Position in chronology
Ashurbanipal 119
Translation · reference
High confidence(1') [... the kings, governors, (and) officials whom the father w]ho had engendered [me had appointed in Egypt, who had ab]andoned [their post(s) in the face of Taharqa’s tactical advance], (and) had gone to (lit. “filled”) the countryside, [where their post(s) were] I permitted them to serve [in t]heir [(former) positions again]. (4') [... who had ab]andoned [me ...] I plunde[red ...]. (r 1) [... I constantly marc]hed and [...]. (r 4) [... he (Urtaku)] started a battle with me [...] my [...]s had traveled, he set out (and) came to [...]. (r 9) [... the deities ..., Ištar of Arbel]a, Ninurta, Nergal, and Nusku, [...] he was struck with an incurable wound. [...] ... me [...] him the covering of death [...] ... he returned to his land. [...]
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/Q003818/
Why it matters
Attests Ashurbanipal's reinstatement of Egyptian vassals who had fled Taharqa's advance, then pivots to the Elamite war against Urtaku — threading two simultaneous imperial crises in one royal account.
Transliteration
[LUGAL.MEŠ LÚ.NAM.MEŠ LÚ.qe-pa-a-ni šá qé-reb KUR.mu-ṣur ú-pa-qí-du AD] ⸢ba⸣-nu-u-[a] / [šá la-pa-an ti-bu-ut mtar-qu-ú pi-qit-ta-šú-un ú]-⸢maš⸣-ši-ru im-lu-u EDIN / [ú-ter-ma a-šar pi-qit-ti-šú-un ina maš-kán-i]-⸢šú⸣-un ul-zi-is-⸢su-nu-ti⸣ / [... ú]-⸢maš⸣-ši-ru-⸢in⸣-[ni ...] / [...] áš-lu-la ⸢šal⸣-[lat-...] / [... at-tal]-lak-ma x [...] / [...] (blank) [...] / [...] (blank) [...] / [...] (blank)…
Scholarly note
Royal inscription of Ashurbanipal or a late Sargonid successor, edited by Jamie Novotny & Joshua Jeffers (RINAP 5, 2018–). ORACC text Q003818.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P236998). 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/Q003818/.
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