Tag Archives: Kings Lists

Assyrian Eponym List (1)

http://www.livius.org/li-ln/limmu/limmu_1.html

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

Assyrian Eponym List: list of Assyrian officials (the limmu‘s, or eponymous magistrates) whose names were given to the years. This list was the foundation of the chronology of ancient Assyria, and still is an important tool to reconstruct the chronology. Two parts remain, one dealing with the reigns of king Naram-Sim to king Šamši-Adad I (first quarter of the second millennium) and one dealing with years 858-699.

On this page, you will find the eldest of these fragments, which was publised as text #8 in Jean-Jacques Glassner’s Chroniques Mésopotamiennes (1993; translated as Mesopotamian Chronicles, 2004). There are five copies of this text. The youngest surviving list can be found

(c.1876/1875) “From the beginning of the reign of Naram-Sin […] from the eponomy of […]

Šu-Sin.

Aššur-malik.

Aššur-imitti.

Ennam-Sin.

(c.1871/1870) In the eponymy of Akutum, […] took […] Masiam-ili.

Idi-ahum.

(c.1869/1868) In the eponymy of Samanum, Aminum took Šaduppum.

(c.1868/1867) In the eponymy of Illi-ennam, Sin-abum took the land of Sit.

(c.1867/1866) In the eponymy of Ennam-Anum, […].

(c.1866/1865) In the eponymy of Ennam-Aššur, Ipiq-Adad entered the house of his father.

(c.1865/1864) In the eponymy of Ennam-Sin, […].

(c.1864/1863) In the eponymy of Hannanarum, Aminum defeated Ipiq-Adad,

(c.1863/1862) In the eponymy of Dadiya, […].

(c.1862/1861) In the eponymy of Kapatiya, Ipiq-Adad defeated Aminum.

(c.1861/1860) In the eponymy of Išme-Aššur, Ipiq-Adad took Ziqquratum.

(c.1860/1859) In the eponymy of Aššur-muttabbil, Ipiq-Adad […].

(c.1859/1858) In the eponymy of Šu-Nirah, […].

(c.1858/1857) In the eponymy of Idi-abum, Sin-abum […].

(c.1857/1856) In the eponymy of Ili-dan, […].

Aššur-imitti.

Buzaya.

(c.1854/1853) In the eponymy of Inaia, king Šamši–Adad was born.

(c.1853/1852) In the eponymy of […], a solar eclipse happened; death of Aminum.

[…]-Addu, […].

Lacuna of about ten years.

(1841/1840) Aššur-malik.

(1840/1839) In the eponymy of Danya, taking of Hupšum.

(1839/1838) In the eponymy of Ennam-Sin, flood in a remote land

Aššur-balati.

Ennam-Aššur.

Itur-Aššur.

(1835/1834) In the eponymy of Šu-bêli, Ila-kabkabu took Suprum.

(1834/1833) In the eponymy of Šarrum-Adad, the man of Elam defeated Ipiq-Adad, and king Šamši–Adad entered the house of his father.

Šu-Laban.

(1832/1831) In the eponymy of Aššur-imitti, the Lullu defeated the king in Lazapatum.

(1831/1830) In the eponymy of Dadaya, Mut-abbih […].

(1830/1829) In the eponymy of Dadaya, ditto, Ipiq-Adad took Arrapha.

(1829/1828) In the eponymy of Ahi-šalim, the taking of Gasur.

Usur-ša-Ištar,

(1827/1826) In the eponymy of Kataya, […].

(1826/1825) In the eponymy of Šu-Sin, […].

(1825/1824) In the eponymy of Abu-šalim, the taking of Sin-abušu of Nerebtum.

(1824/1823) In the eponymy of Šu-Daya, […].

(1823/1822) In the eponymy of Šu-Dadim, the taking of Ne[…].

(1822/1821) In the eponymy of Aššur-tukulti, Šamši-Adad defeated the man of Unnini, and Mut-Ia[…] defeated.

(1821/1820) In the eponymy of Puzur-Ištar, Šamši-Adad […].

(1820/1819) In the eponymy of Atanah, Ipiq-Adad defeated […] and took the land of […].

(1819/1818) In the eponymy of Erišum, Šamši-Adad defeated […] in Dur-[…].

Aššur-ennam-šalim.

(1817/1816) In the eponymy of Inib-Ištar, Ipiq-Adad died.

Aššur-Bêl-malki.

(1815/1814) In the eponymy of Be[…], Kirbana […].

(1814/1813) In the eponymy of […], Šamši-Adad […].

(1813/1812) In the eponymy of […], Šamši-Adad […].

(1812/1811) In the eponymy of Šu-ilišu, Šamši-Adad […].

(1811/1810) In the eponymy of Ibni-Adad, Šamši-Adad [returned from Karduniaš].[1]

Lacuna of two years.

(1808/1807) In the eponymy of Atamar-Ištar, [Šamši-Adad captured Aššur].

Lacuna of eight years.

(1799/1798) In the eponymy of […].

(1798/1797) In the eponymy of Idna-Aššur, Šamši-Adad […].

(1797/1796) In the eponymy of Atanum, Šamši-Adad defeated twelve kings; Iahdun-Lim, king of Mari, […] these kings returned […].

(1796/1795) In the eponymy of Aššur-taklaku, Šamši-Adad defeated […].

(1795/1794) In the eponymy of […].

(1794/1793) In the eponymy of Haya-malik, [Šamši-Adad captured Mari].

(1793/1792) In the eponymy of Šalim-Aššur, […].

(1792/1791) In the eponymy of Šalim-Aššur, […].

(1791/1790) In the eponymy of Ennam-Aššur, Šamši-Adad took the land of […].

(1790/1789) In the eponymy of Sin-muballit, Šamši-Adad took the land of […].

(1789/1788) In the eponymy of Riš-Šamaš, Išme-Dagan defeated […].

(1788/1787) In the eponymy of Ibni-Adad, Šamši-Adad took the land of […].

(1787/1786) In the eponymy of Aššur-imitti, Šamši-Adad defeated […] and took it. Daduša took the land of […], the land of Me-Turan, the land of […].

(1786/1785) In the eponymy of Ili-ellati, […].

(1785/1784) In the eponymy of Rigmanum, Muna[…].

(1784/1783) In the eponymy of Ikun-piya, Muna[…] defeated […] and Šamši-Adad […] Me-Turan […] for Dadusa […].

(1783/1782) In the eponymy of Asqudum, Šamši-Adad took Qabra.

(1782/1781) In the eponymy of Aššur-malik, Išme-Dagan defeated Ahazum and Šamši-Adad captured Nurrugum and captured these nine kings: Kibrum, king of […; …, king of …; …, king of …]; Yašub-Adad, king of Ahazum; […, king of …; …, king of …]; Yašub-Lim, king of […; …, king of …, …, king of …]; he gave them as booty to Daduša.

(1781/1780) In the eponymy of Ahiyaya, the Turukkeans opened hostilities. Šamši-Adad and Išme-Dagan defeated the Turukkeans and the […] in Burullan; Yasmah-Adad defeated the Yaminites and unified the banks of the Euphrates.

In the eponymy of Ahiyaya, Mutu-Bisir […] defeated […] at the gate of Saggaratum.

(Colophon) Total […] years, until the victory of the gate of Saggaratum.

Hand of Habdu-malik. Limi-Dagan the nen who dictated.”

Note 1:
The restoration of this line is based on the Assyrian King List, in which Šamši-Adad’s accession is briefly described (more…).

King name	Reigned[9][10]	Notes[9][10]
Old Assyrian Period
Erishum I	fl. ca. 1800 BC (short) (30 or 40 years)	“son of Ilu-shuma“; contemporary of Samu-la-El of Babylonia; said to have built the temple of Ashur
Ikunum	(damaged text)	“son of Ilushuma“
Sargon I	(damaged text)	“son of Ikunum“
Puzur -Ashur II	(damaged text)	“son of Sargon (I)“
Naram–Suen	(damaged text)	“son of Puzur-Ashur (II)“
Erishum II	(damaged text)	“son of Naram-Suen“
Shamshi -Adad I	fl. ca. 1700 BC (short) (33 years)	“son of (local ruler) Ila-kabkabu, went to Karduniash in the time of Naram-Suen. In the eponymy of Ibni-Adad, Shamshi-Adad went up from Karduniash. He took Ekallatum, where he stayed three years. In the eponymy of Atamar-Ishtar, Shamshi-Adad went up from Ekallatum. He ousted Erishum (II), son of Naram-Suen, from the throne and took it.“; He was in turn conquered by Hammurabi of Babylon.
Ishme–DaganI	(40 years)	“son of Shamshi-Adad (I)“
Mut -Ashkur	(unknown)	son of Ishme-Dagan I, married to a Hurrian queen; not included in the standard King List, but attested elswhere[11]
Remu…	(unknown)	included in the alternative King List fragment, last part of name lost; not included in the standard King List[11]
Asinum	(unknown)	grandson of Shamshi-Adad I, driven out by vice-regent Puzur-Suen because he was of foreign extraction; not included in the standard King List, but attested in Puzur-Suen’s inscription[11]
Seven usurpers: Ashur-dugul Ashur-apla-idi Nasir-Suen Suen-namir Ipqi-Ishtar Adad-salulu Adasi
Bel-bani	(10 years)	“son of Adasi“
Libaya	(17 years)	“son of Bel-bani“
Sharma-Adad I	(12 years)	“son of Libaya“
Iptar-Suen	(12 years)	“son of Sharma-Adad (I)“
Bazaya	(28 years)	“son of Iptar-Suen“
Lullaya	(6 years)	“son of a nobody“
Shu-Ninua	(14 years)	“son of Bazaya“
Sharma-Adad II	(3 years)	“son of Shu-Ninua“
Erishum III	(13 years)	“son of Shu-Ninua“
Shamshi-Adad II	(6 years)	“son of Erishum (III)“
Ishme-Dagan II	(16 years)	“son of Shamshi-Adad (II)“
Shamshi-Adad III	(16 years)	” son of (another) Ishme-Dagan, brother of Sharma-Adad (II), son of Shu-Ninua“
Ashur-nirari I	(26 years)	“son of Ishme-Dagan“
Puzur-Ashur III	(24 or 14 years)	“son of Ashur-nirari (I)“; contemporary of Burna-Buriash I of Babylonia [3]
Enlil-nasir I	(13 years)	“son of Puzur-Ashur (III)“
Nur-ili	(12 years)	“son Enlil-nasir (I)“
Ashur-shaduni	(1 month)	“son of Nur-ili“
Ashur-rabi I	(damaged text)	“son of Enlil-nasir (I), ousted him (Ashur-shaduni), (and) seized the throne“
Ashur-nadin-ahhe I	(damaged text)	“son of Ashur-rabi (I)“
Enlil-nasir II	ca. 1420–1415 BC (short)	“his (Ashur-nadin-ahhe I’s) brother, ousted him“
Ashur-nirari II	ca. 1414–1408 BC (short)	“son of Enlil-nasir (II)“
Ashur-bel-nisheshu	ca. 1407–1399 BC (short)	“son of Ashur-nirari (II)“
Ashur-rim-nisheshu	ca. 1398–1391 BC (short)	“son of Ashur-bel-nisheshu“
Ashur-nadin-ahhe II	ca. 1390–1381 BC (short)	“son of Ashur-rim-nisheshu“

Middle Assyrian Period

The dates up to Ninurta-apal-Ekur (ca. 1182–1180 BC) are subject to debate, as some of the regnal lengths vary over the different versions of the King List. The dates given below are based on Assyrian King Lists B and C, which give only three years to Ashur-nadin-apli, and the same to Ninurta-apal-Ekur. (Assyrian King List A gives four years to Ashur-nadin-apli and 13 years to Ninurta-apal-Ekur.[12]) This time frame is also subject to the overall debate about the chronology of the ancient Near East; the short (or low) chronology is used here.

Dates from 1179 to 912 BC, although less secure than dates from 911 BC onwards, are not subject to the chronology debate.[3]

King name	Reigned[13][14][15]	Notes[9][10]
Adad-nirari I (ca. 1295–1263 BC)
Middle Assyrian Period
Eriba-Adad I	ca. 1380–1353 BC (short)	“son of Ashur-bel-nisheshu“
Ashur-uballit I	ca. 1353–1318 BC (short)	“son of Eriba-Adad (I)“
Enlil–nirari	ca. 1317–1308 BC (short)	“son of Ashur-uballit“
Arik-den-ili	ca. 1307–1296 BC (short)	“son of Enlil-nirari“
Adad-nirari I	ca. 1295–1264 BC (short)	“son of Arik-den-ili“
ShalmaneserI	ca. 1263–1234 BC (short)	“son of Adad-nirari (I)“
Tukulti–Ninurta I	ca. 1233–1197 BC (short)	“son of Shalmaneser (I)“
Ashur-nadin-apli	ca. 1196–1194 BC (short)	“during the lifetime of Tukulti-ninurta (I), Ashur-nadin-apli, his son, seized the throne“
Ashur-nirari III	ca. 1193–1188 BC (short)	“son of Ashur-nadin-apli“
Enlil-kudurri-usur	ca. 1187–1183 BC (short)	“son of Tukulti-Ninurta (I)“
Ninurta-apal-Ekur	ca. 1182–1180 BC (short)	“son of Ila-Hadda, a descendant of Eriba-Adad (I), went to Karduniash. He came up from Karduniash (and) seized the throne.“
Beginning with Ashur-Dan I, dates are consistent and not subject to middle/short chronology distinctions.
Ashur-Dan I	ca. 1179–1133 BC	“son of Ashur-nadin-apli“
Ninurta-tukulti-Ashur	ca. 1133 BC	“son of Ashur-dan (I), briefly“
Mutakkil-nusku	ca. 1133 BC	“his (Ninurta-tukulti-Ashur’s) brother, fought him and took him to Karduniash. Mutakkil-Nusku held the throne briefly, then died.“
Ashur-resh-ishi I	ca. 1133–1115 BC	“son of Mutakkil-Nusku“
Tiglath–Pileser I	ca. 1115–1076 BC	“son of Ashur-resh-ishi (I)“
Asharid-apal-Ekur	ca. 1076–1074 BC	“son of Tiglath-pileser (I)“
Ashur-bel-kala	ca. 1074–1056 BC	“son of Tiglath-pileser (I)“
Eriba-Adad II	ca. 1056–1054 BC	“son of Ashur-bel-kala“
Shamshi-Adad IV	ca. 1054–1050 BC	“son of Tiglath-pileser (I), came up from Karduniash. He ousted Eriba-Adad (II), son of Ashur-bel-kala, (and) seized the throne“
Ashur-nasir-pal I	ca. 1050–1031 BC	“son of Shamshi-Adad (IV)“
Shalmaneser II	ca. 1031–1019 BC	“son of Ashur-nasir-pal (I)“
Ashur-nirari IV	ca. 1019–1013 BC	“son of Shalmaneser (II)“
Ashur-rabi II	ca. 1013–972 BC	“son of Ashur-nasir-pal (I)“
Ashur-resh-ishi II	ca. 972–967 BC	“son of Ashur-rabi (II)“
Tiglath-Pileser II	ca. 967–935 BC	“son of Ashur-resh-ishi (II)“
Ashur-Dan II	ca. 935–912 BC	“son of Tiglath-Pileser (II)“

Neo-Assyrian Period

Neo-Assyrian Empire (824 & 671 BC)

Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727 BC)

Ashurbanipal (669–631 BC)

Synchronisms between the limmu lists and absolute dates known from Babylonian chronology provide good absolute dates for the years between 911 BC and 649 BC.

The dates for the very end of the Assyrian period are uncertain due to the lack of limmu lists after 649 BC. Some sources list Ashurbanipal‘s death in 631 BC, rather than 627 BC; Ashur-etil-ilani then reigns from 631 to 627, and Sin-shar-ishkun reigns until 612 BC, when he is known to have died in the sack of Nineveh.[3]

Neo-Assyrian Period
King name	Reigned[16][17][18]	Notes[9][10]
Adad-nirari II	912–891 BC	“son of Ashur-Dan (II)“
Tukulti-Ninurta II	891–884 BC	“son of Adad-nirari (II)“
Ashur-nasir-pal II	884–859 BC	“son of Tukulti-Ninurta (II)“
Shalmaneser III	859–824 BC	“son of Ashur-nasir-pal (II)“
Shamshi-Adad V	824–811 BC	“son of Shalmaneser (III)“
Shammu-ramat, regent, 811–808 BC
Adad-nirari III	811–783 BC	“son of Shamshi-Adad (V)“
Shalmaneser IV	783–773 BC	“son of Adad-nirari (III)“
Ashur-Dan III	773–755 BC	“son of Shalmaneser (IV)“; solar eclipse 763 BC[3]
Ashur-nirari V	755–745 BC	“son of Adad-nirari (III)“
Tiglath-Pileser III	745–727 BC	“son of Ashur-nirari (V)“
Shalmaneser V	727–722 BC	“son of Tiglath-Pileser (III)“
End of the document known as Assyrian King List; the following kings reigned after the list had been composed.
Sargon II	722–705 BC	co-regency with Shalmaneser V from 722–709 BC
Sennacherib	705–681 BC
Esarhaddon	681–669 BC
The dates of the last kings are not certain.
Ashurbanipal	669–between 631 and 627 BC
Ashur-etil-ilani	ca. 631–627 BC
Sin-shumu-lishir	626 BC
Sin-shar-ishkun	ca. 627–612 BC	fall of Nineveh
In 612 BC, Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, fell to the Medes and Babylonians; supported by the Egyptians, an Assyrian general continued to rule for a few years from Harran.
Ashur-uballit II	612 BC–ca. 609 BC	Harran defeated by Nabopolassar of Babylonia

Assyrian Eponym List (2/1)

King Sargon II (right) and his crown prince Sennacherib (left) on a relief from Khorsabad, now in the Louvre, Paris. Assyrian Eponym List: list Assyrian officials (the limmu‘s, or eponymous magistrates) whose names were given to the years. This list was the foundation of the chronology of ancient Assyria, and still is an important tool to reconstruct the chronology. Two parts remain, one dealing with the first quarter of the second millennium and one dealing with years 858-699.

