Position in chronology
Ashurbanipal 072
Translation · reference
High confidence(i 1') [... I made (it) shine li]ke daylight [... in Egašanḫil]ikuga [... (and) I made (Šarrat-Kidmuri) dwell on (her) ete]rnal [dais]. (i 4') [...] his [...] (ii 1') [(wherein) he (Esarhaddon) conquered] Egypt (and) Ku[sh and (then) carried off its booty without number. He ruled over] that land in [its] ent[irety and made (it) part of the territory of Assyria. He changed] the forme[r] names of the cities [and gave them new names. He appointed] his servants [therein] as king(s), go[vernor(s), (and) official(s). He imposed upon them annual] tribute payment (in recognition) of [his]…
Source: Novotny, J. & Jeffers, J. 2018–. The Royal Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal (668–631 BC), Aššur-etel-ilāni (630–627 BC) and Sîn-šarra-iškun (626–612 BC), Kings of Assyria. RINAP 5. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap5/Q003771/
Why it matters
Attests Esarhaddon's conquest of Egypt and Kush as refracted through Ashurbanipal's own royal ideology: the renaming of cities and installation of vassal kings recorded here illuminates how Assyria consolidated its briefest, most audacious imperial overreach.
Transliteration
[... ú-nam-mir? ki]-⸢ma u₄-me⸣ / [... ina é-gašan-ḫi]-⸢li⸣-kù-ga / [... pa-rak da]-⸢ra⸣-a-ti / [...].⸢MEŠ⸣-šú / [...].⸢MEŠ⸣ / [...] x / [...] x / KUR.mu-⸢ṣur KUR.ku⸣-[ú-su ik-šu-du-ma ina la mi-ni iš-lu-la šal-la-as-su] / KUR šu-a-tu a-na ⸢si-ḫir⸣-[ti-šá i-be-el-ma a-na mi-ṣir KUR aš-šur.KI ú-ter] / MU.MEŠ URU.MEŠ maḫ-ru-⸢ti⸣ [ú-nak-kir-ma a-na eš-šu-ú-te iš-ku-na ni-bi-is-su-un] / ⸢ARAD⸣.MEŠ-šú…
Scholarly note
Royal inscription of Ashurbanipal or a late Sargonid successor, edited by Jamie Novotny & Joshua Jeffers (RINAP 5, 2018–). ORACC text Q003771.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P394797). source
Translation excerpted from Novotny, J. & Jeffers, J. 2018–. The Royal Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal (668–631 BC), Aššur-etel-ilāni (630–627 BC) and Sîn-šarra-iškun (626–612 BC), Kings of Assyria. RINAP 5. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap5/Q003771/.
Related tablets
Related sources
The earliest historical document in human history. Before this, we have lists, accounts, and dedications. Here, for the first time, a ruler tells us what happened — with names, places, and consequences.
The oldest surviving law code in human history. The principle that the state — not the wronged family — defines and enforces justice begins here.
Not the first law code, but the most complete and the most famous. Inscribed on a black diorite stele over two meters tall, displayed in a public place — law made visible, law made monumental.