On the drive to the office this morning I remembered one example which has a long history in the Middle Eastern region (on the order of 3000 years, not 512), dating from the period when ancient Israel was ruled by judges —
And Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, “What have you to do with me, that you have come up against me to fight in my land?”
And the king of the sons of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when they came up out of Egypt ? Now therefore, restore those lands peaceably.”
(Side note: An interesting historical parallel, where troops are mobilized in an offensive posture but their leader demands “peaceable” recognition of his demands. Some things the millenia don’t change.)
And Jephthah’s reply:
“Are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them when Israel lived in Hesbon and its villages, and Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities which are along the borders of Arnon, for three hundred years? Why then did you not deliver them in that time?
So I have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me.”