On this page, you will find the first part of the youngest of these fragments, which was publised as text #9 in Jean-Jacques Glassner’s Chroniques Mésopotamiennes (1993; translated as Mesopotamian Chronicles, 2004). There are ten copies of this text, found in Nineveh, Sultan-Tepe, and Aššur.The other surviving Eponym List can be found here.

(…) reign of Šalmaneser [III] son of Aššurnasirpal [II], king of Assyria.

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[858/857] During the eponymy of Šarru-baltu-niši, campaign against […].

[857/856] During the eponymy of Šalmaneser, the king of Assyria, campaign against […].

[856/855] During the eponymy of Aššur-bêla-ka’in, the commander in chief, campaign against […].

[855/854] During the eponymy of Aššur-bunaya-usur, the chief buttler, campaign against […]

[854/853] During the eponymy of Abi-ina-ekalli-lilbur, the palace herald […].

[853/852] During the eponymy of Dayan-Aššur, the commander in chief, […]

[852/851] During the eponymy of Šamaš-abua, governor of Nisibis, […].

[851/850] During the eponymy of Šamaš-bêla-usur, governor of Kalhu, […].

[850/849] During the eponymy o Bêl-bunaya, the palace herald, […].

[849/848] During the eponymy of Hadi-lipušu, governor of Na’iri, […].

[848/847] During the eponymy of Nergal-alik-pani, governor of […].

[847/846] During the eponymy of Bur-ramman, governor of […].

[846/845] During the eponymy of Inurta-mukin-niši, the palace herald, […].

[845/844] During the eponymy of Inurta-nadin-šumi, governor of […].

[844/843] During the eponymy of Aššur-bunaya, governor of […].

[843/842] During the eponymy of Tab-Inurta, governor of […].

[842/841] During the eponymy of Taklak-ana-šarri, governor of Nemed-Ištar, […].

[841/840] During the eponymy of Addad-remannii, governor of Guzana, […].

[840/839] During the eponymy of Šamaš-abua, governor of Rasappa, campaign against the cedar mountain.

[839/838] During the eponymy of Šulma-bêli-lamur, governor of Ahuzuhina, campaign against Qu’e [Cilicia].

[838/837] During the eponymy of Inurta-kibsi-usur, governor of Rasappa, campaign against Malahi.

[837/836] During the eponymy of Inurta-ilaya, governor of Ahizuhina, campaign against Danabu.

[836/835] During the eponymy of Qurdi-Aššur, governor of Raqmat, campaign […].

[835/834] During the eponymy of Šep-šarri, governor of Habruri, campaign against Milidu.

[834/833] During the eponymy of Nergal-mudammiq, governor of Nineveh, campaign against Namri.

[833/832] During the eponymy of Yahulu, the chamberlain, campaign against Qu’e.

[832/831] During the eponymy of Ululayu, governor of Kalizi, campaign against Qu’e.

[831/830] During the eponymy of Šarru-hatta-ipe, governor of […], campaign agains Qu’e; [the god] Anu the Great left Der.

[830/829] During the eponymy of Nergal-ilaya, governor of Isana, campaign against Urartu.

[829/828] During the eponymy of Hubaya, governor of […]hi, campaign against Unqu.

[828/827] During the eponymy of Ilu-mukin-ahi, governor of […]ha, campaign against Ulluba.

——————————————

[827/826] During the eponymy of Šalmaneser, the king of Assyria, campaign against Mannea.

[826/825] During the eponymy of Dayan-Aššur, the commander in chief, revolt.

[825/824] During the eponymy of Aššur-bunaya-usur, the great butler, revolt.

[824/823] During the eponymy of Yahalu, the commander in chief, revolt.

[823/822] During the eponymy of Bêl-bunaya, the palace herald, revolt.

——————————————

Thirty-five years, Šalmaneser, king of Assyria.

——————————————

[822/821] During the eponymy of Šamši-Adad [V], the king of Assyria, revolt.

[821/820] During the eponymy of Yahalu, the commander in chief, revolt.

[820/819] During the eponymy of Bêl-dan, the palace herald, the revolt was suppressed.

[819/818] During the eponymy of Inurta-ubla, governor of […], campaign against Mannea.

[818/817] During the eponymy of Šamaš-ilaya, governor of […], campaign against […]šumme.

[817/816] During the eponymy of Nergal-ilaya, governor of Isana, campaign against Tille.

[816/815] During the eponymy of Aššur-bunaya-usur, the chief butler, campaign against Tille.

[815/814] During the eponymy of Šarru-hattu-ilpe, governor of Nisibis, campaign against Zaratu.

[814/813] During the eponymy of Bêl-lu-ballat, the commander in chief, campaign against Der; Anu the Great went to Der.

[813/812] During the eponymy of Mušekniš, governor of Habruri, campaign against Ahsana.

[812/811] During the eponymy of Inurta-ašared, governor of Raqmat, campaign against Chaldaea.

[811/810] During the eponymy of Šamaš-kumua, governor of Arrapha, campaign against Babylon.

[810/809] During the eponymy of Bêl-qate-sabat, governor of Mazamua, the king stayed in the land.

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Thirteen years, Šamši-Adad, king of Assyria.

——————————————

[809/808] During the eponymy of Adad-Nirari [III], the king of Assyria, campaign against Media.

[808/807] During the eponymy of Nergal-ilaya, the commander in chief, campaign against Guzana.

[807/806] During the eponymy of Bêl-dân, the palace herald, campaign against Mannea.

[806/805] During the eponymy of Sil-Bêli, the chief butler, campaign against Mannea.

[805/804] During the eponymy of Aššur-taklak, the chamberlain, campaign against Arpad.

[804/803] During the eponymy of Ilu-issiya, governor of Aššur, campaign against Hazazu.

[803/802] During the eponymy of Nergal-ereš, governor of Rasappa, campaign against Ba’alu.

[802/801] During the eponymy of Aššur-balti-ekurri, governor of Arrapha, campaign against the Sealand; plague.

[801/800] During the eponymy of Inurta-ilaya, governor of Ahizuhina, campaign against Hubuškia.

[800/799] During the eponymy of Šep-Ištar, governor of Nisibis, campaign against Media.

On this page, you will find the second part of the youngest of these fragments, which was publised as text #9 in Jean-Jacques Glassner’s Chroniques Mésopotamiennes (1993; translated as Mesopotamian Chronicles, 2004). There are ten copies of this text, found in Nineveh, Sultan-Tepe, and Aššur.

[800/799] During the eponymy of Šep-Ištar, governor of Nisibis, campaign against Media.

[799/798] During the eponymy of Marduk-išmanni, governor of Amedi, campaign against Media.

[798/797] During the eponymy of Mutakkil-Marduk, the chief eunuch, campaign against Lušia.

[797/796] During the eponymy of Bêl-tarsi-iluma, governor of Kalhu, campaign against Namri.

[796/795] During the eponymy of Aššur-bêla-usur, governor of Habruri, campaign against Manduate.

[795/794] During the eponymy of Marduk-šaduni, governor of Raqmat, campaign against Der.

[794/793] During the eponymy of Kinu-abua, governor of Tušhan, campaign against Der.

[793/792] During the eponymy of Mannu-ki-Aššur, governor of Guzana, campaign against Media.

[792/791] During the eponymy of Mušallim-Inurta, governor of Tille, campaign against Media.

[791/790] During the eponymy of Bêl-iqišanni, governor of Šibhiniš, campaign against Hubuškia.

[790/789] During the eponymy of Šep-Šamaš, governor of Isana, campaign against Itu’a.

[789/788] During the eponymy of Inurta-mukin-ahi, governor of Nineveh, campaign against Media.

[788/787] During the eponymy of Adad-mušammer, governor of Kalizi, campaign against Mdia; foundations of the temple of Nabû in Nineveh laid.

[787/786] During the eponymy of Sil-Ištar, governor of Arbela, campaign against Media; Nabû entered his new temple.

[786/785] During the eponymy of Nabû-šarra-usur, governor of Talmusu, campaign against Kisku.

[785/784] During the eponymy of Adad-uballit, governor of Tamnuna, campaign against Hubuškia; [the god] Anu the Great went to Der.

[784/783] During the eponymy of Marduk-šarra-usur, governor of Arbela, campaign against Hubuškia.

[783/782] During the eponymy of Inurta-nasir, governor of Mazamua, campaign against Itu’a.

[782/781] During the eponymy of Iluma-le’i, governor of Nisibis, campaign against Itu’a.

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Twenty-eight years, Adad-nirari [III], king of Assyria.

——————————————

[781/780] During the eponymy of Šalmaneser [IV], the king of Assyria, campaign against Urartu.

[780/779] During the eponymy of Šamši-ilu, the commander in chief, campaign against Urartu.

[779/778] During the eponymy of Marduk-remanni, the chief butler, campaign against Urartu.

[778/777] During the eponymy of Bêl-lešer, the palace herald, campaign against Urartu.

[777/776] During the eponymy of Nabû-išdeya-ka’in, the chamberlain, campaign against Itu’a.

[776/775] During the eponymy of Pan-Aššur-lamur, governor of Aššur, campaign against Urartu.

[775/774] During the eponymy of Nergal-ereš, governor of Rasappa, campaign against the cedar mountain.

[774/773] During the eponymy of Ištar-duri, governor of Nisibis, campaign against Urartu and Namri

[773/772] During the eponymy of Mannu-ki-Adad, governor of Raqmat, campaign against Damascus.

[772/771] During the eponymy of Aššur-bela-usur, governor of Kalhu, campaign against Hatarikka.

——————————————

Ten years, Šalmaneser, king of Assyria.

——————————————

[771/770] During the eponymy of Aššur-dan [III], king of Assyria, campaign against Gananati.

[770/769] During the eponymy of Šamši-ilu, the commander in chief, campaign against Marad.

[769/768] During the eponymy of Bêl-ilaya, governor of Arrapha, campaign against Itu’a.

[768/767] During the eponymy of Aplaya, governor of Mazamua, the king stayed in the land.

[767/766] During the eponymy of Qurdi-Aššur, governor of Ahizuhina, campaign against Gananati.

[766/765] During the eponymy of Mušallim-Inurta, governor of Tille, campaign against Media.

[765/764] During the eponymy of Inurta-mukin-niši, governor of Habruri, campaign against Hatarikka; plague.

[764/763] During the eponymy of Sidqi-ilu, governor of Tušhan, the king stayed in the land.

——————————————

[763/762] During the eponymy of Bur-Saggile, governor of Guzana, revolt in Libbi-ali; in Simanu eclipse of the sun [15 June 763].

[762/761] During the eponymy of Tab-bêlu, governor of Amedi, revolt in Libbi-ali.

[761/760] During the eponymy of Nabû-mukin-apli, governor of Nineveh, revolt in Arrapha.

[760/759] During the eponymy of La-qipu, governor of Kalizi, revolt in Arrapha.

[759/758] During the eponymy of Pan-Aššur-lamur, governor of Arbela, revolt in Guzana; plague.

[758/757] During the eponymy of Ana-bêli-taklak, governor of Isana, campaign against Guazana; peace in the land.

[757/756] During the eponymy of Inurta-iddin, governor of Kurba’il, the king stayed in the land.

[756/755] During the eponymy of Bêl-šadua, governor of Tamnuna, the king stayed in the land.

[755/754] During the eponymy of Iqisu, governor of Šibhiniš, campaign against Hatarikka.

[754/753] During the eponymy of Inurta-šezibanni, governor of Talmusu, campaign against Arpad; return from Aššur.

——————————————

[753/752] During the eponymy of Aššur-nirari [V], king of Assyria, the king stayed in the land.

[752/751] During the eponymy of Šamši-ilu, the commander in chief, the king stayed in the land.

[751/750] During the eponymy of Marduk-šallimanni, the palace herald, the king stayed in the land.

[750/749] During the eponymy of Bêl-dan, the chief butler, the king stayed in the land.

On this page, you will find the third part of the youngest of these fragments, which was publised as text #9 in Jean-Jacques Glassner’s Chroniques Mésopotamiennes (1993; translated as Mesopotamian Chronicles, 2004). There are ten copies of this text, found in Nineveh, Sultan-Tepe, and Aššur.The first part can be found here, and the other surviving Eponym List can be found here.

[750/749] During the eponymy of Bêl-dan, the chief butler, the king stayed in the land.

[749/748] During the eponomy of Šamaš-kenu-dugul, the chamberlain, campaign against Namri.

[748/747] During the eponomy of Adad-bela-ka’in, the governor of Aššur, campaign against Namri.

[747/746] During the eponomy of Sin-šallimanni, the governor of Rasappa, the king stayed in the land.

[746/745] During the eponomy of Nergal-nasir, the governor of Nisibis, revolt in Kalhu.

——————————————

[745/744] During the eponomy of Nabû-bela-usur, the governor of Arrapha, in Ajaru, the thirteenth, Tiglath-pileser [III] ascended the throne. In Tašrîtu, he on Mesopotamia.[1]

[744/743] During the eponomy of Bêl-dan, the governor of Kalhu, campaign against Namri.

[743/742] During the eponomy of Tiglath-pileser, the king of Assyria, there was a massacre among the Urartaeans in Arpad.

[742/741] During the eponomy of Nabû-da’inannil, the commander in chief, campaign against Arpad.

[741/740]During the eponomy of Bêl-Harran-bêla-usur, the palace herald, campaign against the same; the city was taken after three years.

[740/739] During the eponomy of Nabû-etiranni, the chief butler, campaign against Arpad.

[739/738] During the eponomy of Sin-taklak, the chamberlain, campaign against Ulluba; Birtu was captured

[738/737] During the eponomy of Adad-bêla-ka’in, the governor of Aššur, Kullania was captured.

[737/736] During the eponomy of Bêl-emuranni, the governor of Rasappa, campaign against Media.

[736/735] During the eponomy of Inurta-ilaya, the governor of Nisibis, campaign at the foot of Mount Nal.

[735/734] During the eponomy of Aššur-šallimanni, the governor of Arrapha, campaign against Urartu.

[734/733] During the eponomy of Bêl-dan, the governor of Kalhu, campaign against Philistia.[2]

[733/732] During the eponomy of Aššur-da’inanni, the governor of Mazamua, campaign against Damascus.

[732/731] During the eponomy of Nabû-bêla-usur, the governor of Si’imme, campaign against Damascus.

[731/730] During the eponomy of Nergal-uballit, the governor of Ahizu-hina, campaign against Šapiya.

[730/729] During the eponomy of Bêl-lu-dari, the governor of Tille, the king stayed in the land.

[729/728] During the eponomy of Liphur-ilu, the governor of Habruri, the king took the hand of Bêl [and became king of Babylonia].

[728/727]During the eponomy of Dur-Aššur, the governor of Tušhan, the king took the hand of Bêl; the city of Hi[…] was captured.

——————————————

[727/726] During the eponomy of Bêl-Harran-bêla-usur, the governor of Guzana, campaign against […]. Šalmaneser [V] ascended the throne.

[726/725] During the eponomy of Marduk-bêla-usur, the governor of Amedi, the king stayed in the land.

[725/724] During the eponomy of Mahde, the governor of Nineveh, campaign against […].

[724/723] During the eponomy of Aššur-išmanni, the governor of Kalizi, campaign against […].

[723/722] During the eponomy of Šalmaneser, the king of Assyria, campaign against […].

[722/721] During the eponomy of Inurta-ilaya, the commander in chief.

[721/720] During the eponomy of Nabû-taris, the governor of […]ti.

[720/719] During the eponomy of Aššur-nirka-da’in, the governor of […]ru.

[719/718] During the eponomy of Sargon [II], the king of Assyria entered […].

[718/717] During the eponomy of Zeru-ibni, the governor of Rasappa, campaign against Tabal.

[717/716] During the eponomy of Tab-šar-Aššur, the chamberlain, Dur-Šarruken [the new capital of Assyria] was founded.

