Ashurbanipal 104

~655 BCE·Neo-Assyrian·Q003803

Translation · reference

High confidence

Obverse completely missing One column likely completely missing (r i' 1') [...] ... [...] May [they (the gods) lengthen] my [d]ays [(so that) I may be fully satisfied with (my) good fortune. May they make the f]oundation(s) of [my] royal throne [endure (and) make my reign last for a long time]. (rev. i´ 5´) May [they kill] my enemies [(and) cut down my foes. W]ith their great support, [may I rule wherever I desire (lit. “I say”) (and) achieve] whatever (lit. “the place”) I strive for. (r i' 8') [I]n the futu[re, may (one of) the sons, grandsons, (great grand)sons], or [(great, great grand)sons, one of the kings, my descendants],

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/Q003803/

Why it matters

Preserves the standard Assyrian royal prayer formula — longevity, dynastic continuity, victory over enemies — attesting the ideological template Sargonid kings imposed on monumental self-presentation in the mid-seventh century BCE.

Transliteration

[x x] x [...] / [x] ⸢KI⸣ KI x [...] / ⸢UD⸣.MEŠ-ia ⸢li⸣-[šá-ri-ku lu-uš-bi bu-ʾa-a-ru] / ⸢SUḪUŠ⸣ GIŠ.GU.ZA LUGAL-⸢ti⸣-[ia lu-kin-nu lu-šal-bi-ru BALA.MEŠ-ia] / ⸢LÚ⸣.KÚR.MEŠ-ia ⸢li⸣-[né-e-ru li-šam-qí-tu ga-re-ia] / ⸢ina⸣ tukul-ti-šú-nu GAL-[ti e-ma a-qab-bu-u la-be-el] / ⸢a⸣-šar ú-ṣar-ra-⸢mu⸣ [lik-šu-da ŠU.II-a-a] / [a]-⸢na⸣ EGIR.⸢MEŠ⸣ [u₄-me DUMU.MEŠ DUMU DUMU.MEŠ] / [DUMU.MEŠ] ⸢ù?⸣ [DUMU.MEŠ ina LUGAL.MEŠ DUMU.MEŠ-ia]

Scholarly note

Royal inscription of Ashurbanipal or a late Sargonid successor, edited by Jamie Novotny & Joshua Jeffers (RINAP 5, 2018–). ORACC text Q003803.

Attribution

Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P398459). 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/Q003803/.

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