [[Tabal (state)|Tabal]] in southern Anatolia again, trying to secure the kingdom's natural resources (mainly silver and wood, required for the construction of Dur-Sharrukin) and to prevent Urartu from establishing control and contacting Phrygia. Sargon used a [[divide and rule]] approach in Tabal; territory was distributed between the different Tabalian rulers to prevent any one of them from growing strong enough to present a problem. Sargon also encouraged the loose hegemony of the strongest Tabalian state, Bit-Purutash (sometimes called "Tabal proper" by modern historians), over the other Tabalian rulers. The king of Bit-Purutash, [[Ambaris of Tabal|Ambaris]], was granted Sargon's daughter Ahat-Abisha in marriage and some additional territory. This strategy was not successful; Ambaris began conspiring with the other rulers of Tabal and with Rusa and Midas. Sargon deposed Ambaris, deporting him to Assyria, and annexed Tabal.{{Sfn|Elayi|2017|p=|pp=232–233}}

The [[Philistines|Philistine]] city of [[Ashdod]] rebelled under its king [[Azuri]] in 713, and was crushed by Sargon or one of his generals. Azuri was replaced as king by [[Ahi-Miti]]. In 712 the vassal king [[Tarhunazi]] of [[Kammanu]] in northern Syria rebelled against Assyria, seeking to ally with Midas. Tarhunazi had been placed on his throne during Sargon's 720 campaign in the Levant. This revolt was dealt with by Sargon's ''turtanu''; Tarhunazi was defeated and his lands were annexed. His capital, [[Melid]], was given to [[Mutallu]] of [[Kummuh]]. Mutallu was a trusted ally since the kings of Kummuh had long maintained good relations with the Assyrian court. After the Assyrian army defeated a revolt by the kingdom of [[Gurgum]] in 711 and it was annexed, Sargon's control of southern Anatolia became relatively stable. Shortly after Sargon's victory, Ashdod revolted again. The locals deposed Ahi-Miti and in his stead proclaimed a noble named [[Iamani|Yamani]] as king. In 712, Yamani approached [[Kingdom of Judah|Judah]] and [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]] for an alliance{{Sfn|Elayi|2017|p=|pp=233–234}} but the Egyptians refused Yamani's offer, maintaining good relations with Sargon.{{Sfn|Frahm|2017|p=182}} After the Assyrians defeated Yamani in 711 and Ashdod was destroyed, Yamani escaped to Egypt{{Sfn|Elayi|2017|p=234}} and was extradited to Assyria by Pharaoh [[Shebitku]] in 707.{{Sfn|Frahm|2017|p=182}}