[716/715] During the eponomy of Tab-sil-Ešarra, the governor of Libbi-ali, campaign against Mannea.

[715/714] During the eponomy of Taklak-ana-bêli, the governor of Nisibis, governors were appointed.

[714/713] During the eponomy of Ištar-duri, the governor of Arrapha, campaign against Urartu and Musasi; [the statue of the god] Haldi was deported.

[713/712]During the eponomy of Aššur-bani, the governor of Kalhu, the nobles fought at Ellipi; the god […] entered his new temple, to Musasir.

[712/711] During the eponomy of šarru-emuranni, the governor of Mazamua,the king stayed in the land.

[711/710] During the eponomy of Inurta-alik-pani, the governor of Si’immel, campaign against Mar’aš.

[710/709] During the eponomy of Šamaš-bêla-usur, the governor of Ahizuhina, campaign against Bit-zeri [against the Babylonian ruler Marduk-apla-iddina, who was defeated]; the king stayed in Kiš.

[709/708] During the eponomy of Mannu-ki-Aššur-le’i, the governor of Tille, Sargon took the hand of Bêl [and became king of Babylonia].

[708/707] During the eponomy of Šamaš-upahhir, the governor of Habruri, Kummuhu was captured; a governor was appointed.

[707/706] During the eponomy of Ša-Aššur-dubbu, the governor of Tušhan, the king returned from Babylon; the chief vizier, the nobles, the booty of Dur-Yakin was carried off; […] Dur-Yakin was destroyed; in Tašrîtu, the twenty-second, the gods of Dur-Šarruken entered their temples.

[706/705]During the eponomy of Mutakkil-Aššur, the governor of Guzana, the king stayed in the land; the nobles were in Karalla; in Ajaru, the sixth, Dur-Šarruken was completed; […] received.

——————————————

[705/704]During the eponomy of Nashru-Bêl, the governor of Amedi, the king marched on Tabal; against Gurdi, the Kulummaean, […] the king was killed; the camp of the king of Assyria […] In Abu, the twelfth, Sennacherib, the king [started his reign^?].

[704/703]During the eponomy of Nabû-deni-epuš, the governor of Nineveh, to Larak and Sarrabanu; the palace of Kalizi was restored, in […] the nobles afainst the Kulummaean.

[703/702] During the eponomy of Nuhšaya, the governor of Kalizi, campaign against [Babylonia^?].

[702/701] During the eponomy of Nabû-le’i, the governor of Arbela, campaign against [Hirimma and Hararatum^?].

[701/700] During the eponomy of Hananu, the governor of Til-Barsip, […] from Halzi […]

[700/699] During the eponomy of Metunu, the governor of Isana, Aššur-nadin-šumi, the son of Sennacherib, [became king of Babylonia^?] of the palace, in the city […], great cedar logs, alabaster in Ammananum […], in Kapri-Dagili […] for […] the king […].

[699/698] During the eponymy of Bêl-šarrani, governor of Kurba’il,

Broken off

Note 1:
This campaign is described in ABC 1, a chronicle that describes the period from Nabu-Nasir to Šamaš-šuma-ukin.

Note 2:
In Israel, king Pekah was defeated, lost a large part of his kingdom, and was replaced by Hoshea (2 Kings 15.29).

The Assyrian Chronicle

Records of the Past, 2nd series, Vol. II, ed. by A. H. Sayce, [1888], at sacred-texts.com

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

858. Shalmaneser king of Assyria; (campaign) against [the land of] …

857. Assur-bela-kain the tartan, 1 …

856. Assur-Bani-aplâ-utsur the Rab-BI-LUL; 2 …

855. Abu-ina-ekalli-lilbur the governor of the palace; …

854. Dân-Assur the tartan; …

853. Samas-abûa the prefect of the city Na’sibna; 3 …

852. Samas-bela-utsur of the city of Calah; …

851. Bel-bani-pal-a the governor of the palace; …

850. Khadî-lipusu of the city of …; …

840. [Sallimmu-bela-l’amur] of the river of ’Sukhina; against the land of [Qu]e.

839. [Uras-kib’si-utsur] of the city of Ratsappa (Rezeph); against the land of Ma(?) . . khi.

838. [Uras-A]of the river of ’Sukhina; against the land of Danabi.

837. [Qurdi-Assur] of the city of Sallat; against the country of Tabali (Tubal).

836. [Ner-sarri] of the country of [Kir]ruri; against the land of Melidi (Malatiyeh).

835. [Nergal-mudammiq] of Ninevah; against the land of Namri.

834. [Yakhâlu] the seer; against the land of Que.

833. [Ululâ] of the city of [Kal]zi; against the land of Que.

832. [Sarru-patî-beli] …; against the land of Que; the great god went to the city of Diri.

831. [Nergal-A] of [Nisib]is; against the land of Ararat.

830. [Khubâ] of the city of [Cal]ah; against the land of Unqi.

829. [Ilu-kin-akha] of [Arba]kha; against the land of Ulluba.

828. [Shalmaneser the king]; against the land of the Mannâ.

827. [Dân-Assur] … Insurrection.

826. [Assur-bani-pal-a-utsur] … Insurrection.

825. [Yakhâlu] … Insurrection.

824. [Bel-bani-pal-a] … Insurrection.

_________

823. [Samas-Rimmon the king]. Insurrection.

822. [Yakhâlu] … Insurrection.

817. [Assur-bani-aplâ-utsur] the Rab- …; against the land of Tille.

816. [Sarru-patî-beli of the city of Ni]sibis; against the land of Zarati.

815. [Bel-baladh, the tartan?]; against the city of Diri; the great god went to the city of Diri.

814. [Musiknis of the land of] Kirruri; against the land of Akh’sana.

813. [Nergal-utsur of] Sallat (?); against the land of the Kaldi. 1

812. [Samas-kumua of] Arbakha; 2 against Babylon.

811. [Bel-qati-tsabat of the city of] Mazamua; in the country. 3

_________

810. [Rimmon-nirari king of] Assyria; against the land of A.

809. [Nergal-A the] tartan; against the city of Gozan. 4

808. [Belu-dân, the ner of] the palace; against the land of the Mannâ. 1

807. [Tsil-beli, the Rab-]BI-LUL; against the land of the Mannâ.

806. [Assur-taggil] the seer; 2 against the land of Arpad.

805. [… the …]; against the city of Khazazi.

804. [Nergal-esses of the country of] Ratsappa; 3 against the city of Bahli.

803. Assur-nes-nisi of the city of Arbakra; against the sea-coast. A pestilence.

802. Uras-A of the city on the banks of the Zukhina; against the city of Khupuskia.

801. Ner-Istar of the city of Nisibis; against the country of A.

800. Merodach-isip-anni of the city of Amedi 4; against the country of A.

799. Mutaggil-Merodach the Rab-shakeh; 5 against the city of Lusia.

798. Bel-tartsi-same of the city of Calah; against the country of Namri.

797. Assur-bela-utsur of the city of Kirruri; against the city of Mantsuate.

796. Merodach-sadûni of the city of Sallat; against the city of Deri.

795. Kin-abûa of the city of Tuskhan; against the city of Deri.

794. Mannu-kî-Assur of the city of Gozan; against the country of A.

793. Musallim-Uras of the city of Tille; against the country of A.

792. Bel-qais-âni of the city of Mekhinis; against the land of Khupuskia.

791. Ner-Samas of the city of I’sana; against the land of Ituha.

790. Uras-kin-akha of the city of Ninevah; against the land of A.

789. Rimmon-musammir of the city of Kalzi; against the land of A. The foundation of the temple of Nebo (Nabu) in Ninevah [was laid].

788. Tsil-Istari of the city of …; against the land of Ki-?-ki. Nebo [entered] the (new) temple.

787. Nebo-sarra-utsur of the city of …… [against the land of Khupuskia.] The great god entered the city of Deri.

785. Merodach-sarra-utsur of the city of Kurban; against the land of Khupuskia.

783. Uras-natsir of the city of Mazamua; against the land of Ituha.

782. Samu-lih of the city of Nisibis; against the land of Ituha.

_________

781. Shalmaneser king of Assyria; against the land of Ararat.

780. Samsi-ilu the tartan; against the country of Ararat.

779. Merodach-rim-ani the Rab-BI-LUL; against the land Of Ararat.

778. Bel-esir [the governor] of the palace; against the land of Ararat.

777. Nebo-isdi-ya-yukin the seer; against the country of Ituha.

776. [Pan-Assuri-l’amur of] the (Assyrian) country; 1 against the land of Ararat.

775. [Nergal-esses of the country of] Ratsappa; against the country of Erini. 2

774. [Istar-duru of the city of] Nisibis; against the countries of Ararat and Namri.

773. [Mannu-ki-Rimmon of] the (Assyrian) country; against the city of Damascus.

772. [Assur-bela-utsur of the city of] Calah; against the country of Khatarika. 1

_________

771. Assur-dân the king of Assyria; against the city of Gananâti.

770. Samsi-ilu the tartan; against the city of Marad.

769. Bel-A of the city of Arbakha; against the country of Ituha.

768. Abla-ya of the city of Mazamua; at home.

767. Qurdi-Assur of the city on the banks of the Zukhina; against the country of Gannanati.

766. Musallim-Uras of the city of Tile; against the country of A.

765. Uras-mukin-nisi of the country of Kirruri; against the country of Khatarika. A pestilence.

764. Tsidqi-ilu of the country of Tuskhan; at home.

_________

763. Isid-Raki’s-rabe of the city of Gozan. Insurrection in the city of Assur. In the month Sivan the sun was eclipsed. 2

762. Dhabu-Bel of the city of Amedi; insurrection in the city of Assur.

767. Nebo-kin-akhi of the city of Ninevah; insurrection in the city of Arbakha.

760. Laqipu of the city of Kalzi; insurrection in the city of Arbakha.

759. Pan-Assur-l’amur of the city of Arbela; insurrection in the city of Gozan. A pestilence.

758. Ana-beli-taggil of the city of I’sana; against the city of Gozan. Peace in the country (of Assyria).

757. Uras-iddin of the city of Kurban; at home.

756. Bel-sadûa of the city of Parnunna (?); at home.

755. Iqi’su of the city of Mekhinis; against the country 1 of Khatarika.

754. Uras-sezib-ani [of the city] of Rimu’si; against the country 1 of Arpad. From the city of Assur a return.

_________

753. Assur-[nirari king of] Assyria; at home.

752. Samsi[-ilu the tar]tan; at home.

751. Merodach-[sallim-anni the governor] of the palace; at home.

750. Bel-[dân the Rab-]BI-LUL; at home.

749. Samas-[mukin-duruk the] seer; against the land of Namri.

748. [Rimmon-bela-yukin], an Assyrian 2; against the land of Namri.

_________

747. [Sin-sallim-anni of the country] of Ratsappa; in the country.

746. [Nergal-natsir of the] city of Nisibis; insurrection in the city of Calah.

_________

745. [Nebo-bela-utsur of the city of Arbakha; on the 13th day of the month Iyyar Tiglath-pileser ascended the throne; in the month Tisri he marched to the river [Euphrates].

744. [Bel-dân] of the city of Calah; against the land of Namri.

743. The king of Assyria; in the city of Arpad. The troops of the land of Ararat were slaughtered.

742. [Nebo-danin-anni] the tartan; against the city of Arpad.

741. [Bel-Kharran-bela-utsur] the governor of the palace; against the same city. After three years’ (siege) it was captured.

740. [Nebo-edhir-anni] the Rab-BI-LUL; against the city of Arpad.

739. [Sin-taggil] the seer; against the land of Ulluba. The city of Birtu was taken (?). 1

738. [Rimmon-bela-yukin] an Assyrian; 2 (the king) captures the city of Kullani. 3

737. [Bel-emur-anni] of Ratsappa; against the land of A.

736. [Uras-A] of Nisibis; against the foot of Mount Naal.

735. [Assur-sallim -anni] of the country of Arbakha; against the land of Ararat.

734. [Bel-all] of Calah; against the land of Pilista. 4

733. [Assur-danin-anni] of the city of Mazamua; against the land of Damascus.

732. [Nebo-bela-utsur] of the city of ’Sihme; against the land of Damascus.

731. [Nergal-yuballidh] of the city on the banks of the Zukhina; against the city of Sapiya.

730. [Bel-ludari] of the city of Tile; at home.

729. [Napkhar-ilu]-of the land of Kirruri; the king took the hands of Bel (Enlil). 5

728. [Dur-Assur] of the city of Tuskhan; the king took the hands of Bel; the city of Di(ri) …

_________

727. [Bel-Kharran-bola-utsur] of [Go]zan; against the city of … [Shalman]eser [ascended] the throne.

726. [Merodach-bela-utsur of Ame]di; at [home].

725. [Makhdê] of Ninevah; against …

724. [Assur-isip-anni of Kal]zi; against …

723. [Shalmaneser king of] Assyria; against …

_________

716. [Dhabu-tsil-Ê-sarra] … against the city of the Mannâ.

715. [Taggil-ana-Bela] … prefects were appointed.

714. [Istar-dur] … the city of Muzazir of the (god) Khaldia [was captured].

713. [Assur-bani] … the great … in the country of Illipa; the god … entered the new [temple].

712. [Sarru-emur-anni] … the city of Muzazir.

711. [Uras-alik-pani] …; at home.

710. [Samas-bela-utsur] …; against the city of Marqa’sa.

709. Mannu-ki-Assur-lih …; against the city of Bit-ziri; the king poured out a sacrificial libation in the city of Kis … Sargon took the hands of Bel.

708. [Samas-yupakhkhir of Kirru]ri; the city of Kumukh was conquered; a prefect was appointed (over it).

707. Sa-Assur-dubbu the prefect of Tuskhan; the king made a pilgrimage to Babylon. [Its] temples and [palaces] he restored. On the 22d day of the month Tisri the gods of the city of Dur-yakin 1 were brought forth.

706. Mutaggil-Assur the prefect of Gozan; the king destroyed the city of Dur- yakin the 6th day of the month Iyyar. To their temples [the gods] returned.

705. Yupakhkhir-Bel the prefect of Amedi … Mukh(?)kaespai the Kulummite in the country of Karalla … A soldier murdered the king of Assyria. … On the 12th day of the month Ab Sennacherib [ascended the throne].

_________

704. Nebo-dini-epus the governor of Ninevah … the cities of Larak and ’Sarabanu [were captured?]. A palace was built in the city of Kalzi.…

Footnotes

120:1 Turtanu, “commander-in-chief;” see Isaiah xx. I, 2 Kings xviii. 17.

120:2 Perhaps “the chief of the cup-bearers.”

120:3 Nisibis.

121:1 The Chaldæans, at this time a tribe in the marshes of Southern Babylonia.

121:2 Arrapakhitis.

121:3 That is to say, the troops stayed at home; no military expedition took place.

121:4 On the river Khabour; see 2 Kings xix. 52.

122:1 The Minni of the Old Testament, the Manâ of the Vannic inscriptions, whose territory extended from the Kotur mountains, the eastern frontier of the kingdom of Ararat or Van, towards Lake Urumiyeh. The name has no connection with that of Van.

122:2 Abarakku, from the Accadian abrik; in Genesis xli. 43 Joseph is called abrek, a word erroneously supposed to be of Egyptian origin. See my Hibbert Lectures on Babylonian Religion, p. 183, where, however, I have erroneously translated abrikku or abarakku “vizier.” Joseph’s cup of divination is referred to in Genesis xliv. 5.

122:3 The Rezeph of Isaiah xxxvii. 12.

122:4 Amida, now Diarbekir.

122:5 Rab-saki, “the chief of the princes,” or Vizier.

123:1 Or perhaps “the prefect” (saladh).

123:2 “The country of the cedar-trees,” i.e. Mount Amanus.

124:1 The Hadrach of Zech. ix. 1.

124:2 The eclipse was visible at Nineveh on the 15th of June.

125:1 “City” in another copy.

125:2 Or “the prefect.”

126:1 I cannot explain the grammatical construction of tsabtat.

126:2 Or “the prefect.”

126:3 Probably the Calneh of Genesis x. 10; Isaiah x. 9.

126:4 The Philistines.

126:5 This ceremony was performed at Babylon, and implied that the king was recognised as legitimate sovereign of Babylonia.

127:1 According to the text published in W. A. I. ii. 69, Dur-Sargon (now Khorsabad). The text published by Dr. Bezold, however (Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archæology, xi. 7), gives Dur-yakin, the ancestral capital of Merodach-baladan in the southern marshes of Babylonia.

Translation of the Inscription Giving the Assyrian Interpretation of the Names of the Early Babylonian Kings

Records of the Past, 2nd series, Vol. I, ed. by A. H. Sayce, [1888], at sacred-texts.com

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

Obv.—COLUMN I

About forty lines lost.

1. [? Ur-Damu. Acc. 1]	“Man of the goddess Gula (Bau).”
2. [? Babar-uru. Acc.]	“The Sun-god protects.”
3. [Ur- …]la. Acc.	“Man of the Moon-god (Nannar / Sin).”
4. [Ur-]Babara. Acc.	“Man of the Sun-god (Utu / Shamash).”
5. [Is-ki-]pal. Acc.	“Sweeper away of the hostile country.”
6. [Gul-ki-]sar. Acc.	“Destroyer of hosts.”
7. A-[dara]-kalama. Acc.	“Son of the god Ea (Enki) king of the land.”
8. A-kur-du-ana. Acc.	“Son of Bel (Enlil) (the mountain) of the treasury of heaven.”
9. Lugal-ginna. Acc.	“Established king”(Sargon). 2
10. The queen Azag-Bau. Acc.	“The goddess Bau is holy.”

_________

11. These are the kings who after the flood are not described in chronological order.

_________

12. Khammu-ragas. Kas. 3	“Of a large family.”
13. Ammi-didugga. Kas.	“Of an established family.”
14. Kur-gal-zu. Kas.	“Be a shepherd.”

15. Simmas-sipak. Kas.	*“Offspring of Merodach (Marduk).”*
16. Ulam-bur-yas. Kas.	“Offspring of the lord of the world.”
17. Nazi-Murudas. Kas.	“The shadow of Uras. (Marduk)“
18. Meli-Sipak. Kas.	“Man of Merodach.”
19. Burna-bur-yas. Kas.	“Servant [of the lord of the world].”
20. Kara-Urus. Kas.	“Minister of [Bel].”

COLUMN II

About thirty-three lines are lost.

1. [an-]khegal. Acc.	“With Merodach is life.”
2. [an-]khegal. Acc.	“With Merodach is verdure.”
3. Lu-Silig-lu-sar. Acc.	“Man of Merodach.”
4. Un-kur-Silig-alim. Acc.	“The lord of the land is Merodach.”
5. Gu-sermal-Tutu. Acc.	“The closer of the mouth is Merodach.”
6. Sazu-[an]kusvu. Acc.	“Merodach is an over-shadowing god.”
7. Sazu-ap-tila-nen-gu. Acc.	“Merodach has declared life to him.”
8. Ur-Nin-din-bagga. Acc.	“Man of Gula [the goddess of life and death].” (physician)
9. Khumeme. Acc.	“Man of Gula.”
10. Dili-khidu. Acc.	“(Man of) the god Papsukal.” 1
11. Mu-na-tila. Acc.	“May his name live.”
12. Nannak-satu. Acc.	“The Moon-god (Nannar) has begotten.”
13. Nannak-agal-duabi. Acc.	“The Moon-god is strong over all.”
14. Labar-Nu-dimmud. Acc.	“Servant of Ea (Enki) [lord of the universe].”
15. Urudu-man-sun. Acc.	“The god Nusku has given.”

p. 34

16. Kud-ur-Alima. Acc.	“Sweet are the loins of Bel.”
17. Dun-aga-ba-khe-til. Acc.	“May Bau vivify her womb.”
18. Damu-mu-as-khe-gal. Acc.	“May Gula be one name.”
19. Dun-gal-tur-taê. Acc.	“May Bau establish great and small.”
20. Tutu-bul-anta-gal. Acc.	“O Merodach as a comrade spare her (?).”
21. Dugga-makh-Sazu. Acc.	“Supreme is the word of Merodach.”
22. Khedu-lamma-ra. Acc.	“Pap-sukal is the colossus.”
23. Mul-khe-sal. Acc.	“May Bel be exalted.”
24. Dimir-Uru-du. Acc.	“The Moon-god as son [of the city Ur].”
25. Dimir-Uruk-du. Acc.	“The god who is the son of [Erech].”
26. Dimir-Erida-du-ru. Acc.	“Ea [as son of Eridu, the creator].”

The next two lines are destroyed.

Rev.—COLUMN III

The first two lines are destroyed.

1. … a-edina. Acc.	“The choir of the goddess Zarpanit (sarpanit, Marduk’s spouse).”
2. ’Si-ru. Acc.	“Bel has created.”
3. Kur-nigin-garra-gurus-nene. Acc.	“Uras (Marduk) is their first-born.”
4. Uras-saglitar 1-zae-men. Acc.	“Uras, thou art overseer.”
5. Uras-qalzi-nes-kiam-mama. Acc.	“Uras who loves constancy.”
6. Mul-lil-ki-bi-gi. Acc.	“Bel (Enlil) of Nipur has returned to his place.”
7. Laghlaghghi-Gar. Acc.	“Nebo (Nabu) illuminates.”
8. Kur-gal-nin-mu-pada. Acc.	“The great mountain (Bel) records the name.”

p. 35

9. Aba-Sanabi-dari. Acc.	“Who is like Bel a bridegroom.”
10. Aba-Sanabi-diri. Acc.	“Who is like Bel (the lord) of counsel.”
11. Es-Guzi-gin-du. Acc.	“The temple of E-Saggil the establishment of the son.”
12. Khu-un-zuh. Acc.	“Bel who knows mankind.”
13. Nab-sakh-menna. Acc.	“Bel, prosper me.”
14. Massu-gal-Babara-gude. Acc.	“What is shorn by Rimmon (Adad).”
15. Ur-Sanabi. Acc.	“The man of Ea (Enki).”
16. Lu-Damu. Acc.	“The man of Gula.”
17. Tutul-Savul. Acc.	“The Sun-god has mustered.”
18. Nin-sakh-gu-nu-tatal. Acc.	“Pap-sukal who changes not (his) command.”
19. Agu-sag-algi. Acc.	“The Moon-god has given a son.” 1
20. Agu-ba-tila. Acc.	“May the Moon-god vivify what is below him.”
21. Larru-ningub-al. Acc.	“O Bel, defend the landmark.”
22. Lubar-E-gir-azagga. Acc.	“Servant of Nergal.”
23. Bad-Mullilla. Acc.	“Minister of Bel.”
24. Nanak-gula. Acc.	“The Moon-god is great.”
25. … nu-laragh-danga-su-mu-aldibba. Acc.	“(O Sun-)god, in difficulties and dangers take my hand.”
26. [Es-Guzi-]kharsag-men. Acc.	“E-Saggil is our mountain.”

More than thirty lines are destroyed here.

COLUMN IV

1. Ulam-Urus. Kas.	“Offspring of Bel.”
2. Meli-Khali. Kas.	“Man of Gula.”

p. 36

3. Meli-Sumu. Kas.	“Man of the god Suqamuna.”
4. Meli-Sibarru. Kas.	“Man of the god Simalia.”
5. Meli-Sakh. Kas.	“Man of the Sun-god.”
6. Nimgirabi. Kas.	“The merciful.”
7. Nimgirabi-Sakh. Kas.	“Merciful is the Sun-god.”
8. Nimgirabi-Buryas. Kas.	“Merciful is [Bel the lord of the world].”
9. Kara-Buryas. Kas.	“Servant of [Bel lord of the world].”
10. Kara-Sakh. Kas.	“Servant of the Sun-god.”
11. Nazi-Sipak. Kas.	[“Shadow of Merodach.”]
12. Nazi-Buryas. Kas.	[“Shadow of Bel lord] of the world.”

The remaining eight lines are lost.

Footnotes

32:1 That is, Accado-Sumerian.

32:2 The name of the king was really Sarganu (perhaps of the same origin as the Biblical Serug), but his Accadian subjects misunderstood it, turning it into Sarru-kinu, “established king,” which was written in Sumerian Lugal-ginna.

32:3 That is, Kassite or Kossæan.

33:1 Literally “the messenger of the treasury (of heaven).”

34:1 The correct reading of this word is doubtful.

35:1 The Assyro-Babylonian translation is a paraphrase, as in some other instances. The Accado-Sumerian compound is literally: “The Moon-god has established a head.”

The Synchronous History of Assyria and Babylonia

Records of the Past, 2nd Series, Vol. IV , ed. by A.H. Sayce, [1890], at sacred-texts.com

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

Obverse

COLUMN I.—The Commencement is destroyed

1. Kara-indas king of Kar-Du[nias]

2. and Assur-bil-nisi-su king of Assyria a covenant

3. between them with one another established;

4. and they gave an oath of their own accord 1 to one another in regard to the boundaries.

____________

5. Buzur-Assur king of Assyria and Burna-buryas

6. king of Kar-Dunias had a conference, and a definite

7. boundary they fixed of their own accord.

____________

8. In the time of Assur-yuballidh king of Assyria, Kara-Murudas

9. king of Kar-Dunias the son of Muballidhat-Serua

10. the daughter of Assur-yuballidh, soldiers of the Kassi 2

11. revolted against and slew him. Nazi-bugas

12. [a man of] low parentage they raised to the kingdom to be over them.

____________

13. [Bel-nirari to] exact vengeance

14. [for Kara-]Murudas 1 [his nephew] marched to Kar-Duniyas.

15. [Nazi-]bugas king of Kar-Du[ni]as he slew;

16. [Kuri-]galzu the second, the son of Burna-buryas,

17. he appointed to the kingdom; on the throne of [his] father [he seated him].

____________

18. In the time of Bel-nirari king of Assyria Kuri-galzu the second 2 [king of Kar- Dunias]

19. with Bel-nirari king of Assyria in the city of ’Sugagi which is upon the [Tigris]

20. fought. He utterly defeated him. His soldiers [he slew].

21. His camp he spoiled. From the ascent (?) to the land of Subari 3

22. as far as the land of Kar-Dunias they neutralized 4 the country and fixed (it);

23. a definite boundary they established.

____________

24. Rimmon-nirari king of Assyria 5 (and) Nazi-Murudas king of Kar-Dunias

25. fought with one another in the city of Kar-Istar-Agar’sallu. 6

26. Rimmon-nirari utterly overthrew Nazi-Murudas.

27. He shattered his forces; 7 his camp (and) his tutelary gods 8 he took from him.

28. In regard to a definite boundary, willingly (?) 1

29. their boundaries from the direction of the country of Pilasqi

30. on the farther 2 banks of the Tigris (and) the city of Arman-[Agar]’sali

31. as far as (the country) of Lulume they established and fixed.

____________

COLUMN II

Lacuna.

1. his servants he made

2. as far as the city of Kullar …

____________

3. Bel-kudur-utsur king of Assyria Uras-[pileser] 3

4. had slain. Bel-kudur-utsur did Rimmon-[suma-natsir 4 king of Kar-Dunias avenge].

5. With combat (and) slaughter thereupon Uras-pileser [was defeated, and]

6. to his country returned. His many soldiers [did Rimmon-suma-natsir collect, and]

7. marched to the city of Assur to capture (it).

8. In the midst of it he fought. He turned about and [returned to his own land].

____________

9. In the time of Zamama-suma-iddin 5 king of [Kar-Dunias]

10. Assur-danan 6 king of Assyria [marched] against Kar-Du[nias].

11. The cities of Zaban, Irriya (and) Agar’sal [he captured].

12. [Their spoil] in abundance [he carried away] to Assyria. 1

____________

Lacuna.

1. … to his own country [Assur-ris-ilim] 2 returned. After him Nebo-[kudur-utsur king of Kar-Dunias]

2. carried his war-engines. To the passes on the frontier of the land of [Assyria]

3. to conquer he went. Assur-ris-ilim king of Assyria

4. mustered his chariots to march against him.

5. Nebo-kudur-utsur, because his engines could not advance, burned his baggage 3 with fire;

6. he turned about and returned to his own country.

7. Nebo-kudur-utsur again (with) a chariot and grooms to the edge of the frontier

8. of Assyria marched to conquer. Assur-ris-ilim

9. sent chariots (and) grooms for defense. 4

10. He fought with him; he utterly overthrew him; his soldiers he slew;

11. his camp he spoiled, after they had brought back forty of his chariots (with their) coverings.

12. They had taken a standard 5 which went before his host.

____________

13. Tiglath-pileser 6 king of Assyria smote Merodach-nadin-akhi king of Kar- Dunias

14. a second time (with) a squadron of chariots, as many as over against the city of Zaban

15. (on) the Lower (Zab) in the direction of the city of Arzukhina he made,

16. in the second year, on the shore of the sea which is above the land of Accad.

17. The cities of Dur-Kurigalzu, 1 Sippara (Sippar) of Samas (Utu),

18. Sippara of Anunit (Inanna), 2

19. Babylon (and) Upe, 3 great strongholds,

20. together with their fortresses, he captured.

21. At that time the city of Agar’sal

22. together with the city of Lubdi he devastated. 4

23. The country of the Shuhites 5 as far as the city of Rapiqi, throughout its whole extent, [he conquered].

____________

24. In the time of Assur-bil-kala 6 king [of Assyria, he and]

25. Merodach-sapik-kullat king of Kar-Du[nias],

26. friendship 7 (and) complete alliance

27. with one another made.

28. In the time of Assur-bil-kala king of [Assyria]

29. Merodach-sapik-kullat was over[come] by death.

30. Rimmon-bal-iddina the son 8 of Ê-Saggil-saduni the son of a plebeian

31. they raised to the sovereignty over them.

32. [Assur-]bil-kala king of Assyria

33. took (to wife) the daughter of Rimmon-bal-iddina king of Kar-Dunias.

34. Her large dowry he brought to Assyria.

35. The men of Assyria (and) of Kar-Dunias

36. [lived at peace] with one another.

Reverse

COLUMN III

1. In the time of Rimmon-nirari 1 king of Assyria, (he and)

2. Samas-suma-damiq king of Kar-Dunias

3. set their forces in battle array at the foot of mount Yalman.

4. Rimmon-nirari king of Assyria overthrew Samas-suma-damiq

5. king of Kar-Dunias utterly.

6. He shattered his forces: 2 [his] chariots [and horses harnessed]

7. to the yoke [he carried away].

8. Samas-suma-damiq king of [Kar-Dunias]

9. did Nebo-suma-iskun [slay].

10. Rimmon-nirari king [of Assyria with] Nebo-suma-iskun

11. king [of Kar-Dunias] fought; he utterly overthrew him.

12. [The cities of] Bambala (and) Khuda[du] 3

13. [and] many [other] cities

14. [he captured, and] their abundant spoil

15. he took [to Assyria].

16. … tsalmati was overcome by death.

17. … concerning their daughter(s) they [spoke] to one another.

18. [Friendship and] complete alliance they [made] with one another.

19. The men of Assyria (and) Accad 4 were united 5 with one another.

20. From the Tel 6 of Bit-Bari which is above the city of Za[ban]

21. as far as the Tel of Batani 7 and (the Tel) of the city of Zabdani they fixed the boundary-line.

____________

22. [In the] time of Shalmaneser 1 king of [Assyria]

23. [and Nebo-]bal-iddina king of Kar-Duni[as]

24. friendship (and) complete alliance

25. [with] one another they made. In the time of Shalmaneser king [of Assyria]

26. [Nebo-]bal-iddina king of Kar-Dunias was [overcome] by death.

27. Merodach-nadin-sumi sat on the throne of his father.

28. Merodach-bil-u’sate his brother revolted against him.

29. He seized [the city] of [Ah]daban. The country of Accad

30. was disturbed [everywhere]. Shalmaneser king of [Assyria]

31. to the help of Merodach-nadin-[sumi]

32. king of Kar-Dunias marched.

33. Merodach-bil-u’sate the king he smote. 2

34. The rebel soldiers who (were) with him he slew.

35. [In] Kutha, 3 Babylon,

36. [and Borsippa 4 he offered sacrifice]. 5

Lacuna.

COLUMN IV

1. He besieged him. That city he took. Bahu-akha-iddin 6

2. together with his goods (and) the treasures of his palace he took to Assyria.

3. The cities of Dur-ili, 7 Sukhiru, 8 Gananate,

4. Dur-kissat-Papsukal, 1 the house of the harem, (and) the city of the waters of the Dhurnat,

5. the numerous cities of Kar-Dunias,

6. together with their fortresses, their gods (and) their abundant spoil,

7. the Great god, the god Khumkhummu, the goddess of Babylon, the goddess of Accad,

8. the god Simaliya, the god Nergal, the goddess Anunit (Inanna), (and) the divine Son of the Temple

9. of the city of Mali he brought away. To the cities of Kutha, Babylon,

10. (and) Borsippa he went up. Holy sacrifices [in them] he offered.

11. To the Kaldi 2 he descended. The tribute of the kings

12. of the land of the Kaldi I received. 3 His officers

13. div[ided] the fields of Kar-Duni[as].

14. A definite boundary he fixed.

____________

15. Rimmon-nirari 4 king of Assyria … [the king of Kar-Dunias]

16. subdued. 5 Many soldiers

17. in …

18. and …

19. men (and) spoil to his place he [brought back].

20. The perpetual obligation of a corn-tax (?) he imposed upon them.

21. The men of Assyria (and) Kar-Dunias [were united] with one another.

22. A common boundary in perpetuity they established.

23. The future prince who [shall rule] in Accad

24. shall observe it, and [the record] of power (and) conquest

25. may he write, and to this monument [may he hearken]

26. perpetually, and that it may not be forgotten may he [who]

27. has possessed the people listen, and …

28. may they exalt the power of Assyria unto [future] days.

29. May he who shall give laws (?) to Sumer (and) Accad [its words]

30. interpret to all the world.

____________

31. [The property of Assur-bani-pal] king of Assyria.

Footnotes

27:1 The word has nothing to do with the pronoun annu as is supposed in Schrader’s Keilinschriftliche Bibliothek.

27:2 The Kassi or Kossæans were mountaineers who lived in Elam on the eastern side of Babylonia. They conquered Babylonia and there founded a dynasty to which Kara-Murudas belonged.

28:1 The text has -indas, but this is evidently an error of the scribe. Bel-nirari was the son of Assur-yuballidh and the great-grandfather of Shalmaneser I., who, we learn from an inscription of Sennacherib, was reigning about 1300 B.C.

28:2 Or perhaps “the child.” There seem to have been three kings of the name of Kuri-galzu.

28:3 This can hardly be the Subari or Subarti of the historical texts, which lay in the far north in the neighbourhood of Diarbekir. See vol. i. p. 99, note 1.

28:4 Literally “caused to be alike” to both.

28:5 Rimmon-nirari I. was the grandson of Bel-nirari and the father of Shalmaneser I. We possess an inscription of his, of which a translation has been given in the first series of the Records of the Past, vol. xi. pp. 1–6.

28:6 Agar’sallu is a man’s name. The name of the city signifies “Fort of Istar of Agar’sal.”

28:7 Silim not abikta.

28:8 Literally “divine elder brothers.” The “reed of the divine elder brothers” is mentioned in 1266, 5.

29:1 Annime.

29:2 The scribe has written ammamate in mistake for ammate.

29:3 It is to Uras-pileser that Tiglath-pileser I. traces his genealogy. He was probably the founder of a dynasty, and his date may perhaps be placed about 1180 B.C.

29:4 For Rimmon-suma-natsir see Records of the Past, new series, p. 16, No. 24.

29:5 Or Zamama-nadin-sumi, see vol. i. p. 16, note 5.

29:6 We should probably read Assur-da’an, since the chronological position occupied by the king shows that he must be Assur-da’an the son of Uras-pileser and great-grandfather of Tiglath-pileser I.

30:1 These twelve lines come from a fragment belonging to a duplicate copy of the text.

30:2 The father of Tiglath-pileser I.

30:3 Or “ringed encampment.”

30:4 Literally “aid.”

30:5 Not a proper name Karastu.

30:6 Tiglath-pileser I. According to Sennacherib Merodach-nadin-akhi invaded Assyria in the reign of Tiglath-pileser, 418 years before his own capture of Babylon, and consequently 1106 B.C. If the war between Assyria and Babylonia had been provoked by this invasion the accession of Tiglath-pileser would fall 1107 B.C.

31:1 Now Akerkuf near Bagdad.

31:2 Sippara was divided into two quarters, one dedicated to the goddess Anunit, the other (now represented by the mounds of Abu-Habba) to Samas the Sun-god. The double nature of the city has caused it to be called in scripture Sepharvaim “the two Sipparas” (2 Kings xvii. 35).

31:3 Upe was at the junction of the Tigris and the Adhem, and was known to classical geographers as Opis.

31:4 Ikh[lig].

31:5 The Shuhite tribes to which Bildad the friend of Job belonged extended along the western side of the Euphrates northward to the mouth of the Khabour.

31:6 Assur-bil-kala was the son of Tiglath-pileser I.

31:7 Literally “goodness.”

31:8 The word abil is not omitted in the original as is stated by Prof. Tiele.

32:1 Rimmon-nirari II, who reigned 911–889 B.C.

32:2 Silim not abiktu.

32:3 Or Bagdadu.

32:4 Northern Babylonia.

32:5 Ibba[nû].

32:6 Or “mound.”

32:7 The name of a man.

33:1 Shalmaneser II, who reigned 858–823 B.C.

33:2 Or “the king self-appointed along with the rebel soldiers,” if we read im-[gi-da] with Drs. Peiser and Winckler.

33:3 Now Tel Ibrahim a little to the east of Babylon. It is called Cuth in the Old Testament (2 Kings xvii. 30).

33:4 Borsippa was the suburb of Babylon which contained the great temple whose ruins are now known as the Birs-i-Nimrud.

33:5 This is supplied from an inscription of Shalmaneser.

33:6 Bahu-akha-iddin must have been the name of a Babylonian king.

33:7 Dur-ili (“the fortress of the god”) was in southern Babylonia, near the Elamite frontier.

33:8 Or Lakhiru.

34:1 Or Dur-Papsukal, “the fortress of the god Papsukal.” The city stood on an island in the Tigris, and was probably not far from Gananate on the southern side of the Dhurnat or Diyaleh (the Tornadotos of classical antiquity).

34:2 The Kaldi inhabited the marshes at the mouths of the Euphrates and Tigris. Under Merodach-baladan they established themselves in Babylonia and became so important a part of the population as to give their name to the whole of it in classical times. Hence the Kasdim of the Old Testament are represented by “Chaldæans” in the Authorised Version.

34:3 This is evidently a quotation from the royal annals.

34:4 Rimmon-nirari III, who reigned 850–781 B.C.

34:5 Ik-nu-us.

Chronicle P (ABC 22)

The translation on this webpage was adapted from A.K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (1975) and Jean-Jacques Glassner, Mesopotamian Chronicles (Atlanta, 2004).

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue)

Chronicle P (ABC 22) is one of the historiographical texts from ancient Babylonia. It deals with several conflicts between Assyria, Babylonia, and Elam in the fourteenth to twelfth century BCE. It may be a Babylonian adaptation of the Assyrian Synchronistic History.

The tablet, BM 92701 (82-7-4, 38), upon which Chronicle P is inscribed is in very poor condition. The fragment is 180 mm wide and 120 mm long and represents only about one third of the original tablet. The fragment comes from the bottom portion of the chronicle.

Translation of Column 1

Lacuna

2′ […] king of Karduniaš and […]

3′ king of Assyria between them made a treaty and together they fixed the boundary.

4′ […] he rebuilt and restored it.

——————————————

5′ Kadašman-harbe, son of Karaindaš, son of Muballitat-serua,

6′ the daughter of Aššur-uballit,[1] king of Assyria, ordered^[7] the overthrow of the Suteans

7′ from the east to west, and annihilated their extensive forces.

8′ He reinforced the fortresses in Mount Šaršar.[2] He dug wells and

9′ settled people on fertile lands to strengthen the guard. Afterwards

10′ the Kassite people rebelled against him and killed him. Šuzigaš, a Kassite,

11′ the son of a nobody,[3] they appointed as sovereign over them. Aššur-uballit,

12′ king of Assyria, marched to Karduniaš^[13], to avenge Kadašman-harbe, his daughter’s son, and

13′ Šuzigaš, the Kassite,

14′ he killed. Aššur-iballit put Kurigalzu, son of Kadašman-harbe, on his father’s throne.

Translation of Column 2

1′ Too broken

2′ Too broken

3′ upon them […] and a shout/complaint […] [4]

4′ The enemy seized him. Together […] to the sword

5′ he put all of them, and he did not leave a soul. Those who were fallen,

6′ they put in distress. They colored the midst of the rolling sea with their blood.

7′ They sent out their troops, fought zealously, and achieved victory.

8′ They subdued the enemy troops. He gathered the possessions of the vast enemy and

9′ made piles of them. Again the warriors said:

10′ “We did not know, Kurigalzu, that you had conquered all peoples.

11′ We had no rival among people. Now you [have overcome us^??]

12′ We have set out, sought the place where you are and brought gifts.

13′ We have helped you conquer […]” Again he […]

14′ […] them and […]

Note 1:
Aššur-uballit was king of Assyria from 1353 to 1318. These events are also described in the Synchronistic Chronicle (ABC 21), which, however, offers slightly different names.

Note 2:
The Djebel Bišri.

Note 3:
This means that his father did not belong to a royal dynasty.

Note 4:
The next section is very unlike other chronicles and may have belonged to an epic.

Translation of Column 3

1′ […]

2′ N thousand […]

3′ N thousand […]

4′ one thousand piebald horses their gift […]

5′ He [1] seized the spy and brought the knight […]

6′ He set a watch and […]

7′ the return, your path. Silver, gold, precious stones, […]

8′ I brought.

9′ I […] Babylon and Borsippa, upon/over me […]

10′ Hurbatila, king of Elam, wrote to Kurigalzu:

11′ “Come! At Dur-Šulgi, I and you,

12′ let us do battle together!” Kurigalzu heard […]

13′ He went to conquer Elam and Hurbatila,

14′ king of Elam, did battle against him at Dur-Šulgi.

15′ Hurbatila retreated before him and Kurigalzu brought about their defeat.

16′ He captured the king of Elam. All of Elam […]

17′ Bowing down, Hurbatila, king of Elam, said:

18′ “I know, king Kurigalzu, that this […]

19′ with the kings of all lands I have brought the tribute of Elam.”

20′ He went to conquer Adad-nirari, king of Assyria.

21′ He did battle against him at Sugaga, which is on the Tigris, and brought about his defeat.

22′ He slaughtered his soldiers and captured his officers.

——————————————

23′ Nazi-maruttaš, son of […] [2]

24′ king of Assyria in […].

Lacuna

Translation of Column 4

1′ […]

2′ […] he threw iron bands and […] [3]

3′ […] Tukulti-Ninurta returned to Babylon and

4′ brought […] near. He destroyed the wall of Babylon and put^[5] the Babylonians to the sword.

5′ He took out the property of the Esagila and Babylon amid the booty. The statue of the great lord Marduk

6′ he removed from his dwelling-place and sent him to Assyria.

7′ He put his governors^[6] in Karduniaš. For seven years, Tukulti-Ninurta

8′ controlled Karduniaš^[7]. After the Akkadian officers of Karduniaš had rebelled and

9′ put Adad-šuma-ušur on his father’s throne,

10′ Aššur-nasir-apli, son of that Tukulti-Ninurta who had^[9] carried criminal designs against Babylon, and the officers of Assyria rebelled against Tukulti-Ninurta,

11′ removed him from the throne, shut him up in Kar-Tukulti-Ninurta and killed him.

12′ For sixty^[?]-six (until the time of Ninurta-tukulti-Aššur) [4], Bêl stayed in Assyria, in the time of Ninurta-tukulti-Aššur, Bêl

13′ went to Babylon.

——————————————

14′ At the time of Enlil-nadin-šumi, the king,[5] Kiden-Hutran, king of Elam, attacked.

15′ He went into action against Nippur and scattered its people. Der and Edimgalkalamma

16′ he destroyed, carried off its people, drove them away and eliminated the suzerainty of Enlil-nadin-šumi, the king.

——————————————

17′ At the time of Adad-šuma-iddina,[6] Kiten-Hutran returned and attacked Akkad a second time.

18′ […] he destroyed Isin, crossed the Tigris, all of

19′ […] Maradda. A terrible defeat of an extensive people

20′ he brought about. […] and with oxen […]

21′ […] he removed to wasteland […]

22′ […]

——————————————

23′ […] he dominated […]

24′ Too broken”

Lacuna

Note 1:
Probably the Babylonian king Kurigalzu II (1322-1298).

Note 2:
Nazi-maruttaš was king of Babylonia in 1302-1272.

Note 3:
Tikuluta-Ninurta I was king of Assyria from 1233 to 1197. The man he ordered to be chained was, probably, king Kaštiliašu (1222-1215).

Note 4:
In c.1132

Note 5:
c.1214.

Note 6:
c.1212-1207.

Synchronistic Chronicle (ABC 21)

The translation on this webpage was adapted from A.K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (1975) and Jean-Jacques Glassner, Mesopotamian Chronicles (Atlanta, 2004).

Synchronistic Chronicle (British Museum)

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

The Synchronistic Chronicle (ABC 21) is one of the historiographical texts from ancient Assyria. It deals with the relations between Assyria and its southern neighbor Babylonia (which is called Karduniaš), and is an important source for those who want to study the chronology of this period, as it offers many synchronisms.

The text, which has a strong pro-Assyrian bias, is preserved on three tablets from the library of king Aššurbanipal in Nineveh, and purports to render the text of a boundary stone between Assyria and Babylonia that stood somewhere on the east bank of the Tigris. This may be a literary fiction.

The text must have been composed after the accession of Adad-nirari III in 810, but not much later, because there are no references to later troubles.

Colors

Of the three tablets, tablet A (yellow) is the main text; B (pink) and C (blue) are fragments.

Translation of Column 1

B1 […] for the god Aššur

B2 […] his utterance

B3 […] settlements

B4 […] Meli-Šipak^[?]

B5 […] forever

B6 […] he makes known the word

B7 […] praise of strength

B8 […] when he ruled all

B9 […] former kings

B10 […] they were seized

B11 […] fall

Lacuna

A1′ Karaindaš, king of Karduniaš [1]

A2′ and Aššur-bêl-nišešu, king of Assyria,

A3′ made a treaty^[2] between them

A4′ and took an oath together concerning this very boundary.

——————————————

A5′ Puzur-aššur, king of Assyria, and Burnaburiaš,

A6′ king of Karduniaš, took an oath and

A7′ fixed this very boundary-line.

——————————————

A8′ In the time of Aššur-uballit,[2] king of Assyria, Kassite troops^[10]

A11′ rebelled against and killed Karahardaš,^[8]

A9′ king of Karduniaš, son of Muballit-šerua,

A10′ the daughter of Aššur-uballit.

A12′ They appointed Nazibugaš,^[11] a Kassite, son of a nobody, as sovereign over them.

——————————————

A13′ To avenge Karaindaš, his grandson,^[14] Aššur-uballit

A14′ marched to Karduniaš.

A15′ He killed Nazibugaš, king of Karduniaš.

A16′ Kurigalzu the Younger, son of Burnaburiaš,

A17′ he appointed as king and put him on his father’s throne.[3]

——————————————

A18′ In the time of Enlil-nirari,[4] king of Assyria, Kurigalzu the Younger, was king of Karduniaš.

A19′ At Sugagi, which is on the Tigris, Enlil-nirari, king of Assyria,

A20′ fought with Kurigalzu. He brought about his total defeat, slaughtered his troops and

A21′ carried off his camp. They divided the districts^[22] from Šasili of Subartu,

A22′ to Karduniaš into two and

A23′ fixed the boundary-line.

——————————————

C24′ Adad-nirari, king of Assyria, and Nazi-Marrutaš, king of Karduniaš,[5]

C25′ fought with one another at Kar-Ištar of Ugarsallu.

C26′ Adad-nirari brought about the total defeat of Nazi-Marrutaš and

C27′ conquered him. He took away from him his camp and his standards.

C28′ As for this very boundary-line, they fixed a division of^[31]

C29′ their confines from Pilasqu,

C30′ which is on the other side of the Tigris, and Arman of Ugarsallu

C31′ as far as Lullume.

The Assyrian supreme god Ashur. From J. Black & A. Green, Gods, demons, and symbols of ancient Mesopotamia (1992).

Aššur (©!!!; from J. Black & A. Green, Gods, demons and
symbols of ancientMesopotamia, 1992)

Translation of Column 2

Lacuna

C1’* [Tukulti-Ninurta, king of Assyria, and] Kaštiliašu, king of Karduniaš [6]

C2’* […] in open battle.

Lacuna

B1′ his servants, he made […]

B2′ to Mount Kullar […]

——————————————

B3′ Enlil-kudurri-usur, king of Assyria, and Adad-šuma-usur, king of Karduniaš,[7] with another

B4′ did battle. As Enlil-kudurri-usur and Adad-šuma-usur

B5′ were engaged in battle, Ninurta-apil-ekur

B6′ went home. He mustered his numerous troops and

B7′ marched to conquer Libbi-ali (the city of Aššur).

B8′ But […] arrived unexpectedly, so he turned and went home.

——————————————

B9′ In the time of Zababa-šuma-iddina, king of Karduniaš,

B10′ Aššur-dan, king of Assyria, went down to Karduniaš.[8]

B11′ Zaban, Irriya, Ugarsallu and […]

B12′ he captured. He took their vast booty to Assyria.

Lacuna

A1′ […] together they made an entente cordiale.

A2′ […] he went home. After he had gone, Nebuchadnezzar [9]

A3′ took his siege engines and Zanqi, a fortress in Assyria,

A4′ he went to conquer. Aššur-reš-iši, king of Assyria,

A5′ mustered his chariots to go against him.

A6′ To prevent the siege engines being taken from him, Nebuchadnezzar burnt them.

A7′ He turned and went home.

A8′ This same Nebuchadnezzar with chariots and infantry,

A9′ went to conquer Idi, a fortress^[8] of Assyria. Assur-reš-iši

A10′ sent chariots and infantry to help the fortress.

A11′ He fought with Nebuchadnezzar, brought about his total defeat, slaughtered his troops and

A12′ carried off his camp. Forty of his chariots with harness were taken away and

A13′ Karaštu^[?], Nebuchadnezzar’s field-marshal, was captured.

——————————————

A14′Tiglath-pileser I, king of Assyria, and Marduk-nadin-ahhe, king of Karduniaš.[10]

A15′ Twice Tiglath-pileser drew up^[16] a battle array of chariots, as many as were by the Lower Zab,

A16′ opposite Ahizûhina, and

A17′ in the second year he defeated Marduk-nadin-ahhe at Gurmarritu, which is upstream from Akkad.

A18′ Dur-Kurigalzu, Sippar-ša-Šamaš

A19′ Sippar-ša-Anunitu,

A20′ Babylon, and Upû, the great urban centers,

A21′ he captured together with their forts.

A22′ At that time, Ugarsallu

A23′ he plundered as far as Lubda.

A24′ He ruled every part of Suhu as far as Rapiqu.

——————————————

A25′ In the time of Aššur-bêl-kala, king of Assyria,

A26′ Marduk-šapik-zeri was the king of Karduniaš.

A27′ An entente cordiale

A28′ they together made.

A29′ At the time of Aššur-bêl-kala, king of Assyria,

A30′ Marduk-šapik-zeri, king of Karduniaš, passed away.

A31′ Aššur-bêl-kala appointed Adad-apla-iddina, son of Esagil-šaduni, son of a nobody,

A32′ as sovereign over the Babylonians.

A33′ Aššur-bêl-kala, king of Assyria,

A34′ married the daughter of Adad-apla-iddina, king of Karduniaš, and

A35′ took her with a vast dowry to Assyria.

A36′ The peoples of Assyria and Karduniaš

A37′ were joined together.

Note 1: The first seven lines of table A contain a serious chronological problem. King Aššur-Bêl-nišešu ruled from 1407 to 1399. Puzur-aššur, who ruled in c.1500, was the eighth king preceding him, and can therefore not be presented after Aššur-Bêl-nišešu. The other two kings were Kassites ruling in Babylonia.

Note 2:
King Aššur-uballit ruled from 1353 to 1318. The revolt of Nazibugaš took place in 1323. The events that are described over here are also mentioned in Chronicle P (ABC 22), which offers different names.

Note 3:
Kurigalzu II ruled until 1298.

Note 4:
Enlil-nirari succeeded Aššur-uballit as king of Assyria in 1317 and remained on the throne until 1308.

Note 5:
Adad-nirari I was king of Assyria from 1295 to 1264; Nazi-Marrutaš was king Babylonia from 1297 to 1272.

Note 6:
Only the name Kaštiliašu (1222-1215) is legible. The name of his opponent is a conjecture, and the identification with the fourth king called Kaštiliašu is hypothetical.

Note 7:
Enlil-kudurri-usur was king of Assyria from 1186 to 1182; he was succeeded by Ninurta-apil-ekur (1181-1179). Adad-šuma-usur was king of Babylonia between 1206 and 1177.

Note 8:
Zababa-šuma-iddina briefly was king of Babylonia in 1158; Aššur-dan ruled Assyria from 1178 to 1133.

Note 9:
The rule of Nebuchadnezzar I of Babylonia lasted from 1125 to 1104; his Assyrian contemporary Aššur-reš-iši ruled from 1132 to 1114.

Note 10:
Tiglath-pileser I became king of Assyria in 1114 and ruled to 1176. Marduk-nadin-ahhe was ruler of Babylonia from 1099 to 1082.

Note 11:
The Assyrian Aššur-bêl-kala’s rule lasted from 1073 to 1056; his contemporary Marduk-šapik-zeri became king of Babylonia in 1081 and passed away in 1069.

Translation of Column 3

A1 At the time of Adad-nirari, king of Assyria,[1]

A2 Šamaš-muddamiq, king of Karduniaš,

A3 drew up a battle array at the foot of Mount Yalman and

A4 Adad-nirari, king of Assyria, brought about the defeat^[A5]of Šamaš-muddamiq,

A5 king of Karduniaš, and

A6 conquered him.

A7 His chariots, and teams of horses, he took away from him.

A8 Šamaš-muddamiq, king of Karduniaš, passed away.

A9 Nabû-šuma-iškun,[2] son of [Šamaš-muddamiq, ascended his father’s throne^?].

A10 Adad-nirari, king of Assyria, fought^[A11] with Nabû-šuma-iškun

A11 king of Karduniaš, and defeated him.

A12 […]banbala, Huda[…]

A13 […] numerous cities

A14 […] he conquered. Their vast booty

A15 he took to Assyria.

A16 […] his land, he enclosed him.

A17 […] he received from him. They gave their daughters to one another in marriage.

A18 Together they made an entente cordiale.

A19 The peoples of Assyria and Akkad were joined together.

A21 They established a boundary to Til-ša-Abtani and Til-ša-Zabdani

A20 from Til-Bit-Bari, which is upstream on the Zab.

——————————————

A22 In the time of Šalmaneser, king of Assyria,

A23 Nabû-apla-iddina was the king of Karduniaš.[3]

A24 An entente cordially

A25 together they made. At the time of Šalmaneser, king of Assyria,

A26 Nabû-apla-iddina, king of Karduniaš, passed away.

A27 Marduk-zakir-šumi ascended his father’s throne.

A28 Marduk-bêl-usate, his brother, rebelled against him.

A29 He seized Daban. Akkad

A30 they equally divided. Šalmaneser, king of Assyria,

A31 went^[A32] to the aid of Marduk-zakir-šumi,

A32 king of Karduniaš.

A33 Marduk-bêl-usate, the usurper,

A34 Šalmaneser defeated him and the rebellious troops who were with him.[4]

A35 […] Cuthah, Babylon

A36 […]

Lacuna

C1′-2′ Together they made an entente cordiale.

C3′ The people of Assyria and Akkad were joined together.

C4′ […]

C5′ They fixed a boundary line by mutual consent.

——————————————

C6′ Šamši-Adad, king of Assyria, and Marduk-balassu-iqbi, king of Karduniaš,[5]

C7′ […] Šamši-Adad, king of Assyria,

C8′ brought about the defeat of Marduk-balassu-iqbi.

C9′ He filled the plain with the corpses of his warriors.

Lacuna

The god Marduk and his snake dragon. From: J. Black & A. Green, Gods, demons and symbols of ancient Mesopotamia (1992)

Marduk and his snake dragon (from J. Black & A. Green, Gods, demons and symbols ofancient Mesopotamia,1992; ©!!!)

Translation of Column 4

A1 Šamši-Adad enclosed him and captured that city. Baba-aha-iddina

A2 he took together with his property and the treasure of his palace to Assyria.

A3 Der, Lahiru, Gananati,

A4 Dur-Papsukkal, Bit-Riduti, Me-Turan,

A5 and numerous [other] cities of Karduniaš

A6 he captured, together with their districts, their gods, and booty.

A7 Anu the Great, Humhumya, Šarrat-Deri, Bêlet-Akkadi,

A8 Šimalaya, Palil, Annunitu and Mar-Biti

A9 of Maliku he carried off. To Cuthah, Babylon,

A10 and Borsippa he went up and made pure sacrifices.

A11 He went down to Chaldea and the tribute of the kings

A12 he received of Chaldea. His officers

A13 received the tax of Karduniaš […]

A14 he made. They fixed the boundary-line.

——————————————

A15 Adad-Nirari, king of Assyria,[6] and […], king of Karduniaš,

A16 bowed down […]

A17 in […]

A18 […] his craftsmen the gods.

A19 He brought back the abducted people and

A20 granted them an income, privileges, and barley rations.

A21 The peoples of Assyria and Karduniaš were joined together.

A22 They fixed the boundary-line by mutual consent.

A23 Let a later prince, who in Akkad

A24 wishes to achieve fame, write^[A25] about the prowess of his victories.

A25 Let him turn to this very stela

A26 continually and look at it that it may not be forgotten.

A27 Let the […] vizier heed all that is graved thereon!

A28 May the praises of Assyria be lauded forever!

A29 May the crime of Sumer and Akkad

A30 be bruited about in every quarter!

——————————————

A31 Palace of Aššurbanipal, king of the universe, king of Assyria.[7]

Note 1:
Adad-nirari II of Assyria ruled from 911 to 891; the reign of his opponent, Šamaš-muddamiq of Babylonia, can not be dated.

Note 2:
A mistake. Šamaš-muddamiq was succeeded by Nabû-šuma-ukin.

Note 3:
Šalmaneser III ruled from 858 to 824; Nabû-apla-iddina can not be dated accurately.

Note 4:
The inverted word order is typical for the Astronomical Diaries on which the Chronicles are based.

Note 5:
Šamši-Adad V succeeded Šalmaneser as king of Assyria in 823 and ruled until 811. Marduq-balassu-iqbi died in 813 and was succeeded by Baba-aha-iddina, whose first regnal year was 812.

Note 6:
Adad-nirari III was king of Assyria from 810 to 783. He succeeded Šamši-Adad V.

Note 7:
Aššurbanipal was king of Assyria from 668 to 631 (or 627). The tablets were found in his library.

TRANSLATION OF THE FIRST DYNASTIC TABLETS FROM BABYLON

http://www.sacred-texts.com/ane/rp/rp201/rp20106.htm

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

Obverse

1. Sumu-abi, the king: 15 years.

2. ’Sumu-la-ilu, the son of the same: 35 years.

3. Zabû, the son of the same: 14 years.

4. Abil-Sin, the son of the same: 18 years.

5. Sin-muballidh, the son of the same: 30 years.

6. Khammu-ragas, 1 the son of the same: 55 years.

7. ’Sam’su-iluna, 2 the son of the same: 35 years.

8. Ebisum, 3 the son of the same: 25 years.

9. Ammi-satana, the son of the same: 25 years.

10. Ammi-sadugga, 4 the son of the same: 21 years.

11. ’Sam’su-satana (?), the son of the same: 31 years.

12. 11 kings of the dynasty of Babylon.

Reverse

1. (The dynasty of) Uru-azagga. 5 Anman the king.

2. Ki-[An] Nigas. 6

3. Damki-ili-su. 7

4. Is-ki-pal. 1

5. Sussi.2

6. Gul-ki-sar.3

7. Kirgal-dara-mas, the son of the same.

8. A-dara-kalama, the son of the same.

9. A-kur-du-ana.5

10. Melam-kurkura. 6

11. Ea-ga(mil?). 7

12. 1[1] kings of the dynasty of Uru-azagga.

Footnotes

13:1 The first five names of the dynasty are Semitic. Khammuragas is Kassite or Kossæan, and is interpreted “of a large family.” Sin-muballidh may have married a foreign wife.

13:2 “The Sun-god (Utu) (is) our god,” another Semitic name.

13:3 “The doer,” also Semitic.

13:4 Kassite, interpreted “the family is established.”

13:5 Uru-azagga is now represented by a part of the mounds of Telloh (the ancient Sirpurla) or its immediate vicinity.

13:6 Nigas was an Elamite word.

13:7 Semitic, signifying “gracious is his god.”

14:1 Perhaps to be read in Semitic Sapin-mat-nukurti, “the sweeper away of the land of the foe.” The name seems to have been a title.

14:2 Perhaps the Semitic sussu, “sixty.”

14:3 In Semitic Muabbid-kissati, “the destroyer of hosts.”

14:4 Apparently, therefore, the son of the preceding king.

14:5 Rendered by the Semitic Abil-Bel-u’sum-same, “the son of Bel (Marduk) (the lord) of the treasury of heaven.”

14:6 “The glory of the world.”

14:7 The last character is partially destroyed. If my restoration is correct, the name would be Semitic and signify “Ea (Enki) has rewarded.”

TRANSLATION OF THE SECOND DYNASTIC TABLET FROM BABYLON

Column I

The first eleven lines are destroyed.

12. 11 kings [of the dynasty of Babylon] for [294 years].

_________

13. Anma[n] for [5]1 (years).

14. Ki-an [Nigas] for 55 (years).

15. Damki-ili[su] for 46 1 (years).

16. Is-ki-[pal] for 15 (years).

17. Sussi, (his) brother, for 27 (years).

18. Gul-ki-[sar] for 55 (years).

19. Kirgal-[dara-mas] for 50 (years).

20. A-dara-[kalama] for 28 (years).

21. A-kur-du-[ana] for 26 (years).

22. Melamma-[kurkura] for 6 (years).

23. Bel-ga[mil?] for 9 (years).

24. For 368 (years) the 11 kings of the dynasty of Uru-azagga.

_________

25. Gandis for 16 (years).

26. Agum-si[pak] his son for 22 (years).

27. Guya-si[pak] for 22 (years). 2

28. Ussi his son for 8 (years).

29. Adu-medas for … (years).

_________

30. Tazzi-gurumas for … (years).

31. [Agum-kak-rimi 1 for … years].

The next line of this column and the first thirteen lines of the next are destroyed.

Column II

14. …… for 22 (years).

15. …… for 26 (years).

16. …… for 17 (years).

17. Kara … 2 for 2 (years).

18. Gis-amme … ti for 6 (years).

19. Saga-sal[tiyas] for 13 (years).

20. Kasbat his son for 8 (years).

2r. Bel-nadin-sumi for 1 year (and) 6 months.

22. Kara-Urus 3 for 1 year (and) 6 months.

23. Rimmon-nadin-suma for 6 (years).

24. Rimmon-suma-natsir for 30 (years).

25. Meli-Sipak 4 for 15 (years).

26. Merodach-abla-iddin (Merodach-baladan) his son for 13 (years).

27. Zamama-nadin-sumi 5 for 1 (year).

28. Bel-suma … 6 for 3 (years).

29. For 576 (years) 9 months the 36 kings [of the dynasty of the Kassites]. 7

_________

30. Merodach- … for 17 (years).

31. ……… for 6 (years).

The next line of this column and the first four of the next are destroyed.

Column III

5. …… for 22 (years).

6. Merodach-nadin- … 1 for 1 year and 6 months.

7. Merodach-kul[lat] … 2 for 13 (years).

8. Nebo-nadin- … for 9 (years).

9. For 72 (years and) 6 months the 22 kings of the dynasty of Isin.

_________

10. Simmas-si[pak] for 18 (years).

11. Bel-mukin-[ziri] for 5 months.

12. Kassû-nadin-akhi for 3 (years).

13. For 21 (years and) 5 months the three kings of the dynasty of the land of the Sea.

_________

14. E-ulbar-sakin-sumi for 17 (years).

15. Uras-kudurri-[utsur] for 3 (years).

16. Silanim (?)-Sugamu[na] for 3 months.

17. For 20 (years and) 3 months the 3 kings of the dynasty of Bit-[Bazi].

_________

18. an … [an Elamite] for 6 (years).

19. …… for 13 (years).

20. …… for 6 months (and) 12 (days).

The next twelve lines of the column and the first line of the fourth column are destroyed.

Column IV

2. Nebo-suma-yukin [the son of Dakuri] for … (years).

3. Nabu-[natsir] 1 for [14] (years).

4. Nebo-nadin-ziri 2 his son for 2 (years).

5. Nebo-suma-yukin his son for 1 month and 12 days.

6. The 31 [kings? 3 of the dynasty of Babylon.

_________

7. Yukin-zira of the dynasty of Sasî 4 for 3 (years).

8. Pulu 5 for 2 (years).

9. Ululâ 6 of the dynasty of Tinu for 5 (years).

10. Merodach-abla-iddina (Merodach-baladan) of the dynasty of the country of the Sea for 12 (years).

11. Sargon for 5 (years).

12. Sin-akhe-erba (Sennacherib) of the dynasty of Khabi the greater for 2 (years).

13. Merodach-zakir-sumi the son of Arad-… for 1 month.

14. Merodach-abla-iddina a soldier of Khabi 7 for 6 months.

15. Bel-ebus of the dynasty of Babylon for 3 (years).

16. Assur-nadin-sumi of the dynasty of Khabi the greater for 6 (years).

17. Nergal-zusezib for 1 (year).

18. Musezib-Merodach of the dynasty of Babylon for 4 (years).

19. Sin-akhe-erba (Sennacherib) for 8 (years).

20. Assur-akhe-iddina (Esarhaddon) for [12 years].

21. Samas-suma-yukin (Saosdukhinos) for [20 years].

22. Kandal-[anu] (Khineladanos) for [22 years].

The rest of the tablet is destroyed.

Footnotes

15:1 Mr. Pinches’ copy gives 36 years.

15:2 Is this king merely a duplicate of his predecessor, the different spelling of the name having caused the annalist to divide one king into two?

16:1 Supplied from an inscription of the king himself, who styles himself the son of Tassi-gurumas, the descendant of Ahi … the son of Agum . and the offspring of the god Suqamuna.

16:2 Identified by Dr. Oppert with Kudur-Bel, who, according to Nabonidos, was the father of Sagasalti-buryas, the latter of whom reigned 800 years before himself (B.C. 1340). But the identification is doubtful, since the names do not agree.

16:3 “The servant of Bel (Marduk)“ (Kudur-Bel) in Kassite.

16:4 “The man of Merodach (Marduk)“ in Kassite.

16:5 Zamama-nadin-sumi was a contemporary of the Assyrian king Assur-dan-an (whose name should probably be read Assur-dan, and be identified with that of Assur-dayan, the great-grandfather of Tiglath-PileserI.)

16:6 Or Bel-nadin- …

16:7 The Kassites were a rude tribe of the Elamite mountains on the northeast side of Babylonia. Nöldeke has shown that they must be identified with the Kossæans ofclassical geography.

17:1 Perhaps Merodach-nadin-akhi, the antagonist of the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser I., 418 years before the conquest of Babylon by Sennacherib, and consequently B.C. 1106.

17:2 Perhaps the Merodach-sapik-kullat of the Synchronous Tablet, who was a contemporary of Assur-bil-kala, the son of Tiglath-Pileser I.

17:3 Isin (pa-se) was also called Pate’si (“the city of the high-priest” in Babylonia), according to W.A.I., ii. 53, 13.

17:4 That is, the Persian Gulf. Merodach-baladan is described below as also belonging to the dynasty of the country of the Sea, and his ancestral kingdom was that of the Kaldâ or Chaldees in Bit-yagina among the marshes at the mouth of the Euphrates.

18:1 The Nabonassar of Ptolemy’s Canon, B.C. 747.

18:2 Called Nadinu in the Babylonian Chronicle.

18:3 Possibly we should supply “years” instead of “kings.”

18:4 The annals of Tiglath-Pileser III show that we should read Sapi or Sape. Yukinzira is the Khinziros of Ptolemy’s Canon.

18:5 Pulu is the Pul of the Old Testament, the Pôros of Ptolemy’s Canon. His name is replaced by that of Tiglath-Pileser in the Babylonian Chronicle, and the two years of his reign correspond with the two years during which Tiglath-Pileser reigned over Babylonia.

18:6 The Shalmaneser of the Babylonian Chronicle and the Assyrian monuments, the Ilulaios of Ptolemy’s Canon.

18:7 Does this imply that he was a different person from the famous Merodach-baladan, the contemporary of Sargon and Hezekiah?

TRANSLATION OF THE THIRD DYNASTIC TABLET

Obv.—COLUMN I

Only the ends of two lines in the middle have been preserved.

… 600 (years) he reigned.

[The kings] … (were) in all.

Obv.—COLUMN II

… ili ……

(an) Illadu 1 the son of the same for … (years).

Mul-men-nunna …

Abil (?)-Kis the son of …

Obv.—COLUMN III

Is entirely lost. It contained about seventy lines.

Rev.—COLUMN IV

[The dynasty] of Babylon, [11 kings for 294 years].

’Sumu-[abi for 15 years].

Zabû [for 14 years.]

Abil-Sin [for 18 years].

Sin-[muballidh for 30 years].

The next six lines are destroyed.

The 1[1 kings of the dynasty of Uru-azagga].

For 3[68 years].

_________

An[man] …

Ki[-An-nigas] …

The rest of the column is destroyed.

Rev.—COLUMN V

The marshmen (?) of the country of the sea (were) in all:

_________

The leader of the marshmen (?) of the land of the sea

(was) Siminas-sipak the son of Erba-Sin;

whose reign was prosperous: his god brought him aid;

for 17 years he reigned.

In the palace of Sargon (his corpse) was burned.

Ea-mukin-zira established himself as king,

the son of Kha’smar; 1 for 3 months he reigned.

In the vestments of Bit-Kha’smar he was burned.

Kassû-nadin-akhi the son of Sappâ 2 reigned for 6 years.

[He was burned] in the palace.

The 3 kings of the dynasty of the country of the Sea reigned for 23 years.

_________

[E]-ulbar-sakin-sumi the son of Bazi reigned for 15 years:

in the palace of Kar-Merodach [he was burned].

[Uras]-kudurri-utsur the son of Bazi reigned for 2 years.

[Silanim]-Suqamuna the son of Bazi reigned for 3 months:

in the palace of Lu … Sa [he was burned].

_________

[The 3] kings of the dynasty of the house of Bazi reigned for 20 years (and) 3 months.

…… a descendant of the race of Elam reigned for 6 years.

In the palace of Sargon he was burned.

_________

[One king] of the dynasty of Elam reigned for 6 years.

The rest of the tablet is lost.

Footnotes

20:1 This was the Semitic reading; the Accadian seems to have been Pallil.

21:1 May also be read Kutmar. The word meant “a hawk” in the Kassite language.

21:2 “The Sappite.”

TRANSLATION OF THE BABYLONIAN CHRONICLE

Obv.—COLUMN I

1. [In the 3d year of Nabonassar] king of Babylon

2. [Tiglath-pileser] in Assyria sat on the throne.

3. In the same year [Tiglath-pileser] descended into the country of Accad, and

4. the cities of Rabbiku and Khamranu he spoiled,

5. and the gods of the city of Sapazza he carried away.

_________

6. In the time of Nabu-natsir (Nabonassar) the town of Borsippa (Nabu’s city)

7. was separated from Babylon. The battle which Nabonassar

8. fought against Borsippa is not described. 1

_________

9. In the 5th year of Nabu-natsir Umma(n)-nigas

10. in Elam sat upon the throne.

_________

11. In (his) 14th year Nabu-natsir fell ill and died 2 in his palace.

12. For 14 years Nabu-natsir reigned over Babylon.

13. Nadinu 3 his son sat upon the throne in Babylon.

_________

14. In the second year Nadinu was slain in an insurrection.

15. For two years Nadinu reigned over Babylon.

16. Suma-yukin 4 the governor, the leader of the insurrection, sat upon the throne.

17. For 2 months and … days Suma-yukin reigned over Babylon.

18. Yukin-zira … seized upon the throne.

_________

19. In the 3d year of Yukin-zira Tiglath-pileser,

20. when he had descended into the country of Accad,

21. destroyed Bit-Amukanu and captured Yukin-zira.

22. For 3 years Yukin-zira reigned over Babylon.

23. Tiglath-pileser sat upon the throne in Babylon.

_________

24. In (his) 2d year Tiglath-pileser died in the month Tebet. 1

25. For [22] years Tiglath-pileser the sovereignty over Accad

26. and Assyria had exercised. For two years he reigned in Accad.

27. On the 25th day of the month Tebet Sulman-asarid (Shalmaneser) in Assyria

28. sat upon the throne. He destroyed the city of Sabarahin. 2

_________

29. In (his) 5th year Sulman-asarid died in the month Tebet.

30. For 5 years Sulman-asarid reigned over the countries of Accad and Assyria.

31. On the 12th day of the month Tebet Sargon sat upon the throne in Assyria.

32. In the month Nisan Merodach-baladan sat upon the throne in Babylon.

_________

33. In the 2d year of Merodach-baladan Umma(n)-nigas king of Elam

34. in the province of Dur-ili fought a battle against Sargon king of Assyria, and

35. caused a revolt from Assyria: he overthrew them 1 utterly.

36. Merodach-baladan and his army, which to the assistance

37. of the king of Elam had gone, did not obtain a battle: he arrived too late. 2

_________

38. In the 5th year of Merodach-baladan Umma(n)-nigas king of Elam died.

39. [For 3 years] Umma(n)-nigas reigned over Elam.

40. [Sutruk 3-nankhun]du the son of his sister sat on the throne in Elam.

41. …… up to the 10th year

The remaining lines of the column are destroyed.

COLUMN II

1. In the … the year …

2. A battle …

3. For 12 years [Merodach-baladan reigned over Babylon]. 4

4. Sargon [sat upon. the throne in Babylon].4

The next fourteen lines are destroyed.

19. The Babylonians he did not oppress (?) 5 …

20. he (Sennacherib) was angry also with Merodach-baladan, and [took him prisoner];

2 I. he devastated his country, and …

22. the cities of Larak and Sarraba[nu 6 he destroyed].

23. After his capture (Sennacherib) placed Bel-ibni upon the throne in Babylon.

_________

24. In the first year of Bel-ibni Sennacherib.

25. destroyed the cities of Khirimma and Khararatum.

_________

26. In the 3d year of Bel-ibni Sennacherib into the country of Accad

27. descended, and devastated the country of Accad.

28. Bel-ibni and his officers he transported into Assyria.

29. For 3 years Bel-ibni reigned over Babylon.

30. Sennacherib his son, Assur-nadin-suma

31. placed upon the throne in Babylon.

_________

32. In the first year of Assur-nadin-suma Sutruk-[nan]khundu 1 king of Elam

33. was seized by his brother Khallusu who closed the gate before him. 2

34. For 18 years Sutruk-[nan]khundu had reigned over Elam.

35. His brother Khallusu sat upon the throne in Elam.

_________

36. In the 6th year of Assur-nadin-suma Sennacherib

37. descended into the country of Elam, and the cities of Nagitum, Khilmi,

38. Pellatum and Khupapanu he destroyed.

39. He carried away their spoil. Afterwards Khallusu the king of Elam

40. marched into the country of Accad and entered Sippara on the march (?).

41. He killed some people (but) the Sun-god did not issue forth from the temple of E-Babara.

42. He captured Assur-nadin-suma and he was carried to Elam.

43. For 6 years Assur-nadin-suma reigned over Babylon.

44. The king of Elam placed Nergal-yusezib in Babylon

45. on the throne. He caused [a revolt] from Assyria.

_________

46. In the 1st year of Nergal-yusezib, on the 16th day of the month Tammuz, 1

47. Nergal-yusezib captured Nipur 2 and occupied its neighborhood (?).

48. On the first day of the month Tammuz the soldiers of Assyria had entered Uruk. 3

COLUMN III

1. They spoiled the gods belonging to Uruk as well as its inhabitants.

2. Nergal-yusezib fled after the Elamites, and the gods belonging to Uruk

3. as well as its inhabitants (the Assyrians) carried away. On the 7th day of the month Tisri 4 in the province of Nipur

4. he fought a battle against the soldiers of Assyria and was taken prisoner in the conflict, and

5. he was carried to Assyria. For 1 year and 6 months Nergal-yusezib

6. reigned over Babylon. On the 26th day of the [month Tisri?]

7. against Khallusu king of Elam his people revolted, [the gate before] him

8. they closed. They slew him. For 6 years Khallusu reigned over Elam.

9. Kudur in Elam sat upon the throne. Afterwards Sennacherib

10. descended into Elam and from the country of Rasi as far as

11. Bit-Burna 5 he devastated.

12. Musezib-Merodach sat upon the throne in Babylon.

13. In the first year of Musezib-Merodach on the 17th day of the month Ab 1

14. Kudur king of Elam was seized in an insurrection and killed. For 10 months

15. Kudur had reigned over Elam. Menanu in Elam

16. sat upon the throne. I do not know the year 2 when the soldiers of Elam and Accad

17. he collected together and in the city of Khalule a battle against Assyria

18. he fought, and caused a revolt from Assyria. 3

19. In the 4th year of Musezib-Merodach on the 15th day of Nisan 4

20. Menanu king of Elam was paralysed, 5 and

21. his mouth was seized and he was deprived of speech.

22. On the first day of the month Kisleu 6 the city [of Babylon] was taken, Musezib-Merodach

23. was taken and led away to Assyria.

24. For 4 years Musezib-Merodach reigned over Babylon.

25. On the 7th day of the month Adar 7 Menanu king of Elam died.

26. For 4 years Menanu reigned over Elam.

27. Khumma-khaldasu 8 in Elam sat upon the throne.

_________

28. In the eighth year of the king there was … in Babylon. On the 3d day of the month Tammuz

29. the gods belonging to Erech went down from the city Of Eridu 9 to Erech.

30. On the 3d day of the month Tisri Khumma-khaldasu the king of Elam by the Fire-god

31. was stricken and perished through the power (?) of the god. For 8 years Khumma-khaldasu

32. reigned over Elam.

33. Khumma-khaldasu the second in the country of Elam sat upon the throne.

34. On the 10th day of the month Tebet, 1 Sennacherib king of Assyria

35. by his own son 2 was murdered in an insurrection. For [24] years Sennacherib

36. reigned over Assyria. From the 20th day of the month Tebet until

37. the 2d day of the month Adar is described as a period of insurrection in Assyria.

38. On the 8th day of the month Sivan 3 Assur-akhi-iddina (Esar-haddon) his son sat on the throne in Assyria.

_________

39. In the first year of Esar-haddon, Zira-kina-esir 4 of the sea coast, 5

40. when he had laid fetters on the city of Erech (Uruk), the city. of [Erech?]

41. destroyed in sight of the officers of Assyria and [fled] to the country of Elam.

42. In Elam the king of Elam took him and [slew him] with the sword.

43. In a month I do not know the officer called Gu-enna was … in the city of Nipur.

_________

44. In the month Elul, 6 the god Gu’si 7 and the gods [of the city of …]

45. proceeded to Dur-ili; [the gods of ……]

46. proceeded to Dur-Sargon ……

47. In the month Adar the heads of ……

_________

48. In the second year the major-domo ……

The next two lines are destroyed.

Rev.—COLUMN IV

1. …… akhe-sullim the Gu-enna.

2… [the Gimir]ri 1 marched against Assyria and in Assyria were slain.

3… the city of Sidon was taken; its spoil was carried away.

4. The major-domo mustered a gathering in Accad.

_________

5. In the 5th year on the 2d day of the month Tisri the Assyrian soldiers Bazza 2

6. occupied. In the month Tisri the head of the king of the country of Sidon

7. was cut off, and brought to Assyria. In the month Adar the head of the king

8. of the countries of Gundu and ’Si’sû 3 was cut off and brought to Assyria.

_________

9. In the 6th year the king of Elam entered Sippara. He offered sacrifices. The Sun-god (Utu / Shamash) 4 from

10. the temple of E-Babara did not issue forth. The Assyrians marched into Egypt. Ethiopia was troubled. 5

11. Khumma-khaldasu the king of Elam without being sick died in his palace.

12. For 5 years Khumma-khaldasu reigned over Elam.

13. Urtagu his brother sat upon the throne in Elam.

14. In a month I do not know Nadin-Suma the Gu-enna

15. and Kudur the son of Dakuri went to Assyria.

_________

16. In the 7th year on the 5th day of the month Adar the soldiers of Assyria marched into Egypt.

17. In the month Adar Istar of the city of Accad and the gods of the city of Accad

18. had departed from the country of Elam and on the 10th day of the month Adar entered the city of Accad.

_________

19. In the 8th year of Esar-haddon in the month Tebet on a day of which the date has been lost 1

20. the country of the Rurizâ was occupied; its spoil was carried away.

21. In the month Kisleu its spoil was brought into the city of Ur.

22. On the 5th day of the month Adar the wife of the king died.

_________

23. In the tenth year in the month Nisan the soldiers of Assyria marched into Egypt. 2

24. On the 3d day of the month Tammuz and also on the 16th and 18th days

25. three times the Egyptians were defeated with heavy loss. 3

26. On the 22d day Memphis, 4 the royal city, was captured.

27. Its king fled; his son descended into the country of [Ethiopia].

28. Its spoil was carried away; [its] men were [enslaved]; its goods were ……

_________

29. In the 11th year the king [remained] in Assyria; his officers ……

_________

30. In the 12th year the king of Assyria ……

31. On the march he fell ill, and died on the 10th day of the month Marchesvan. 1

32. For 12 years Esar-haddon reigned over Assyria.

33. Saul-suma-yukina in Babylon, Assur-bani-pal in Assyria, his two sons, sat on the throne.

_________

34. In the accession year of Saul-suma-yukina in the month Iyyar, 2

35. Bel (Marduk) and the gods of Accad from the city of Assur

36. had gone forth and on the 11th day of the month Iyyar had entered into Babylon.

37. In that year [against] the city of Kirbitum 3 [there was war]; its king is conquered.

38. On the 10th day of the month Tebet Bel-edir-nisi (?) in Babylon is seized and put to death.

_________

39. The first part (of the chronicle) has been written like its original and has been made public.

40. The tablet of Ana-Bel-kan the son of Libludhu

41. the son of Nis-Sin, by the hand of Ea-iddin the son of

42. Ana-Bel-kan the son of Libludhu of Babylon,

43. the 5th day of the month … the 22d year of Darius king of Babylon,

44. the king of the world.”

Footnotes

22:1 That is, in the history from which the writer extracted his chronicles.

22:2 Literally “fate” (overtook him).

22:3 The Nebo-nadin-ziri (“Nebo has given a seed”) of the Dynastic Tablet; Nadios in Ptolemy’s Canon.

22:4 Called Nebo-suma-yukin in the Dynastic Tablet.

23:1 December.

23:2 Not to be confounded with ’Samerina or Samaria. M. Halévy may be right in identifying it with the city of Sibraim mentioned in Ezek. xlvii. 16 as lying between Damascus and Hamath.

24:1 That is, the Assyrians. The Annals of Sargon, on the other hand, claim the victory for Assyria, though Babylonia was left in the hands of Merodach-baladan.

24:2 Literally, “he undertook it too late” (ana arki itsbat-’sa).

24:3 The Elamite Sutruk was identified by the Assyrians with their goddess Istar (Inanna).

24:4 So restored by Winckler.

24:5 Ikhmi’s.

24:6 See W.A.I., ii. 69, No. 5, 13. Larak was the Larankha of Berossos, which the Greek writer seems to have confounded with Surippak near Sippara.

25:1 Written Is-tar-khu-un-du. The Susian inscriptions of the king himself write the name Su-ut-ru-uk-[an]-Nakh-khu-un-te.

25:2 That is, imprisoned him.

26:1 June.

26:2 Now Niffer.

26:3 Now Warka, the Erech of Gen. x. 10.

26:4 September.

26:5 Bit-Burna (-ki) is called Bit Buna (-ki) in the annals of Sennacherib.

27:1 July.

27:2 The chronicler’s sources here failed him, but Winckler has pointed out that the battle of Khalule must have taken place in either B.C. 691 or 690.

27:3 The annals of Sennacherib claim a complete victory for the Assyrians.

27:4 March.

27:5 Literally, “Tetanus constricted him” (misidtuv imisid, cf. W.A.I., ii. 27. 47, 48).

27:6 November.

27:7 February.

27:8 Called Umman-aldas in the Assyrian inscriptions.

27:9 Eridu was on the coast of the Persian Gulf.

28:1 December.

28:2 It will be noticed that the chronicler speaks of only one son, whereas two are named in the Old Testament.

28:3 May.

28:4 Called by Esar-haddon Nebo-zira-kina-esir (“Nebo (Nabu) has directed the established seed”), the son of Merodach-baladan.

28:5 That is, of the Persian Gulf.

28:6 August.

28:7 “The god of the favorable mouth,” a local divinity (perhaps belonging to Sippara, W.A.I., v. 3r, 30), and identified with Uras (W.A.I., ii. 57, 54).

29:1 So restored by Winckler. The Gimirrâ are the Gomer of the Old Testament, the Kimmerians of classical writers.

29:2 Apparently the district of Arabia Petræa called Bazu by Esar-haddon, Buz in the Old Testament.

29:3 Probably in Kilikia.

29:4 The Sun-god (Utu) whose temple has been discovered by Mr. Hormuzd Rassam in the mounds of Abu-Habba was the patron-deity of Sipar or Sippara. Besides “Sippara of the Sun-god,” there was a neighbouring city called “Sippara of Anunit (Inanna?).” The two together formed the Scriptural Sepharvaim or “two Sipparas.”

29:5 Melukh imina.

30:1 In the history from which the chronicler derived his account.

30:2 The chronicler notes here that the last character in the line was wanting in his copy.

30:3 Literally, “massacres took place in Egypt.”

30:4 Written Membi.

31:1 October.

31:2 April.

31:3 Apparently the city of Karbat in Northern Egypt, conquered by Assur-bani-pal at the commencement of his reign.

Chronicle of early kings (ABC 20)

The translation on this webpage was adapted from A.K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (1975) and Jean-Jacques Glassner, Mesopotamian Chronicles (Atlanta, 2004).

The Chronicle of early kings (ABC 20) is a historiographical text from ancient Babylonia. Although it purports to offer information about the oldest period and the Old-Babylonian empire, it was probably written much later. One anachronism is the reference to Babylon during the reign of king Sargon of Akkad. However, in outline, much information is more or less correct. The last seven lines of tabletA are identical to the beginning of tablet B, so we can be confident that we have a more or less complete text. Related subject matter can be found in chronicle CM 41.

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

Translation of tablet A

1 Sargon, king of Agade, came to power during the reign of Ištar (Inanna) [1] and

2 he had neither rival nor equal. His splendor, over the lands

3 it diffused. He crossed the sea in the east.

4 In the eleventh year he conquered the western land to its farthest point.

5 He brought it under one authority. He set up his statues there

6 and ferried the west’s booty across on barges.

7 He stationed his court officials at intervals of five double hours and

8 ruled in unity the tribes of the lands.

9 He marched to Kazallu and turned Kazallu into a ruin heap,

10 so that there was not even a perch for a bird left.

11 Afterwards, in his old age, all of the lands rebelled again and

12 surrounded him in Agade. Sargon went out to fight and brought about their defeat.

13 He overthrew them and overpowered their extensive army.

14 Afterwards, Subartu attacked Sargon in full force and called him to arms.

15 Sargon set an ambush and completely defeated them.

16 He overpowered their extensive army

17 and sent their possessions into Akkad.

18 He dug up the dirt of the pit of Babylon and

19 made a counterpart of Babylon next to Agade.

20 Because the wrong he had done [2] the great lord Marduk became angry and wiped out his family by famine.

21 From east to west, the subjects rebelled against him

23 and Marduk afflicted him with insomnia.

——————————————

24 Naram-Sin,[3] son of Sargon, marched to Apišal.

25 He made a breach in the city wall and Riš-Adad

26 he captured, the king of Apišal, and the vizier of Apišal.

27 He marched to Magan and captured Mannu-dannu, king of Magan.

——————————————

28 Šulgi,[4] the son of Ur-Nammu, provided abundant food for Eridu, which is on the seashore.

29 But he had criminal tendencies and the property of Esagila and Babylon

30 he took away as booty. Bêl (Marduk) caused […] to consume his body and killed him.

——————————————

31 Irra-imitti,[5] the king, installed Enlil-bani, the gardener,

32 as substitute king [6] on his throne.

33 He placed the royal tiara on his head.

34 Irra-imitti died in his palace when he sipped a hot soup.

35 Enlil-bani, who occupied the throne, did not give it up and

36 so he was sovereign.

——————————————

37 Ilu-šumma was king of Assyria at the time of Su-abu.

38 Battles.

Translation of tablet B

Obverse

1-7 Identical to tablet A 31-36.

8 Hammurabi,[7] king of Babylon, mustered his army and

9 marched against Rim-Sin [I], king of Ur.

10 Hammurabi captured Ur and Larsa and

11 took their property to Babylon.

12 He brought Rim-Sin in a ki-is-kap to Babylon.

——————————————

13 Samsu-iluna,[8] king of Babylon, son of Hammurabi, the king

14 […] he mustered and

15 […] Rim-Sin [II] marched to […]

16 […] he captured and

17 […] in good health in his palace

18 […] he went and surrounded […]

19 […] his people […]

20 […]

Lacuna

Reverse

Lacuna

1′ […]

2′ […] Iluma-ilu […]

3′ […] he made […]

4′ he did battle against them […]

5′ their corpses [..] in the sea […]

6′ he repeated and Samsu-iluna […]

7′ Iluma-ilu attacked and brought about the defeat of his army.

——————————————

8′ Abi-ešuh,[9] son of Samsu-iluna, set out to conquer Iluma-ilu.

9′ He decided to dam the Tigris.

10′ He dammed the Tigris but did not capture Iluma-ilu.

——————————————

11′ At the time of Samsuditana [10] the Hittites marched against Akkad.

——————————————

12′ Ea-gamil,[11] the king of the Sealand, fled to Elam.

13′ After he had gone, Ulam-Buriaš, brother of Kaštiliašu, the Kassite,

14′ mustered an army and conquered the Sealand. He was master of the land.

——————————————

15′ Agum, the son of Kaštiliašu, mustered his army and

16′ marched to the Sealand.

17′ He seized Dur-Enlil and

18′ destroyed Egalgašešna, Enlil‘s temple (secondary residence) in Dur-Enlil.

——————————————

Note 1:
According to the Middle chronology, Sargon ruled from 2334 to 2279. His eleventh year would be 2323 BCE. He was the founder of the dynasty of Akkad.

Note 2:
I.e., building a rival to Babylon.

Note 3:
According to the Middle Chronology, Naram-Sin ruled from 2254 to 2218.

Note 4:
According to the Middle Chronology, Šulgi ruled from 2094 to 2047. He was the second king of the Third Dynasty of Ur.

Note 5:
According to the Middle Chronology, Irra-Imitti, king of Isin, ruled from 1868 to 1861. His successor Enlil-bani occupied the throne in 1860-1837. This story is also told in CM 41, tablet B.

Note 6:
Substitute kings were appointed when evil omens predicted the death of a king. Irra-imitti’s sin may have been that he stayed in the palace.

Note 7:
According to the Middle Chronology, the Babylonian king Hammurabi ruled from 1792 to 1750. Rim-Sin of Larsa was defeated in 1762, after a reign that had started in 1822 (!).

Note 8:
Samsu-iluna ruled from 1749 to 1712, according to the Middle Chronology.

Note 9:
Abi-ešuh ruled, according to the Middle Chronology, from 1711 to 1696. The story about the damming of the Tigris is also told in CM 41, tablet B.

Note 10:
Samsu-ditana became king in 1625 (Middle Chronology) and Babylon was sacked in 1595.

Note 11:
Last king of the Sealand Dynasty. Dating is impossible.

The Kings of Ur Chronicle

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

The following text, written in Uruk in the year 251 BCE, is part of a Babylonian chronicle, and deals with reign of the godless (?) Sumerian king Sulgi of Ur, whose reign can be dated to 2095-2047.

Translation

Obverse

At the command of [the gods] Anu and (spouse) Antu,

I hope I may succeed in everything that I undertake and enjoy it fully.

[…] Ur-Nammu reigned eighteen years. (2113-2095)

The divine Šulgi, son of a daughter of king Utu-hegal of Uruk,

with the blind Lu-Nanna, the scholar […] – there was spitefulness in their hearts!-

improperly tampered with the rites of the cult of Anu,

Uruk‘s regulations, the secret knowledge of the wise,

and put down in writing the forced labor exacted by Sin, lord of Ur.

During his reign, he composed untruthful stelae, insolent writings,

concerning the rites of purification for the gods, and left them to posterity,

But Anu, the king, whose decisions are venerable, regarded him with anger and […] his grave faults […]

he covered his body with […]. (…)

Reverse

[…] predictions of Aku-batila […] have not […] the divine Šulgi reigned forty-eight years. (2095-2047)

Amar–Sin reigned nine years. (2047-2038)

Written according to its original, checked, revised, and edited.

Copy of a wooden tablet, property of Anu and Antu.

Tablet of Anu-aha-ušabši, son of Kidin-Ani, descendant of Ekur,zakir, the exorcist of Anu and Antu,

the šešgallu-priest of the Bit-reši temple at Uruk.

Hand of Anu-balassu-iqbi, his son.

He wrote it to fulfill his education, the long duration of his days, his life,

the perpetuity of his office and placed it in the Bit-reši, the temple of his lord in Uruk.

Uruk, month Abu, twenty-first day, sixty-first year [SE], Antiochus II, king of all lands.

(15 August 251 BCE)

Rulers of Lagash (Version B)

The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature

(Texts: All Artifacts, Color Coding, & Writings in Bold Type With Italics Inside Parenthesis, are Added by Editor R. Brown, not the Authors, Translators, or Publishers!)

(gods in blue …mixed-breed demigods in teal…)

After the flood had swept over and brought about the destruction of the countries;

when mankind was made to endure,

and the seed of mankind was preserved and the black-headed (earthling) people all rose;

(Apkulla / pilot, Enki, King Anu in his sky-disc, Enlil, & winged eagle-headed pilot / Apkulla, faceless minor god)

when An (Anu) and Enlil called the name of mankind and established rulership,

but kingship and the crown of the city had not yet come out from heaven (Home Planet Nibiru),

(Ninurta, King Anu‘s successor following father Enlil, & Enlil seated)

and Nin-jirsu (Ninurta)had not yet established for the multitude of well-guarded (?) people

the pickaxe, the spade, the earth basket and the plow, which mean life for the Land —

in those days, the carefree youth of man lasted for 100 years and,

following his upbringing, he lasted for another 100 years.

However, he did not do any work.

He became smaller and smaller, ……; his sheep died (?) in the sheepfold.

In those days, because the water of Lagac (Lagash) was held back, there was famine in Jirsu.

Canals were not dug, the levees and ditches were not cleaned.

The large arable tracts were not ……,

there was no water to irrigate abundantly all the cultivated fields: the people relied on rain;

(Enlil, Haia, Nisaba, Ninlil, grain god & goddess, & unidentified mixed-breed with dinner)

Acnan (Nisaba, Goddess of Grains) did not make dappled barley grow,

furrows were not yet opened, they bore no yield; the high plain was not tilled, it bore no yield.

None of the countries with numerous people libated emmer beer,

liquor, ……, sweet liquor or …… for the gods.

They did not till large fields for them with the plow.

10 lines missing

…… the canal. …… its (?) fields.

In order to dig canals, to clean the levees and ditches,

to …… the large arable tracts, to …… all the cultivated fields,

he established for the people the pickaxe, the spade, the earth basket,

and the plow, which mean life for the Land.

Then he turned his attention to making barley sprout.

He made the people stand before the maiden,

and they raised their heads day and night, at the appointed times.

Before Acnan (Nisaba) who makes the seeds grow,

they prostrated themselves and she made them grow (?).

(unidentified, Haia, Ningirsu, Enlil, & Nisaba, Enlil‘s in-laws)

Before (?) Acnan who makes the dappled barley grow, they ……

33 lines missing or uncertain

…… acted for …… years.

…… dug the canal ……, he acted (ruled as king) for 2760 years.

En-akigalaguba: his personal god was ……,he dug the canal Nijin-jic-tukuam, he acted for 1200 years.

In those days there was no writing, ……, canals were not dug, earth baskets were not carried.

In those days, ……, the people …… offerings of refined gold

2 lines uncertain

a good shepherd rose over the Land; he gave them (?) …… as a gift.

En- Ninjirsu-ki-aj, the son of En-akigalaguba: he acted for 1320 years.

En- Enlile-ki-aj, the son of En- Ninjirsu-ki-aj: he acted for 1800 years.

Ur- Bau the son of En- Enlile-ki-aj: he acted for 900 years.

A-gal: his personal god was Ig-alim (Ninurta’s son), he acted for 660 years.

Kue (?), the son of A-gal: he acted for 1200 years.

Ama-alim, son of Kue (?): ……, he acted for 600 years.

12 lines unclear or missing, the lines list further rulers with unrecoverable names and length of rule.

2 lines missing

he dug the Mah canal, the …… canal, the Pirijgin-jen canal, the …… canal,

the Pirij canal at the mouth of the Lugal canal,

the Gana-hili-ana canal, the …… canal, and the Nance-pada canal.

To care, single-handedly, for the great arable lands,

he dug irrigation ditches and ……, he acted for 2220 years.

Ur- Nance, the son of ……, who built the E-Sirara (Nanshe’s), her temple of happiness

and Nijin, her beloved city, acted for 1080 years.

Ane-tum, the son of Ur- Nance, in whose …… place the gods stood, who …… the land register of great Enlil:

his personal god was Cul-utul (unidentified?), he acted for 690 years. ……,

the son of Ane-tum: he acted for X+360 years.

En-entar-zid: his god was Mes-an-du (unidentified?), of the seed of ancient days,

who had grown together with the city, he acted for 990 years.

……, the son of En-entar-zid: he dug the canal Urmah-banda,

and the canal Tabta-kug-jal, his personal god was Mes-an-du (unidentified?);

his master Nin-jirsu (Ninurta) commanded him to build his temple; he acted for 960 years.

En- Enlile-su: he acted for 600 years.

……, the son of En- Enlile-su: his personal god was Ninazu ; he acted for 660 years.

……: he acted for 1110 years.

Puzur- Ninlil: he acted for X x 60 + 1 years.

En- Mes-an-du (?), the son of Puzur- Ninlil: his personal god was ……, he acted for 120 years.

Dadu, the son of En- Mes-an-du (?): he acted for 160 years.

Tuggur, the son of Dadu: he acted for 160 years.

……: he acted for 120 years.

Puzur- Mama, the scribe of Ninki (Enki’s official spouse):

his personal god was Zazaru (unidentified?); he acted for …… years.

Lamku-nijgena (?), the administrator of Puzur- Mama,

who built the wall of Jirsu, his ……, and the Tirac palace in Lagac (Lagash): he acted for 280 years.

Henjal, the son of Lamku-nijgena (?): his god was Pabilsaj (Ninurta) (?), he acted for 140 years.

……, the son of Henjal: he acted for 144 years.

Ur- Ninmarki (named after Ninmarki), the scribe and scholar: ……,

(Haia Ningirsu Enlil Nisaba)

his personal gods were Haya (Haia) and Nisaba (Haia‘s spouse), he acted for X + 20 years.

Ur- Ninjirsu, the son of Ur- Ninmarki: he acted for X x 60 years.

Ur- Bau, the scribe of Ur- Ninjirsu, who …… in the assembly: he acted for X + 30 years.

Gudea (Ninsun’s 2/3rds divine son-king), the younger brother of Ur- Bau, ……,

who was not the son of his mother nor the son of his father: he acted for …… years.

(Nisaba, Enlil‘s mother-in-law)

Written in the school.

Nisaba be praised! (Goddess of Grains, & Master Scribe, Author to many texts)